White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-02-25

Margaret Williams, according to in
formation in the hands of District
Attorney H. w. Edwards, fire the
fatal shot that ended the life of Jesse
Coverly, but owing to the rules of
evidence standing In the way it was
impossible to introduce this fact as
evidence at the recent trial.
At 6 o'clock in the evening of jan
uary IL Harlow was questioned at
the district attorneys Office in the
courthouse and the questions and
answers were taken down in short
hand by Miss Muriel Heron, Mr. Ed
wards office stenographer.
Later on Harlow told Mr.. Edwards
that he did not see the shooting, and
when confronted with a typewriter
transcript of the questions and
answers declared he could not re-
member making such statements and
persistently refused to recede from
the testimony he gave at the inquest
and the trial, that he was not look
ing in the direction at the moment.
but heard the shot and turned and
then saw the gun in the woman's
hand as she was about to shoot her.
self.
In that quiz he also made the
statement that after the shooting
Mrs. Williams said: I'll shoot my
self, too," but at the trial he claimed
he did not remember of her having
used the word too"
The trouble about getting this
transcript into the evidence at the
trial lies in the fact that the accused
was not present at the questioning,
and therefore statements made not
In her presence are not admissible.
Had the accused made such state
ments and then tried to withdraw
them, afterward going on the stand
in her own behalf sne could have
been cross-examined thereon and the
questions and answers forced into
the record.
Again, Harlow was state witness,
and while the district attorney had
the transcript of the questions and
answers before him he was precluded
by the rules OF evidence from cross
examining his own witness or in any
manner attempting to impeach his
testimony.
This string of circumstances pre-
vented Mr. Edwards from doing any
thing whatever other than TO get
what he did out of Harlow, which
was his testimony that he did not
Io - io Lat
the shot was fired and that the wom-
an according to his recollection did
not use the word too"
Here is the stenographic transcript
of the questions and answers as
taken down and transcribed by Miss
Heron but which Harlow repudi-
ated:
Question: Were Mr.. and Mrs.
Coverly (Mrs. williams) in the Bus
ter home when you arrived"
Answer: Yes.
O.: what time did you reach the
Buster home?"
A: Between 4 and 5 o'clock.
O.: who was in the house when
you arrived there?'
A: "Just three of them-Mrs.
Buster and Mr.. and Mrs. Coverly.
O.: After you got there what
time of the shooting
A.. I'VE had two or three drinks.
Then was sitting with them. Mrs. :
Buster was lying on the bed
O.. You were sitting in the sit
ting room and Mrs. Buster was lying
on the bed?'
A: Yes"
O.: Where was Mrs. Coverly:
Did you see them?"
A: Yes. They were in the other
room talking and arguing of family
troubles. I was sitting there like a
big tame ape and they were arguing
in the other room"
O.: You could see both of them
all the time there during this argu-
ment?"
A.. Yes"
O.: "What happened?"
A: "She shot him"
O.: Where did she get the gum"
A. Il do not know.
O.: How was your attention
drawn TO them when they were quar-
reling?"
A.. u was sitting there Just like
am now talking to Mrs. Buster and
! she jerked the gun out.
O.. You saw herr"
A mo. The first time is when
she had lifted il at him. Then she
said, I'll shoot myself too ran
and took the gun away from her.
O.: when she fired the shot was
she standing up?"
A. Il do not know"
O.. when she shot him where
was he9"
A: Lying on the bed
O.: while they were arguing was
she sitting on the bed?"