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Show Allege Lester Was Shot by Strikers i i Walwnburg Battle la Declared by Prosecution Result of Conspiracy of Union Castle flock, Colo., Jan. 12 A ml-' Ing excluding all witnesses for both sides from tho courtroom oxcopt tho witness testifying was made today by Judgo J. H. Denlson in tho trial of four former striking coal minors charged with murder in connection with tho killing of Major P. P. Lester Les-ter of tho Colorado National guard, during lighting between strikers and militiamen nt Walsenburg on April 29. Tho prosocutlon declared Its Intention Inten-tion of proving direct participation by the defendants In the killing of Major Lester, who was In chargo of the hospital corps of tho state militia mili-tia at Walsenburg during tho so called call-ed "Battle of tho Hogback." Lester, It Is contended by the state, was shot by entrenched strikers whllo wearing tho Insignia of tho hospital sorvlco and whllo trying to rescue n wounded guardsman who had fallen between tho lines of tiro. A stato of anarchy prevailed at tho time, it Is contended and tho disorders disor-ders which extended over n period of sovoral days In tho Walsonburg district dis-trict resulted from a carefully planned plan-ned conspiracy In which union labor leaders wcro leading spirits, Tho statement of tho defonso presented pre-sented by E. P. Costlgan, consisted of a donlnl of nil charges sot forth In tho opening statement of tho prosecution pros-ecution and rovlowed a.t length tho alleged conditions in southern Colorado Colo-rado during tho coal strike, particularly particu-larly that porlod Immediately following follow-ing tho destruction of tho strlkors tent colony nt Ludlow, April 20, 1914. Among tho witnesses who nro expected ex-pected to testify for tho stato nro E. M. Amnions, governor of Colorado Color-ado during tho strike; John Clfhso, adjutant general nnd Colonel Edward Vordeckburg, commander of tho militia mi-litia forces nt Walsenburg at tho tlmo of tho battlo. |