Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-08-21

IN the preliminary examination .
{ nine defendants charged with the .
murder Of r. G. O'Neil Sr. at Osceola,
White Pine County, on the morning Of
he Sth Of last June. The taking of tes-
imony occupied four entire days. In
,rder that the evidence brought out
and in due course Of law before
Of the Peace Bush might be had
Tor publication, the editor Of the
went to Hamilton and attended
the examination from the opening to the
His report Of the proceedings is
completed in this mornings paper.
1t was his expectation to hear and re-
port in full both sides Of the case. This
expectation has not been realized. Coun-
sci for the prosecution intimated during
the trial that they held in reserve for
use in the further progress Of the case
before the Grand Jury or on trial in the
District Court, perhaps). certain witnesses
whose testimony they did not think it
necessary or polite to utilize at once.
The defense rested their case in the JUS
tice Court without introducing any testi-
mony whatever, relying for the purposes
Of the occasion upon their ability to sue
cessfully impeach the evidence of the
two principal witnesses for the prosecu-
ton, w. 7. ONeil and r. G. O'Neil Jr.,
sons of the murdered man, who were
with him at the death and were them
selves wounded in the terrible ARRAY.
The impeachment was by 30 witnesses
Of White Pine County, who swore
that they would not believe the ONeil
boys under oath, so bad is their general
reputation in the community in which
they live, for truth and veracity.
The proceedings, as far as the record
goes, went far into the prosecution, but
in the defense ended thus sharply.
By the testimony recorded and I'M
questioned, it is established that O'Neil
Sr. was killed and his sons wounded by
a mob at the time and place indicated.
The deed was murder, foul and unnatu-
raj. Those who were concerned in it
ought to be brought to justice. There IS
nothing to extenuate the guilt Of any one
Of the assassins, even if it be true, as Mr..
Baker of counsel for the defendants
stated in the course of the examination,
that mobs have been at work from time
immemorial up to the present, and that
such q thing as the conviction OF a mob
is still unheard Of. As a rule mobs are
intangible in the Courthouse, but not
necessarily 80. individuals banded to-
gether in assassination may be exposed
by evidence Of the ordinary sort or by
the evidence of a conspirator turned
States evidence. That the prosecution
Of the defendants in the O'Neil case will
be strengthened by evidence Of the latter
kind, when the time comes for applying
it, was sharply enough intim ated by Mr..
Beatty in the preliminary examination
an intimation going to show that certain
parties not charged with the defendants
are known to have been in the murder,
and that they, perhaps. escaped prosecu-
ton in order to be used as witnesses on
behalf of the State.
But even if the individuals composing
q mob have never been convicted-which
seems incredible-it is time to put such
. conviction on record. The most
cowardly act done by . solitary villain is
bravery by comparison with the act Of
the crowd who shot old man O'Neil lying
asleep in his blankets. and beat and
wounded his helpless sons.
It Is surmised, not to say stated di.
rectly, that II was not the intention OF
the lynchers to harm the boys; that they
went after the old man alone. intending
to take him out and hang him. II there
is anything mitigating in this circum-
stance we fail to appreciate ito force. Al
TO the nature Of the crime there can be
no doubt. Under any circumstances it
was q heinous offenss in the eyes OF God
and man. Those guilty OF it should be
brought to justice. They should be
made to suffer the penalty OF murder,
which punishmsnt-hAng'ng-wh be
light compared with the horrors with
which they drove the vital spark from
the frame Of old man ONeii-shoosing
him 30 close BY - to cot his clothes
on fire; then clubbing MN with SIX
shooters and dragging him dying on the
ground; ferociously torturing MN win
kicks amt CLOVIS IN his last moments and
depriv'ns nun " ~
always granted by sne visi'anses, > lew
sad but precious moments 70 plead wi.n