GEORGE DITTMORE
April 10, 1910

Ed Fondren was convicted at Florence yesterday of the killing of 
George Dittmore, near Superior, Pinal County on Jan 1, 1908 at 
the time of the murder of A.J. Daggs. The jury brought in a 
verdict of manslaughter.  Fondren will be sentenced on May 5.

Fondren and Robert Stewart had both been tried twice for the 
murder of Daggs who with Dittmore had been waylaid and shot 
together with their horses and dogs. Though no doubt was 
entertained at the time or at any subsequent time that the 
murders were Stewart and fondren, the first trial resulted 
in a disagreement of the jury. On the second trial, Stewart 
was convicted of manslaughter and Fondren was acquitted.

After he had been taken to the penitentiary Stewart made what 
has been called a confession, implicating Fondren in the killing 
and then Fondren was brought to trial for the murder of Dittmore. 
It had been expected that Stewart would be made a witness for 
the territory  but the prosecution did not put him on because 
it was satisfied that a part of his so-called confession was 
false and that though he had told the truth probably in 
relation to Fondren he had told so much that was known not 
to be true that he would be worse than no witness at all.

Also it was learned that after the acquittal of Fondren for the 
Daggs murder in a belief that the trouble had all blown over, 
he had talked freely to Bob McMurray of his guilt.  There was 
therefore no need of the testimony of Stewart.

Judge Kent who had the case and Captain Alexander who appeared 
for the territory returned yesterday afternoon from Florence.


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