Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-11-27

Wm. Norris Shot and Killed By
DOc. wheeler.

VIM. Norris Shot and Killed By
Doc. Wheeler.
From Henry Peters, who has been liv-
ing for several years in Newark Valley,
and who carries the mail between here and
Cold Greek, who arrived in town last
night and came to the SENTINEL Office to
give the correct story of the killing Of
William Norris last Thursday evening by
Doc. Wheeler, we get the following par
ticulars: Norris had been threatening for
the last two years to lake Wheeler's life
and had said to several parties that he
would shoot him on sight. They were
vacquero partners together two years ago,
and when Money died they jumped the
cabin in Long Valley slough. Nobody
seemed to know what the men quarreled
about originally. They met every now
and then after their quarrel and separa-
ton, but never spoke 70 each other,
and were known on both sides to be
avowed enemies. Recently Tom Short Of
Ruby Valley bought the cabin in dispute
from Jim Meyers. who has charge OF
Frank Moneys estate, and put Doc
Wheeler there to hold it until his cattle,
which had been started, could be driven
there to range for the Winter. Wheeler
had taken possession two or three days
before the fatal meeting. Norris, still
claiming the cabin, approached it about
dusk Thursday, and knocking at the door.
Wheeler asked who was there, and Norris
wouldn't answer him. After knocking the
second time, Norris asked if Grin
Vaughn, Hardesty's Major Domo, was
there. Upon this. Jack Cassidy,
who, with George Wines Norman
Wines son OF Ruby Valley was in the
cabin with Wheeler. went and opened the
door. Norris stood just outside of the
door and looked in to see where Wheeler
was, all the time with his hand on . six
shooter, which he carried in bis overcoat
pocket. Without waiting . moment, but
knowing what was coming unless he took
the first shot, blazed away with an army
needle gun. The ball struck Norris .
little below the right nipple. and ranging
~downwards, came out through the small
of the back. Just after the shot
the wind blew the door to-. The
men in the cabin, not knowing
whether Norris had been killed, and being
afraid he was alive and standing in wait
for somebody to come out, did not
open the door again for some time. At
last, hearing no sound, George Wines
pushed the door open and saw Norris ly-
ing dead at the threshold. They let the
body lie where it was until the next morn
ing, when Miller, one OF Tom Shorts
men, went down to Newark Valley snd got
some men to come up and bury it. Jack
Cassidy and George Wines, fearing
that some OF Norris friends would
come and clean them all ont,
got up early in the morning and put out.
Wheeler was left alone and still stays ct
the cabin. The night after the shooting.
these men having warned Tom Short Of
what had taken place, he came over imme-
dia.ely, arriving at 2 O'Clock in the morn
ing. Wheeler, taking him to be one Of
the Norris crowd, came near shooting
him. 1t was . good while before Short
could make Wheeler believe it was him
self, but when he succeeded at last he
was let in.
Wheeler is q man about whom there has
been q good deal OF bad talk, and who was
arrested and imprisoned at Ha milton,
charged with horse stealing, but there was
no evidence against him and he was re-
leased. Mr.. Peters says he has known
| him for three years and has seen nothing
wrong in him.
Norris had a very bad reputation. He
was charged with harboring horse thieves
in Bald Mountain, and with being in with
them. He is the same man who took a
shot at Matt. Sharpe about q year ago; and
the pistol he used then was found in his
pocket a. he lay on the ground dead.
TIE OTHER SIDE.
Pillip McKenna came into the SENTINEL
office later to make q statement for publ.
cation. He says that Norris, with whom
he had been working and with whom be
| had come down from Bald Mountain to
Sadler's wood ranch, . day or SO before the
shooting, knew nothing whatever oi
Wheeler's whereabouts. he did not GO
down to the cabin to look for Wheeler.
He had gone out to get some -four and had
failed to get any from Dolph Bray's house.
Thence he went to the cabin, thinking that
Grin Vaughn would be there and he could
get some from him. He had no idea that
Wheeler was inside and he was not looking
into the door to find him.
He says Norris, ever since he first knew
him list of June last has been one Of the
| incest men he ever ran afoul Of. He was
. good, pleasant man, not disposed to hurt
anybody. Mr.. McKenna says he has
heard the ugly stories about the deceased,
but he never knew anything to confirm
them.
He says he has known scarcely anything
OF Doc. Wheeler; has heard the stories
about him, bat knows nothing against him
Of his W knowledge, or that has ever
been proved.