Mohave County miner and our mineral wealth., 1921-07-29
Officers Run Down Killer
 After 400 Mile Chase
(CoAdnuod From Page II

 "' In his confession a few hours later West explained the killing by saying that he had lain down in the rear seat to go to sleep and had been suddenly awakened by what he thought was someone going through his pockets. He said he then started shooting Later he told slightly different story saying that they had been held up and that when he started shooting he had hit Smith. These stories do not jibe we'll with the good markmanship he had displayed in getting Smith in the back of the head, in just the right spot when there was so much other territory the bullet might have land ed in.
 In Los Angeles West had used a part of the money he had taken from the dead man to purchase a new suit and discarded his blood soaked cloth es. Judging from the blood on his clothese he had evidently pulled the dead man out of the seat and started to drag him away from the road when he became panic stricken and dropped the body. He told the story that Smith had fallen out of the car from behind the stearing wheel after he was shot. If he had dragged the dead man to one side of the road identity would have been impossible in two or three days and the story might have been a different one as the officers had little to work on as it was.
 West, who is a wirey little fellow, had started from Brownwood, Texas, with Smith about two weeks ago. He had made Smiths acquaintance but short time before their departure. They were bound for Tacoma or Seat tie, Washington.
 Little is known of Vests past ex- cepting that he had come from Dal- las, Texas. Smith had worked in cleaning establishment at Brownwood for some time. He comes from a well-to-do family and has father living at Hoxie, Arkansas.
 The day of the killing wire had been sent to the bank at Brownwood asking that the funds deposited there in Smiths name be forwarded to Magdalena, New Mexico, in the form of a cashiers check. This balance which amounted to $261.55, had been forwarded when news of Smiths mur- der reached Brownwood. It is thought the message was sent by West, us- ing Smiths name, and that he expect ed to later return to Magdalena and get the check or have it forwarded. Smith had between $50 and $100 on his person when he was killed.
 Sheriff Mahoney returned to King man with the prisoner Wednesday night, less than four days after the killing, which is notable record con- sidering all phases of the case. The sheriff in telling the story praised his deputies for their good work on the case.
 The murder car was brought in the day before and that in addition to the things taken on West, his blood soaked clothing, and Smiths body which is now at the morgue, are being used by County Attorney Hines and Sheriff Mahoney in building up the evidence against West,
 Santa Fe officials and telegraph operators all along the line were of great assistance to the sheriff in the man hunt. Telegraph operators at the stations worked all through the night and the Santa Fe stopped their train in the middle of the desert for him to board it when he started for Los Angeles on the murderer's trail.
 The Los Angeles officers also help ed. Among them was an Irish "cop- per" who had been an old "side-kick" of Deputy linus when the latter was on the Los Angeles police force. This man took an unusual interest in the case on account of his old friend.
 West will be tried in the Mohave County courts on a charge of murder as his confession does not imply mur- der but an accidental killing.