The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1923-07-05
PRELIMINARY OF
T0MPK|Ns HELD
Witnesses Tell of the Shooting of
Mrs. Walter E. Tregaskis Near
Her Home on June 26;
Trial L. Continued

The preliminary hearing of Tim
Tompkins, charged with the murder
of Mrs. Walter Tregaskis, was COM
menced before Judge Richie Tues
day morning at 10 o'clock.
Mrs. Nellie Ruiz, mother Of Mrs.
Tregaskis, was the first witness
called. She testified that she, Mrs.
Tregaskis and three small children
were on their way to the Tregaskis
ranch, following a trail that lead
past the Tim Tompkins ranch, and
that as they were passing the edge
of the Tompkins field,i Tompkins,
bearing gun, hailed them and
asked to speak with Mrs. Tregaskis.
That upon the hating of the party
he Immediately told Mrs Tregas-
kis to tell Or Lorentzen to bring
back to him watch, pair of over
alls and other property which he
claimed Lorentzen had stolen from
his home. Mrs. Tregaskis denied
that Lorentzen had stolen the prop
erty. Mrs. Ruiz stated that she
tried to get Mrs. Tregaskis to
stop arguing with Tompkins and to
go on to the Tregaskis ranch, but
that she was unable to persuade her
to do SO. She said that the shoot
ing started then, but she could not
say who fired the first shot, though
she testified that she heard several
reports of both shotgun and revol-
yer, and that she also heard the
click of the hammer of the revol-
yer when it struck a cartridge which
failed to explode. After hearing
a total of four shots, Mrs. Ruiz
said, she begged Tompkins not to
fire again and to go away, that
she told him Mrs. Tregaskis could
not hurt him with the little gun
she had Ia .32 calibre Iver John
son revolver), but she could not
induce him to leave.
Mrs. Ruiz testified that the shoot
ing was then resumed and she heard
two more shots, and that after
hearing the second shot Mrs. Tre-
gaskis fell. Upon going to the side
of her daughter she discovered that
she was mortally wounded. Mrs.
Ruiz said Tompkins then told her
that he was shot also. Being in
fear of her own life and that of
the children she gathered up the
three little ones and fled for safety
Mrs. Ruiz further testified that later
in the evening she sent for William
Wallace and asked him to remain on
guard with the body until morning
and that he did as she requested.
Attorney Warren, counsel for
the defense of Tompkins, asked if
during her conversation with Wal
lace she had not told him that she
had tried to persuade Mrs. Tregas-
kis to stop arguing with Tompkins
and come away, but that Mrs.
Tregaskis refused to leave and said
I'VE are going to shoot it out right
here" To this question Mrs. Ruiz
answered an emphatic "No." Upon
request of Attorney Warren, Mrs.
Ruiz drew sketch of the scene of
the shooting. showing location of
the Tompkins and Tregaskis ranches
and various trails and roads nearby.
William Wallace was the next
witness called. He testified that
Mrs. Ruiz had sent for him and
asked him to go to the scene of
the shooting and remain~on guard
by the body Of Mrs. Tregaskis until
morning and that he had done as
she requested. Upon being cross
examined by Attorney Warren re-
garding his conversation with Mrs.
Ruiz and what she told him about
the shooting, Wallace testified that
Mrs. Ruiz had told him that she
had tried to get Mrs. Tregaskis to
stop arguing with Tompkins and
some away, but that Mrs. Tregaskis
refused to do SO and that she told
Mrs. Ruiz to take the children and
go ahead on the trail because 1--WE
are going to have it out" or "are
going to shoot it out right here"
DIR. E. d. Giroux was next called
and testified to the finding of the
body of Mrs. Tregaskis. That the