Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1886-02-20
THE COLLIER CASE.
ARRESTED ON Suspicion OF Having
Robbed the SIuices of Cooke,
Berry and Haines in Gold Can

In Justice Hawkins Court, last Tues
day, the examination Of Henry Collier,
charged with robbing the placer sluices
OF Cooke, Haines and Berry, in Gold
Canyon, week ago yesterday, took
place, and resulted in the honorable
discharge of the accused, there being
not the slightest evidence tending TO
connect the defendant with the crime.
George w. Keith, District Attorney, ap
peared on behalf of the State and {.
E. Mack, Of Virginia, for Collier. X.
for the State, and testified to having
made the discovery of the sluices being
robbed last Saturday morning. That
the sluices were left full OF dirt the
preceding evening; that the robbers had
turned in the water from the head gate,
washed off the dirt, and then taken out
Their rifles and cleaned up the gold
therein, which he estimated from the
number Of days they had been working
to have contained from $3.50 to 5000;
that he found tracks on the hill side
about 900 feet from the sluices; that he
suspected Collier and went 10 Golfers
home and accused him of the robbery,
which Collier denied; that he procured
search warrant, searched his house,
but found nothing belonging 10 plant
ifs; that he then procured Golfers ar
rest and incarceration in the county jail;
that he then, in company with William
Shirley and Deputy Sheriff Randall,
took Golfers boots and compared them
with the tracks discovered; that the
right boot apparently fitted one of the
foot. prints; that that foot -print showed
the glaze of nail on a rock where the
heel struck it; that one nail in Col
lier's boot heel come on the glazed
mark. Mr.. Cooke testified that Collier
showed the officer all over the house
and attempted to conceal nothing.
Mr.. Haine's testimony was about the
same as Mr., Cookies.
Mr.. Shirley testified 10 the comparing
OF the boots with the foot prints as
above stated.
The Deputy Sheriff testified to hav.
ing made the arrest, no resistance being
offered, and that Collier made no oh
lection when asked for his boots, but
gave them Up freely. He also corrobo.
rated the comparing boots with the
tracks testimony.
Ruel Lolhrop testified that Collier
had some time ago expressed great bit q.
Ierness toward A. G.. Berry on account
Of certain business transactions.
d. F. Norton testified that Collier, a
year ago, had said that whoever bought
that clam would make nothing out OF
it, as he Collier had the water right.
Mrs. Collier, for the defense, testified
that Collier had been at home that Fri
day and during the night.
Eugene West testified that he saw a
Portuges at the claim at s o'clock in
the afternoon OF that day, also that
Collier was at home at II o'clock.
Mrs. West corroborated her husband S
testimony as to Collier being at home.
Mrs. Duncan testified the same.
Welcome Lothrop testified that as he
was going to Silver City from Dayton
that Friday night he saw flashes Of
light as if from a dark lantern on the
claim.
Henry Collier testified that he was
home that entire night and about the
acquisition of Cooke, his denial and
arrest.
Here the District Attorney moved to
disp,iss the case which ,vos done