1887 History of Story County, Iowa by W. G. Allen

fore, shortly after the tragedy occurred, a telegram was seut to the coroner, J. I. Hostetter, of Colo. On arriving at Maxwell, about 10:30 1). in , Coroner Hostetter at ouce impaneled a jury, consisting of Geo. Benedict, A. C. Cole, and Jas. Hall.

The evidence of the witnesses who testified, was substantially as follows:

"Dr. P. Joor, after being duly sworn under oath, said: `The first 1 knew of the tragedy, Mr. Schmeltzer came into my office and said that Perry Ackers had shot him. Upon examination, I found a wound in his right cheek where a bullet had entered, passed out at his neck and through his shoulder. The wounds were bleeding quite freely, but I didn't consider them dangerous. I put a bandage round his neck and face. Heard a disturbance in the street. Saw Perry Ackers in the street flourishing a revolver. Saw Ackers while he was talking with Joe Wells. Didn't know at that time that Mr. French had been shot. Had a rifle in my office. We spoke of shooting Ackers to keep him from shooting others. About this time Mr. GRIDLEY came in and told me that Mr. French had been shot, and, he feared, killed. I went as fast as possible to Mr. French's office. Found him lying on his back in a pool of blood, lifted him and found a wound on the left side of his face. Probed the wound, but it bled so freely that I stopped and plugged it up. Had him placed on a door and taken home. The wound was made by a gunshot, Think the ball entered the base of the brain. Saw Perry Ackers shortly after he died. Did not touch him. He was lying on his back on the landing at the head of the stair leading to the Odd Fellow's and Masonic Hall. Saw a bullet wound in his right temple. The shot was fired at short range. Wound was burnt with powder. Think he committed suicide'"

After Dr. Joor testified, J. O. French, Jr., Jeff Miller, Frank W. Hill, J. G. Wells, Jesse Bowen, and A. B. Cooper, testified before the Coroner's jury, very much to the same facts, corroborating each other.

"The jury brought in the following verdict : 'We, the jury, find that John O. French came to his death by a gunshot wound, fired by the hand of Perry Ackers, intentionally, maliciously, and for the purpose of committing murder.'"