Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1925-11-19

for other farmers.
He got acquainted with James Nc
Kinnon, the man he killed, about 5
years ago and had worked for Nc
Kinnon, last winter and last spring,
and had lived at the McKinnon home
time when working for him. He
said James McKinnon had wife
and a daughter about six years old.
He worked for McKinnon few days
before the shooting. McKinnon
slapped him once last winter and he
had seen him slap another man and
heard of him slapping others. He
stated jMcKinnon liked to talk about
fighting when he was drunk, which
was quite often.
The day of the shooting, he went
to the McKinnon place about or 6
o'clock in the evening. James Nc
Kinnon and his brother, George, were
in the garage Davis said he went
into the garage and bought pint
of moonshine from George McKinnon
for ST.. They all stayed in the gar
age about two hours and each had
Z or s drinks. Davis then suggested
they go to the Davis place and get
his sister, Elizabeth, and his cousin,
McKinnon place for a party.
This was agreeable to the McKin-
mons, so Davis, George and Jim Nc
Kinnon and John Norris, who had
arrived there, got into Jim McKin-
mons car, and he drove to the Davis
place. Arriving there, they found
the girls were out riding with Jos.
Kratochvil. They drove down the
road, met the girls and Kratochvil,
stopped them and Davis got out of
McKinnon's car, went to the girls
car and told them of the intended
party and asked them to go. The
girls got out of their car and got in
the McKinnon car. Davis stated he
was pretty drunk at that time as
they had had a number of drinks
during their driving.
Jim McKinnon said he would take
them home to the Davis place as
soon as it got dark as he didn't want
to be seen around there in daylight.
They then drove on short ways,
turned around, drove past the Davis
farm down to the schoolhouse and
stopped. George McKinnon and Eli
zabeth Davis then got out and start
ed to walk home. That left Margar-
ct Norris, her brother, John, and Jim
sMcKinnon in the front seat and JOS.
Davis in the back seat. After the
other two got out, Davis testified
that McKinnon started to kiss and
hug Margaret and tried to make
him stop and said she would walk
home Joe said, Jim let her alone"
Jim replied TRY and make me-"
Joe then offered to walk home with
her and Jim said "if you do, l will
be right behind you" Jos. stated
he said it in an angry tone and he
was afraid of him so he stayed in
the car.
They then drove to the Davis
place and stopped. Margaret tried
to get out but McKinnon wouldn't
let her. He again Rugged and kissed
her and again got familiar. Davis
said "she hollered and started to
cry and it looked like McKinnon was
trying to force her to do something
she didn't want to do.T~ He said he
told McKinnon to let her go.
Davis story of the shooting is as
follows: II got out of the car, went
into the house and got the gun.
came out and stopped about or 8
feet in front of the car. When l
came out of the house 1 heard Mar
garet holler and she was crying.
said, Jim you will have to let her
go. Jim whirled around and said
C. D you and started toward
me. was afraid, raised the gun
quick and fired. Jim staggered back
step and fell to the ground. When
I fired I was afraid he would force
NJ
He then said he told his cousin,
John, to tell his father and mother
that he was leaving. He said he was
afraid of trouble with George Nc
Kinnon who would arrive and find
Jim had been shot. He then told
of making his way to the st. Croix,
going down the river in boat and
arriving at his uncle's place when
his cousin, John Norris, told him
McKinnon' was dead. He said this
was the first he knew Jim had died.
He then told his cousin to notify
the authorities and accompanied his
cousin to another uncle's place,
where his cousin phoned Marshal
Mahlen at Rush City. He told his
cousin where the gun was and walt
ed there for Mahlen to come and get
him and turned him over to Sheriff
Hawley.
Margaret Norris TestifieS.
Margaret Norris, cousin of the de-
PENDANT, was one of the main witness
es for the state. She stated she
was 81 years of age and was en-
ployed in ST. Paul. On July End she
was visiting at the Davis home. She
told of being out riding with Jos.
Kratochvil, with her cousin, Eliza
beth Davis, of being stopped by the
| McKinnon car and of Joe asking
the girls to go to McKinnon's for a
party. She told of the drinking by
the boys and testified to what oc-
Cured when the car stopped. Under
cross examination by defendants
| counsel, she testified that McKinnon
Rugged and kissed her and tried to
take indecent liberties. .-
| She testified to trying to get out
of the car at the Davis place, to Nc
Kinnon holding her and when she
finally did get out, she stated that
McKinnon tried to get her back in