Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1878-11-19

what h Cherry Creek ssInaepemd.
emit. Has TO Say AbOut II.

what the Cherry Creek ssIndepend.
emit Has TO Say About Il.
The Independent gives this account of
the killing Of Joe Kerr: 1t was with con-
sternation in every heart that our little
own learned Of the fatal shooting Of our
townsman, Joseph Kerr, at the saloon
formerly kept by James Henry, last Mon
day, the 11th instant, about half-past -four
the news when 1t first flew to our ears, but
the reality we acknowledged with feelings
Of horror, when in a few rinutea all that
was mortal Of. Joseph Kerr was hauled
past our door In an open wagon, dead !
dead
The infamous perpetrator Of the murder
GUS deed was oue Walter Cox, a worthless
and drunken hoodlnm, imported from Cali
fornia to save him from the State Prison
or the gallows, and not yet q years Of age !
He came here from that State about or
near one year ago, and since then he has
been working at times for the Star Mining
Company, at the mine and at the mill, but
for the greater part Of the time, for weeks
and months together, he spent in Chinese
Opium dens and in a beastly, wretchcd state
Of d-rnnkenness-a pitilcss object, a dis
grace to his relatives, a dishonor to hui
mainly.
The original cause OF the bloody murder
was an imaginary slapping of this hood
lum's face, by Mr.. Kerr, on election day.
The murderer, Cox, was drunk as usual,
and when he sobered up his guiltless ~
friends represented TIC him that Mr.. Kerr
had been shaping his face; that he was so
reporting it over town, and that he (Cox)
should make him take it back. Cox is re-
ported to have said, I'm fix him." all Of
which will come out at the trial in court.
Somehow, very strangely, this hoodlum
was sober for q couple OF days, at least
Sunday and Monday, on which last day,
some minutes after -four in the afternoon, he
accosted Mr.. Kerr on the sidewalk, near the
door of the aforementioned saloon. as Mr..
Kerr was on his way to the blacksmith shop.
This wretch, as appears from the evidence
taken before the Coroner's Jury, printed
elsewhere in these columns, and from
other information, had been prepared
for hours to do the bloody work, and
had been perfectly sober all day-an ano-
mally--waiting for his unsuspectiiig vic
tim. After meeting Mr.. Kerr he did all he
could to aggravate him. all the while keep
ing his hand on a cooked revolver III his
sidc-coat pocket, that Mr.. Kerr would do
something. make some demonstration
toward him, or attack him, that he could
begin to shoot, to murder, as appears from
the evidence was his determination from
the start. After some words had passed
betw. en- them. the last position Of the two
was Cox standing near the door. and Mr..
Kerr some ten or twelve feet farther III the
saloon, leaning on the back Of a chair.
While all the other witnesses in the case
were not observing at just this moment
Darnell ~tcstifes that lie was then sitting on
a table, that Mr.. Kerr made about two
steps forward, which would bring him
within five feet Of Cox. and that he then
heard the pistol shots. Very strange in
deed that Dlrncll should be able to see
Mr.. Kerr take these two steps toward, thus
bringing the two so very close together,
and that he should not see the shooting.
Very strange indeed.
But ut all events 1t appears that Cox fired
two shots, the first one passing through his
victims heart, but the other one, ~notwitb-
standing he took deliberate aim, failed to
hit. Mr.. Kerr at once sank to the floor,
e~xclaiming. MY God. l am shot! | am
gonel" He was carried to Mrs. Banning's
lodging-house. where he died in fonr or
five minutes after being shot. He was
fonnd to have no arms about his person
whatever. nor was he II man who ever went
armed. except when travelling. etc. That
he had no firearms about him at the time
must have appeared to his murderer, since
he had just com from his work, and was
dressed in his working clothes. Besides
that. he was not in any way afraid Of Mr..
Kerr nsing = firearm, as he only looked for
having his face slapped. SO much more
does it show that the act was fully determ-
ined upon hours before.
The murderous hoodlum. after dipping
his hand in human blood, fourislred his
pistol above his read and threatened any
who wonld lay hands on him, but he was
at once arrested by Mr.. Henry, and placed
in the lookup. Lest he might dangle at
the end of "A rope. at the hands of the citi-
zcns, he waived an examination before the
Justice, and was taken, the same evening,
by Deputy Constable, to the Hamilton
Jail. where, we hope, that upon the scat
fold he may pay the penalty If his damn
able crime. The sooner he docs this; the
sooner he il placed where he can do no
more harm for the future. just that soon
will society be rid of n hoodlum and a
numbering enemy. A beardless boy, he
has already followed up and murdered, in
cold blood, one Of our best citizens; through
this hoodlum a household has been bathed
in tears; sorrow and weeping have come in
at one door and joy and gladness have
gone ont at the other; a happy family has
been made fatherless, to fight and battle
with this worlds troubles, aud God
knows they are not few. as best they can.
For all this aud for all these, there
seems to have been men. but nc. they were
beasts, on the ground when the murder
was committed, aud people in this town,
base enough, that they have found words
to Justify this numbering hoodlum. Great
God! Let them doff their human attire,
and expose their true natures.
When such sentiments prevail; when
hoodlums are in the country. and when
hoodlums murder our best citizens. it is
tint to act. The law Of our State cannot
at all times, in these mining camps, afford
protection. but something else can. There
is nothing so effcctual as an antidote, at
times, AZ q notice from "601." A hood
lum element, such as this Cox, could then
be driven away, tarred and feathered, as
they do at Reno. We have now suffered a
%sorrowful lesson. Let it be the last.
Tenn Pw.iute.