A Man Shot Dead Over a Disputed Chip in a Seattle Saloon

The preliminary examination of Page, charged with murder in the first degree for killing Harry Fraser, was held yesterday afternoon before Justice Caldwell. The defense offered no evidence, and the justice held Page to answer before the superior court on the charge of murder in the first degree, the offense not being bailable. Page returned to his old quarters in the county jail to await trial.

The direct testimony of the prosecution concluded with the evidence of Frank Johnson, an eyewitness to the tragedy, who in substance corroborated the other witnesses — all friends of the dead man. Throughout the examination the defense repeatedly strove to break down the character of the witnesses, hinting at the line of defense to be pursued in the upper court.

Johnson testified that at the saloon on the evening of the shooting he met a man named Butler about 9:30. Page was there, inviting different men to play for money, and asked Marden, who accepted. When Marden grew dissatisfied with Page's play and left the game, Page asked others to shake dice for money. Page then asked Fraser to shake the dice; Fraser bought $20 worth of chips and they played for a side. Fraser lost $10 or $15, then Page went to the rear of the saloon and returned to continue the game. Fraser went to the bar for more money and, on his return, the game went on. Fraser asked Johnson to shake for him; Johnson did, and Page said, "Shake your own dice." Fraser kept shaking and the two won back and forth until Fraser was out of chips.

Down to a last white chip, Page took up the bill and pushed two chips over to Fraser. Fraser said, "I am entitled to ten chips." At Page's suggestion the stakes had been raised from $1 to $1 a throw. Harry said, "Put down your bill and I will explain to you." Page put down the bill; Fraser picked it up and began explaining how he was entitled to ten chips, when Page pulled his gun from his hip pocket without rising from the chair. Fraser tried to catch his arm and Page swung the gun around and shot him in the hip. Ireton grasped Page's arm with both hands and Johnson wrenched the revolver from him, Marden assisting. The police were notified and Page was taken upstairs and arrested.

On cross-examination Johnson admitted he had kept a gambling room in Tacoma; that he had been arrested once in San Francisco for carrying a concealed weapon, and in Port Townsend for an assault with his fists and once for assaulting a man with a cane. He said he had done no steady work for a year. Jailers Ward and Peer testified about taking Page to the station: at the hotel Page said, "Easy, boys," and then, "Bill goes." In the wagon he threatened he would get even with Peer if it took a thousand years. The case for the state closed, and as customary in preliminary examinations — the defense offering no evidence — the justice held the defendant to answer before the superior court without bail.

Many well-known citizens of Washington are more or less acquainted with Page, and several were in the courtroom, among them State Senator Sargent of Pierce County; Representative A. M. Moore of Skagit County and his wife, who have known him since childhood, as well as his mother and sister.