The White Pine news. [volume] (Treasure City, Nev.) 1868-1906, 1883-08-25
Neither Fair nor Jwst.

1hO LuiChd oGillAhCi9 oHOSO =
went TO Hamilton and reported the
proceedings 1t the examination of the
Spring Valley ranchers, accused of
the murder OF r. c. O'Neil, contains
a seating column and a half editos
rial in last Tuesdays issue, which is
IN bad taste and altogether uncalled
for. Any one reading this article
unless he knew all the circumstances
connected with the Spring Valley
troubles-would be led by its perusal
10 believe that the residents Of that
valley are devils incarnate. But sit
usted as we are, and for years living
near these people, we know different.
They have often told us the trying
tests their more than human endnr-
auce was put to and for the sake of
peace aud their own fair name, they
bore many trying and exasperating
injuries and insults. But there is a
limit t o human endurance and the
people of Spring Valley-like a timid
school boy, goaded to desperation by
some burly schoolmate-rose in their
indignation and hurled their ven
geauce on the disturbers oftheir peace.
Let us. see what was the act that cul-
minated in this tragedy, land which
the Sentinel seems to altogether ig-
nore). On the 18th day OF May last,
X. L. Bassett, the nearest neighbor of
the O'Neil's, was taking his stock up
the canon, when he was fired at from
ambush by two men, whom he swears
were r. C. O'Neil, ST., and r. C.
O'Neil, Jr. Mr.. Bassett's arm was
broken, and it now lays whitening
away by his side; if he was not killed
1t was not because his assailants did
not intend to murder him. He es-
capped death through accident, per-
haps to suffer more than death from
his wounds. The examination OF R.
&. o'Neil, Jr., for the attempted u
der OF Bassett, also took place in Ham
ilton, but the Sentinel had no report
er there to take the proceedings,
neither did it have a word to say in
condemnation # the foul deed. The
main testimony III both these cases is
given by the injured parties, the only
difference beng that Mr.. Bassett's
testimony has never been impeached,
while, according to the Sentinel, thirty
respectable citizens of White Pine
county stand ready to wear they
would not believe the other parties
upon oath. Considering the whole
matter from a fair and impartial view
vi cannot see how the Sentinel can
coDscientiously arrive al this conclu-
sion
The deed was murder, foul and unnatural.
Those who we're concerned in it ought to be
brought TO justice. Therei is nothing to extern
ate the guilt of any one OF tho assassins, even
ii il b. true. as Mr.. Baker OF counsel for the
defendants stated in the course of the exami-
nation. that msbs have been at work from
time i%mmomorial up to the present, and that
such q thing "a the conviction Of q mob is
still unheard Of"
We differ from the Sentinel. There
Is much TO ~"extenuate the guilt OF
any one OF the assassins." Their act
was the outgrowth of long and patient
suffering, under most trying ordeals,
and that the victims oftheir final ven-
geance were the.aggressors for many
long years is the almost universal
opinion of every person in this Sec
ton who is at all familiar with the
Spring Valley troubles.
We had intended not to further dis
cuss this subject-ons way or the
other-but leave it to the proper tri-
bunal of the law, but the unfair and
one-sided view put forth by the SEN
tinel, at so inopportune a time, COM
pels the NEWS to demur to its obvi-
ously unjust way of placing the SUBJ
ject before the public.