Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1875-09-18
ALCOHOLIC COURAGE F.!
An Intoxicated Sport Slams a Ball
Through Two Men.
One slightly and the Other Seri.
OusIy Wounded.

One Slightly N the Other seri
OusIy Wounded.
STATEMENTS OF ALL THE PARTIES
AT a quarter to 5 o'clock yesterday
morning, the Palace Saloon was the
scene of an occurrence which NAV pos.
sibly have a fatal termination. Sam,
Hollis, a sport, who has resided here
for several months, VAS greatly under
the influence of liquor, and apparently
was willing to open hostilities on the
slightest p%rovocation. He did not ap-
pear, as eye witnesses relate the cir
cumstances, to have any special cause
of grievance toward any one in partic-
ular, but exhibited "A strong tendency
to engage in battle with any one that
might cross him. In a word, he was
sailing under a strong head of alco-
holic courage, and was ugly in general.
AT about this time Chris. Molitista, an
Italian, night b%arkeeper at the Sazerac,
a few doors below, entered the saloon.
Dan. Morgan, the well known Next
can Wal Veteran aud pioneer citizen
of Eureka, came in almost simultane-
ously. Some days ago, as it appears,
Hollis had sought to borrow 81 so
from Molitista, who refused to accom-.
modate him, for the very conclusive
reason that he had not that o in
his possession. Hollis was under the
influence of liquor at that time also,
aud spoke harshly to Moiitista for re-
fusing him. Thus the matter stood
until
The Meeting Of the Parties
Yesterday morning. oon,'after Moli-
tista had entered the Palace saloon he
was taken to task by Hollis about his
refusal to loan the latter the money
above alluded TO. Molitista explained
that he did not have the money at the
time, and they %thereupon made friends
and proceeded TO take several drinksto-
gether. AT this juncture, a French
man came in, who was drunk, and
with him Hollis also had some
words. Dan. Mogan, who was an in.
nocent outsider, and who had just
dropped in after closing his saloon,
sensibly suggested, by gesture or 9TH
erwise, that there was no cause of diifl-
Guilty. Hollis, by this time, had sat
down on a stool at the east end of the
bar, while Morgan and Molitista and
perhaps some Others were in the act of
taking a drink. Frank Cleavland
stood just behind the bar serving
them. When Morgan demonstrated
with Hollis about quarrcling with the
Frenchmsn, Hollis began to direct his
ill-natured remarks at Morgan. Here
Cleavland, the barkeeper, Clipped in,
informing Hollis that he could not
abuse Morgan. Then IL was that Hol-
lis sprang from the stool, and drawing
his pistol, slammed it down with great
violence across the end of the counter,
making some remark as he did, which
none of the witnesses seem to have
caught. The pistol was discharged,
The Ball
Passing through the lower fleshy part
of Morgan's left hand and striking
Molitista in the left side about eight
inches below the nipple, and lodging
beyond the spinal column on the right
side. Officers appeared about this
time and arrested Hollis and conveyed
him to Jail, where he now remains.
Molitista was taken to his room at the
International and DIR. Bishop called TO
attend him. The Doctor probed the
wound and cut out the bullet, but gave
no opinion at first as to the probable
result of the damage. Later in the
day, however, we understand that he
expressed strong hopes of the recov-
cry of the patient. Morgan was not
badly hurt, and during the day was
around as usual, though carrying the
injured member in a napkin. Early
in the morning the impression pre-
vailed that Molitista could not posi-
bly, live but q short time. Acting un-
der this belief, Justice Beatty and Dis
trict Attorney Merrill proceeded to the
room of the injured man TO get his
statement of the affair. lie was found
To be in great pain, and the examina-
ton was therefore made as brief as
possible. Following is
MoIitista's Statement.
My name is Christopher Molitista.
1 closed the house the Sazerac) and
went into the Palace. Sam Hollis was
there. We took a drink. He called
me aside land said l had treated him
mean. / asked him why. He said he
had asked me for 81 90 and l didn't
give it to him. We took "A second
drink. lie went away, saying he
would be back in a few minutes.
then started to the hurdy house, but
met Dan Morgan and turned back
with him, going again to the Palace,
asked everybody to take a drink
sam Hollis was there at the time. ]
saw him fire Mt p,a and 7 raoaivad this