The Daily Evening Star

Tuesday, December 31, 1901

Bird's Trial Resulted in Guilty

The trial of Homer Bird for murder, at Juneau, has declared his life forfeited.

The story told by witnesses Sheffler and Mr. Stronge starts at New Orleans and all witnesses agreed up to the time of the shooting at the Yukon river camp in September, 1898. Sheffler and Stronge testified that the shooting was without provocation and from behind, and that Hurlin was shot in the head while at breakfast.

Bird had gone to his bunk behind where Hurlin, Sheffler and Patterson sat with their faces toward Mrs. Stronge, who was facing Bird. Alarmed by the expression of horror on Mrs. Stronge's face, Sheffler turned as the first charge of shot felled Hurlin dead; Sheffler ducked down and Patterson ran behind Mrs. Stronge, who in turn broke away and ran past Bird, who seeing Patterson trying to jump over the stern of the boat, sent another load of shot into Patterson, who crawled through the water to the shore wounded, after escaping another rifle shot fired by Bird.

Patterson begged for mercy and was taken by Bird and Sheffler to the cabin, where he was placed in a comfortable position, and Bird returned to bury Hurlin. Mrs. Stronge took up the story and told of the burial of the body of Hurlin upon the lonely shores of the Yukon, covered with his sleeping bag, and carried to his grave by herself and Bird.

The detention of Sheffler, Mrs. Strong and Patterson at the cabin followed, ending in the arrest of Bird by the soldiers from St. Michael, followed by the jailbreak and Bird's recapture in three days.

Bird's story differs as to the enactment of the tragedy, and his story tells of the information from Mrs. Stronge that his partners were scheming to do him up and their refusal to fairly divide up the outfit; he had been sent for to come up to the boat, when a fight arose over the settling of accounts. He had knocked Patterson down, when Mr. Stronge yelled, "Watch out, Hurlin is going to shoot!” He ran to the bow of the boat, and seeing Hurlin in the act of raising his rifle, fired, and then shot Patterson who was running for the other rifle. Conversation then followed in which he claimed that Sheffler said that "Hurlin got what he deserved, and was the cause of all the trouble.” Patterson shook hands with Bird and for months the party lived on good terms, until his arrest.

The prosecution based its case on deliberate murder, while the defence claimed conspiracy between Sheffler and Mr. Stronge, and placed expert testimony on the stand to prove that the wounds of Hurlin could not have been given at the sort range shown. Rev. Condit, Rev. Gurr and Judge Delaney were the witnesses introduced as shotgun experts.