The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1918-06-30
DRIVER CLAIMS He
SHOT WILLIAMS
IN SELF DEFENSE
AGED MAN HELD WITHOUT
BAIL TO AWAIT TRIAL IN
THE DISTRICT COURT.
IDENTIFIES THE WEAPON
Il Shot Wylie Williams-That's the
Gun | Shot Him With--He Said
He Would Shoot Me-" Defendant
Declares on Witness Stand.

Il shot Wyie Williams. That's
the gun | shot him with. | have
had it since last spring.
saw him coming through the gate
and asked him about my money.
He said he would not pay me
ID cent. He jerked his horse
back, threw his hand toward his
pocket and said; I will shoot your
C d old ignorant head Off
Then | shot him"
That was the testimony of w. c.
Driver, while on the witness stand
in the county court yesterday after
noon in his own behalf, at the pre-
lIminary hearing of himself and
Stanley lierriott, his grandson.
charged Jointly with the murder of
Wylie Williams, which occurred
northwest of Springer last Tuesday.
At the conclusion OF the hearing.
which consumed the entire after
noon Judge Thomas Champion held
Driver without bail to the district
court for trial and took the case of
Stanley Harriott under advisement
until tomorrow.
a. J. Hardy, county attorney.
James Mathers and Thomas Nor
man appeared for the state. and !.
Is. Champion represented the de-
fendants. a large number of wit
nesses were examined, most of them
character witnesses, introduced bv
the defense. The defense began its
case backward, that is Introducing
It's character witnesses first. and this
evidence was admitted over the
strenuous objections of the state.
but the attorney for the defendant
said he would put Driver on the
stand before the hearing was com
pleted.
Description of Wound.
Dr. II. a. Higgins of Springer
was the first witness for the state
and told of examining the body of
Williams and finding hole in the
right side of his face three inches up
and down and two and three-uuar-
ters inches across. In the wound
he found powder and pieces of felt
or gun wadding and sliyers of bone
IN the brain tissue. Tis evidence
tended to show that the dead man
was IN a STOPPING position when
shot bearing out the theory of the
state that while he was stooping to
untasten the gate, the fastening be.
ing one and one-half or two feet
from the ground. that Driver. who
was alleged to have been in hiding
behind big tree, ambuShed vii
Hams. On cross-examination he
said Driver bore good reputation
and that Williams reputation was
bad. He had heard that Driver was
a moonshiner, but did not hear of it
until after this killing. On redirect
examination he said he had never
heard OF Williams being in a cut
ting or shooting scrape or fighting
with anybody.
Mrs. Williams Testimony.
Mrs. Bessie Williams, widow OF
the slain man, was the next witness.
She said her husband left home
Tuesday morning. about 8 O'Clock.
to go to Ardmore. She did not
hear OF the killing until two hours
after she heard the shot. The VIII
iams family intended to move from
that neighborhood the next day.
She went 10 the gate where her
husband was lying in the road and
here was no one there. She saw
log about the body. She told how
ler husband was dressed and identi-
led his hat. which had been shot
through the brim. She said he wore
10 coat. She said he had no weap-
)ns, that none were about his body
md he did not own a gun. She saw
Mrs. Dyer near the place and spoke
o her, but she crossed the road and
lid not answer She was asked if
Ter husband did not buy cattle from
Driver, give him a check tor Sl,SO0.
ell the cattle, then take back the
heck and tear il up. She said he
lid not do that and that she never
leard him say word against Driv-
r. Driver, she said. had never sued
Ter husband and that her husband
lad cattle, horses, mules and lands:
hat he had just bought farm near
'ooleville.
L. X. Sermons. father of Mrs.
Williams. testified to much that she
i'd. he having gone with her to the
ate. He heard the shot about $50
nd said it was but a few minutes
efore the sun went behind the
Mountains when they heard OF the
murder. although the house where
hey lived was only short distance
way. When they reached the body
here was no one there. but dogs
Tere licking the wound and the ants
'ere crawling over the body. Stan
~ Harrinff MAS the f1rSf 70 rell him