Las Vegas age. [volume] (Las Vegas, Nev.) 1905-1947, 1928-09-20

STATE FIRES
OPENING GUNS

The Lake-Deadrich trial got
down to business promptly yes
terday morning after the infor-
nation was read and defendants
entered a plea of not guilty.
District Attorney Harley A.
Harmon briefly outlined the case
from the viewpoint Of the pro-
secution.
DR.. F. M. Ferguson, the first
witness called by the prosecution
testified as TO the wound which
caused the death of Sheridan
Bradshaw and identified the bullet
taken from the lads head. The
defense asked the witness but
one question, that is the time at
which the body was removed to
the Las Vegas Funeral Home,
and indicated that he would re-
call the witness for further ques-
tioning later.
c. w. Bradshaw testified. He
claimed he did not recognize the
occupants of the car pursuing his
on the fatal night. That three
shots were fired before he got
his car stopped. That the wounded
boy was taken to the Las Vegas
Hospital in the car of r. E. Lake,
Jr. He denied having a gun or
that there was gun in his car.
Bradshaw said he had known
"Spud" Lake three years. He told
of his dealings with him, Of
three arrests, two of them for
selling liquor, and that the third
time he was put in Jail and held
until he paid Daisy Bells fine;
that he was arrested without
warrants and came to court vol
unfairly when the papers were
served, but that there were no
papers served on him June l6, the
day Of the shooting.
That in September 1927, he ask
ed Spud if he was trying to run
him out. He said he had been
paying Jim Ferguson $50 a month
\ for protection. (Attorney HorSey
objected. Bradshaw testified that
as long as he paid hush money he
was not moleSted. That the deal
was made December /, 1926 and
he made his last payment the last
of May, 1927. Horsey again OBJ
jected on the ground that the
money was not paid to Lake and
Deadrich and no connection has
peen established between Fergu-
son and the defendants. That a
conspiracy must b shown. The
court sustained the objection.
Bradshaw continued his teSti-
mony. He had a conversation with
Lake, September 1927, and Spud
said Fred HeSSe had ordered him
to knock over" Bradshaw as
often as possible. That he, Brad
shaw, then saw HeSSe who de-
MED making any such statement
That Spud told him, That's all
right, you have no standing with
the bulls" That he went back to
HeSSe the next day and was told
to go on but to go slow, that
Spud was sore about something.
Attorney Horsey took the wit
ness for questioning. Brad
shaw testified that he first saw
the car when he passed it east OF
the county hospital. Saw a wo-
man and some men in the car
but it was too dark to see who
it was. Did not notice that the
car turned around, but saw a
car was following when he made
the turn. Did not see the car
come alongside near the railroad
and did not hear any sound. That
he knew Lake used his car Tor
police duty. That he first heard
the siren when the car turned the
corner. That there was whiSkey
in his car that he had manufac-
tured in 1926 and that he made 1t
to sell.
When the first shot was fired,
Bradshaw said, the radiator OF
Lakes car was even with the
back door of the Bradshaw car.
He thought he heard three shots
fired, was excited at the time and
not certain. The testimony given
by witness at the coroner'S IN
Quest when he said there were
three or more was introduced.
Asked il he did not usually
carry a gun witness said no. The
question, Were you ever convict
ed of a felony in WyomingT", pro-
. yoked a heated Squabple between
counsel. Attorney Horsey held that
a violation of the Federal law is
so serious that it involves moral
turpitude and the testimony OF
: such a witness should not be
credited or given weight.
But the objection of the district
, attorney was sustained. AS to the
disance between the two cars
when the third shot was fired
witness was evaSiVe.
Mrs. C. w. Bradshaw, mother Of
Sheridan, seemed overcome WITH
grief. Her testimony was along the
same general lines as her hus-
bands. On croSs-examination by
Attorney HorSey she said the
cars were in the same relative
0 positions when all three shots
2 were fired. That Lakes car die
4 not drop back before the thirc
e shot was fired. That she always
e travelled with Mr.. Bradshaw.
i Sheriff Sam Gay told OF thu
S events of the evening OF JUNE
10th. He testified that Deadricl