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CONDON
VOL XV.
CONDON. OREGON. THURSDAY. APRIL, Ki. 1005.
NO. 4.
GLOBE.
VERDICT K "CUILTY"
Jury In Thompson MurdtrCaso
Returns Verdict.
NOTICE OF APPEAL FILED
Attorneys for Defense Will
Fight Client's Case to
the End.
Joseph B. Thompson, who fatal
ly stabbed Alec Goericke, the cook
at Thompson & .Small's railroad
grading catrp, near Clem, last Deo
ember, was found guilty of murder
in the second degree last Saturday
evening and Monday morning was
sentenced by Judge Bradshaw to
imprisonment fur life. His attor
ney had filed a motion for a new
trial which was overruled. They
then gave notice of an appeal , to
the suureuie court and were grant
ed a stay uf 72 days during which
time Thompson will remain in the
Gilliam county jail.
The trial commenced Thursday
morning and for the three days
it lasted the circuit court room was
the center of attraction in Condon.
At no time during the trial was
there a vacant seat in the court
room and must of the time standing
room was at a premiuu. Not in
years, if ever before, has been seen
so many ladies in a Condon court
room. Karly they came and late
they stayed and many brought the
babies with them.
Bowerman A Snover, of this city
and II. S. Wilson of The Dalles,
were in charge of the case for the
defense and District attorney Men
efee, of The Dalles, with bis assist
ant, John A. Collier, of Fossil,
represented the state. As a legal
battle the trial was not marked by
bogged Thompson to let him alone
and once cried, ''Homebody come
here." Thompson made several
feints with the knife stopping his
hand at his hip but finally let bis
hand go further and the blade en
tered Goericke's body. Smith had
testified at the coroner's inquest
last Winter his testimony being
reduced to writing at that time but
his evidence at the circuit court
could not be shaken by the most
rigid cross examination. Other
witnesses for the state were Binder,
who claimed to have looked' into
the tent just as the fatal blow was
struck, McLennan, the camn fore
man, Dr. Wood, who was called to
attend the wounded man and who
conducted the autopsy and Justice
of the Peace Neale, who issued the
warrant for Thompson's arrest.
For the defence, Mr. Small, the
defendant's partner, took the stand.
He swore that he entered the tent
just as the trouble commenced ; that
he saw the cook turn with a knife
in his hand and when Thompson
grasped a knife witness left the
tent because he knew there would
be trouble. Thompson then took
the stand in his own behalf. His
version of the afiair was about the
same as that of Smith up to the
point where Smith says the cook
laid down hSs knife but from that
point the stories differed widely.
Thompson' claimed self defense. He
swore that the cook started for him
and that he grasped the knife he
used with which to defend himself;
that after sparring at each other for
a time the cook lunged forward in
an effort to reach Thompson) and
his body came in contact with the
knife held by Thompson, thereby
nflicting the fatal wound.
The testimony of Smith and
f, , , ., .(Thompson seemed to cover all the
bluff or bluster but both sides went SJ
carefully over every inch of the
ground and if a point was overlook
ed by either it was not readily ap
parent to the layman.
The light began with the draw
vital points in the case the evidence
of the other witnesses being of less
importance.
J. A. Collier opened the argu
ment for the state at 10 a. m. Sat
urday. He addressed the jury for
ng of a jury. The regular panel ' , , , ,
" : , ,. an one and one-half hours and
was soon exhausted andtwoepe-i , ,,
ttifif.u (i aiIa a Pirn motif Ha uta
cial ventres were called before the , ., , , . . z, , a
. 1 followed be J. W. Snover and H. S.
uox was niieu wim a jury accepta
ble to both sides. Of 40 jurors ex
amlned 28 were excused for vari
ous reasons. The jury as finally
selected was as follows: II. C.
Strickland, Will Davenport, II. F.
Shanks, Leu Butcher, G. 8. Smith,
F. II. Louey, John Berthold, E. D.
IIuber.E. J. Clough, A. B. Stanley,
Jelf Hayes and J. J. Wassou.
Frank Smith, assistant cook at
the camp, was the first and princi
pal witness for the state. His sto
ry of the affair, given on the wit
ness stand, was substantially as
follows: Smith and Goericke were
preparing for the second table at :
diuner time when Thompson enter
ed the tent and demanded to know
of Smith why he had not put bar
rels under the eaves of the tent to
catch rain water. Smith did not
answer him and he then turned to
Goericke, the cook with the same
question. The cook replied that
they did not haye time to attend
to it. Thompson replied, "It is
such as you would bust this out
fit." Tre cook, who was carying
meat at the time, turned, with the
knife in his hand, and replied, "Me
Mr. Thompson?" "Yes, you, you
Dutch s ot a b- -," replied
Thompson. Smith swore that at
about this time the cook laid his
knife down and at about the same
time Thompson picked up another
butcher knife and attacked 'the
cook who offered no resistance but
Wilson, both of whom are recogniz
ed as able and eloquent pleaders.
District Attorney Menefee closed
for the state in one of the strongest
efforts of his life and the case went
to the jury at 5:00 p. m.
It was freely predicted during
the trial that the jury would fail to
agree but only for a misunder
standing of a portion of the judge's
instructions it is said they could
have returned a verdict without de
lay. At 10 a. m. they asked or fur
ther instructions and shortly after
returned a verdict of guilty.
Throughout the trial Thompson's
nerve never failed him and Monday
morning when called upon to stand
up to receive his sentence he did so
without a tremor.
