November 16, 1899

Pearce. 

This afternoon I walked into the saloon in Pearce for the grand re-opening party. There was a big crowd there and I was able to meet a lot of people. I met Angeles’ husband Thomas Stine, a man named John Geary, and a child named Anna. There was a rumor that someone had burned down the courthouse in Tombstone. 

***

Tombstone. 

This evening I went to the courthouse and sat on the jury while I was taking notes for my court clerk position. 

As Judge Kristoff confirmed that the jury was acceptable, Prosecutor Maria requested for Miss Kimmee Babii to be stricken from the jury. There was surprise in the courtroom, and confusion whether she meant Kimmee or Bree, but Kimmee eventually left the jury box as requested. When the jury of six was confirmed, the trial got underway. 

In a brief opening statement, the prosecutor explained the state’s charges of disturbing the peace, shooting law without killing, robbing the bank, weapon unholstered in the town and using a weapon in a crime. 

Before Adrian could even give his opening statement, Angeles approached the judge and asked to add her warrant from September 18 into evidence. She explained that she signed it for Miss Chrissie and that she was a witness too. The judge nodded and said that she could be a witness and that Chrissie was also charged with shooting law. The judge asked Angeles to return to her seat and Angeles sat in the witness seat before being directed to join the gallery until called. 

As she continued her opening statement, the prosecution explained that they would prove that this woman was guilty of all crimes listed against her. 

Defense attorney Adrian Wise came over to the jury and gave his opening statement in which he explained that Chrissie was a picture of innocent if there ever was one and that this whole thing was a misunderstanding. As he was giving his opening statement, the judge asked Cathy to change out of her dove outfit. 

For the prosecution’s first witness, Angeles was called to the front and sworn in. As she was, Cathy was asked to sit in the gallery instead of stand beside the prosecution desk. Prosecution asked Angeles what she witnessed on the 18th of September when she was shot and signed the warrant against Chrissie. She explained that Ranger Darly Winston and her stayed to search for Dash who had stolen from a woman. After they walked the patrol they found Dash with Chrissie and Blackfoot in Black Diamond. Chrissie and Black stole the bank in Diamond and when she went out to arrest Dash, Chrissie shot her and Black shot the ranger with her. After they had been healed, she signed the warrant on them and now they are on trial for another crime. Prosecution confirmed that Daryl Winston saw this as well and they both saw the bags that were stolen from the bank. 

Defense came to cross examine and asked about the events on the 6th of November and the supposed shooting of Cathy by Chrissie. She said that she heard something about Cathy having some shoes from Chrissie and that she wanted pay for them and Chrissie refused. She had heard about that in Annie’s the next night. 

Prosecution asked Cathy to the stand and after the bailiff went out to search for the woman, Cathy was sworn in. Prosecution asked her what she saw Chrissie and Black do. Cathy explained that Black had nothing to do with this and wasn’t even there. She said that a case of Bibles were delivered to Annie’s by mistake. She was on her way to the church with them when she saw Chrissie on her knees, pawing at the dirt and making noises. She tried to ignore her but she started screaming and yelling that Cathy was prettier than her and richer and younger and that she had stole her shoes. Defense made a comment about her testimony being a lie and Cathy called him pond scum. She explained that they were her shoes and she didn’t steal. When Chrissie pulled her gun at her, she missed and hit a window in the surrounding buildings but didn’t hit her. Cathy described how Chrissie turned around and then started shooting again. Cathy was behind her though and was about to shoot her again when the deputy shot Chrissie down. 

Defense came to cross-examine and asked the judge for permission to treat the witness as hostile for calling him names. The judge reminded Cathy that the court held power over her brothel license and asked her to be respectful of both counsels. Defense asked Cathy to admit her jealousy of Chrissie. She said that she was nice to her and Prosecutor said the jury deserved to know the truth. Prosecution objected that Defense was saying her witness was lying without grounds. The judge requested that Defense stay on point and Defense clarified that his client did shoot Cathy and she said that if TJ hadn’t shot her, she was sure there would be other bodies in the street too. Defense said that she screamed “These shoes are to died for” and finished his questioning. 

For his first witness, Defense called Chrissie Bade herself. When she was sworn in, with some more objections from Prosecution, Defense asked her to answer if Cathy stole her shoes. Chrissie said that she did steal her shoes. Prosecution objected but Defense said that it was his entire case. Judge Kristoff requested that he not keep accusing Cathy as if she were on trial and Defense asked what happened after the confrontation on the 6th of November that got her arrested, with the shoes. Chrissie explained that she was walking down the street when Cathy came running by drunk and had her hands full of all her shoes. She said that she told Cathy to put the guns back but she said no and swore at her. Chrissie admitted that she shot Cathy, though she didn’t try to kill her, she just wanted her shoes back. Then the law shot her and she was giving him her gun so he arrested her. 

There was surprise in the courthouse as we all took in the fact that the woman had just admitted guilt to the charges laid against her. Prosecution commented, “I don’t know how I can top that,” and came to clarify that she had indeed shot Cathy because she had her shoes and Chrissie confirmed it. 

Prosecution approached the Judge and said that since the defendant just admitted to all the charges in open court, she moved that he declare her guilt and not allow the jury to handle the trial. She claimed that the city of Tombstone requested an old fashioned hanging, which created a shocked reaction from the court. Chatter continued until the judge finally simply told Defense to give his closing statement. 

In spite of Prosecution’s objection, Defense gave an elaborate closing statement in which he stated, “Ladies ... have you ever found your best shoes gnawed on in the closet by mice? Do you remember the fury? Do you remember the despair? Good members of the jury .... this is a situation not regularly heard in this court.. this goes much deeper. Please .. understand .. what would drive two ladies .. whom have been bonded friends for years. To suffer this one little transgression ... please. .... put yourself in her place. What would you have done? Thank you.” 

Prosecutor came forward to give her concluding statements and said, “Now that he has finished may I speak your honor?” The judge told her she couldn’t and then confirmed that with his closing statement, Defense understood that his client admitted in open court to the charges of which she was accused and he said that he wished to throw her on the mercy of the jury. The judge said that he was willing to let the shooting law charge go to jury, but she would be facing charges for the other charges that she admitted to. 

In the jury room, there was some confusion over what the actual charge was, but we all agreed that Chrissie had in fact shot Angeles and that she wouldn’t have a reason to lie about such accounts. Thad was assigned the foreman and the jury revealed the verdict of “guilty” to the court.