Bonners Ferry herald. [volume] (Bonners Ferry, Idaho) 1904-current, 1921-01-18
BELL is FOUND
mot GUILTY"
FREED BY JURY ON CHARGE OF
NUMBERING GUST LAZ0S ON
CHRISTMAS MORNING
SELF DEFENSE WAS HIS PLEA
Jury Was Out Ten Hours Before They
Reached a Verdict

William Bell will not suffer pun
ishment for the killing of Gust Lazos
on Christmas morning. This was the
decision OF the jury in the case when
they returned a verdict of not guilty
at 1:05 o'clock Friday morning, the
case having gone to the jury at
O'Clock Thursday afternoon.
Bell, who was section foreman for
the Spokane International Railway
Company at Naples, shot and killed
Gust Lazos on Christmas morning fol-
lowing quarrel over logging skid
ways on the company's right-of-way
at Browns Spur, both Gust Lazos and
his brother, Harry Lazos, being in
Volved in the quarrel. Bell, soon af-
ter the shooting, phoned to the sheriff
here and gave himself up
Claimed Self Defense.
When the case came to trial in dis
trict court last week, the defense
maintained that Bell shot in self de-
fense. This the state denied and
sought TO show that Bell fired without
sufficient provocation. In addition to
the brother of the murdered man, the
State placed on the stand AL. White, an
eye witness of the shooting 1t ap-
peared from the testimony that the
two LaZos and Bell met on the station
platform and a quarrel developed
whereupon Harry Lazos threatened
Bell and drew back his arm
to strike. Bell backed away from
the two brothers with them
following. After retreating several
steps ne drew .32 automatic
pistol from his pocket and shot Gust
Smith testified that as Bell drew the
gun from his pocket the two Lazos
stopped. Nevertheless Bell fired the
fatal shot
Just what the nature of the quarrel
was between the men was not fully
developed at the trial. 1t was re-
ported, however, that the railway Of
ficials had instructed Bell to require
the Lazos brothers to remove the skid
ways from the right-o as it
was need for the storage of ties, etc.
This was resented by the Lazos and
they had refused to remove them
Further reports were to the effect that
Bell had stated he would put a man
in there and saw them out" and some
one had replied that if you do we will
be there with gun. This. however,
was not brought out in the testimony
Bells Testimony.
When Bell was placed on the stand
he testified that on Christmas morning
Harry Bazos had come to his house
not far from the station, to inquire re-
garding the train which was then about
due. No trouble had developed at
that time and the men were apparently
T. Il 1. Il.
ly thereafter he walked over to the
station to wait for the train, get a
paper and the railroad mail. AS he ar
rived at the station Gust greeted him
with Merry Christmas. Bell" and Bell
replied Merry Christmas. Gust, and
many of them" They then broached
the subject of the sideways, testified
Bell, and words ensued, the Lazos
claiming they had received certain in
structions from the Humbird Lumber
company, for which they were logging
Bell replied that 81 am not working
for the Humbird Lumber company but
for the Spokane International Railway
company and I will have to do what
they say" Whereupon Harry LaZos
became abusive, so Bell stated, and
said You get out of here. you old
49,, or I'll knock your head
off," at the same time drawing back
his arm to strike. Bell retreated with
the two Lazos following, and backed
up some eight or ten PAGES. Fear
full that the two men were about
to do him great injury and possibly
kill him, Bell drew the .32 automatic
with his left hand from the left-hant
overalls pocket, removed the safety as
he drew it and fired, practically all il
one motion. This was where the State
maintained that the Lazos had stopped
and that there was no cause for Bel
to fire The bullet entered Lazos
body below the second rib on the righ
side and came out below the shoulder
blade on the left side, being found be
tween the body and the underwear.
After the deed Bell walked over tt
the store at Naples. shortly thereafter
going over to his house and phonini
the sheriff, where he remained unit
the officer arrived.
Carried Gun to XIII Stock.
Bell further testified that he hat
been accustomed to carry the gun il
order to kill stock that had been badl!
injured by passing trains and haC
killed such an animal but few day
previously. The reason for having |
in his pocket Christmas morning h
explained by stating that the night be
fore cat had jumped onto the windoy
of his home trying to get at Gag
of pet birds. He had taken the gun
gone out and fired at the cat bu
missed. The cat made a second at
tempt Christmas morning and Bell ha
again fired at it and then had slippe
the gun into his pocket and ha'
thonghtlessly failed to remove IL. Bel
made good witness In his own be
naif and apparently desired to tell a
honest story without evasion.
There were SONS reports to the ef