One of the most important real estate
deals made lit this county for some time
was closed a few days ago bv the firm of
Bowerman & Snover (or the sale of the
W. A. Townsend fc Son ranch in May
ville precinct. Tim place contains 3200
acres and the price was $30,000. A lot
of live stock, farming implements etc.
were also sold at the same time and to
the same party to the amount of $9,000
making the entire transaction amout to
$46,000. The purchaser ia A. A. Hop
per, of Spokane. Messrs. Bowerman &
Snover advertise their list of farm lands
In Spokane and eastern papers and seem
to have no difficulty in finding buyers.
A marriage license was issued Satur
day to Mr, Joseph P, Budoioh and Miss
Nina Gager, two well known young peo
pie of Mayville precinct.
CITY DADS CHOSEN
Monday's Election Was a Splr-
. Ited Contest
TROUBLE FOLLOWS YOTE
Claim Made that Mayor and
. Recorder Elect Can
not Qualify.
Tbe annual election of city officers
was held at the city hall last Monday
and although the battle of ballots was
warmly wagl the day pasted off quiet
ly with neither riot nor bloodshed.
The contest was wanner t around the
heads of the cand Mates for mayor and
recorder there being two candidates for
these offices while for treasurer bnt one
name had been placed on the ticket.
Another candidate announced himself
in the morning just to complete the
ticket and make the general contest
more interesting all aronnd. Ten cames
appeared on the ballot for cimncllinen
with six to elect so the voter had con
siderable material to choose from. Fol
lowing is the list of candidates with the
vote received by each, the names lirst
appearing being those of the candidates
elected:
Mayor J. W. Snover, 70; J. F. Rei
sacher, 41.
Recorderl,, II. Horner, 09; V, A.
Goodwin, 40.
Treasurer Arthur Schilling, 72; J.
II. Downing, 17. (Mr. Downing'! name
was not printed on the ballot.)
Conncllmen Edward Dunn, 93; 8 A.
Pattison, 88; N. Farnsworth, 80; C. O.
Portwood, 74; John Jackson, 70; S. B.
Barker, 06 ; Tom Fr ee, 60; A. 8. Ilnllen,
62; Geo. Berry, 42; James Ramsay, 23.
8. M. Campbell and Frank Kargl each
received one vote, their name not be
ing on the ballot.
The vote 011 bonding the city tor $30,
0O0 for the Improvement of the munici
pal water system carried by a vote of
85 to 11.
There was more excitement and feel
ing over the election Tuesday morning
than the day before, it having been die
covered that a provision of the new city
charter requires a residence ot two years
in the city to render a man eligible to
the office of mayor and it was charged
that Mr. Snover's actual residence here
came a little within that period. It was
also charged that Mr. Horner, who was
elected recorder was not eligible hot
having enjoyed a residence ot one year
within the city limits, it being said that
he had in the past been afflicted with
the homestead habit in some outlying
precinct. Considerable feeling was
worked up over the matter and the end
Is not yet. Truly a big, bustling, busi
ness town like Condon, has troubles of
its own about election time.
Street Services.
Condon witnessed a new departure In
religious work this week when a num
ber of church people, headed by Rev.
Richard Brown, appeared on Main street
at 7:30 Monday evening, and held a
short devotional service. The evening
was clear and in spite of the chilly air a
crowd soon gathered and listened with
respectful attention to what the evange
lists had to say. A song or two were
sung, a word of prayer offered and then
In a short add rest. Rev. Brown present
ed the simple gospel story to his audi
tors. He is a pleasing and forceful
speaker and the respectful hearing ac
corded hi in by the crowd of men, many
of whom had not, perhaps, listened to a
sermon in months or even years, was.
perhaps, a higher tribute than any com
mendation be might receive from a cul
tured congregation of professed chris
tians. Mr. Eads, a young man who re
sides and works in this city, followed
him with a few works of testimony for
his savior and after another song and a
short prayer the meeting adjourned. A
similar service was held Tuesday even
ing and another is announced for to
morrow evening.'
A. P. Rose and A. S. Adams, repre
senting the Western Historical Publish
ing Co., of Spokane, are here gathering
historical data for the new History of
Central Oregon which will soon be pub
lished by that firm. The gentlemen
expect to remain in Condon tor several
weeks.
Kelly A Johnson, the bouse painters,
have just finished a job painting on T. J.
Johnson's residence.
THE QUALITY STORE
LORD Sl CO M P A
BBS SSI
NY JJ
WHEN WE TALK
IT IS SHORT AND TO THE POINT
We need all our time to wait on our trade
and keep it supplied with the newest and best
that is to be had in Spring Dress Good, Mus
lin, Underwear, Hosiery etc.
We have the newest creations in Ladies and
, Men's Shoes. They are beauties. If you can
not come to town write us for samples of our
new goods, 0 trouble for us to show goods,.
LORD&COMP'Y
ARLINGTON, OREGON
YOUR WANTS
Can best be supplied from our large stock of :
GENERAL MERCHANDISE
which is one of the largest in Gilliam County. .
flsk, Phone or Write for what
uou need
KEYS & CUSHING
MAYVILLE, OREGON
flLVILLE CASH - STORE
HEADQUARTERS FOR
GROCERIES - DRY GOODS SHOES
Our stock is now arriving and is fresh, clean and up-to-'
date. Call and get our prices before buying elsewhere.
Eggs and Butter Bought and Sold.
G. E. WASSON, Proprietor