Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1889-03-24
rn. oAnl,N I,on,oIDE.
n.r..r Ia "a. .,r.. Degree.

Josiah Potts nnd his wife. FL z>be.h
Potts, wore placed OH trial in the Dis
trict Court. Ju ise Il. r.. Bigelow. PEE
siding, last Tuesday morning. the l2th
instant, on the CHI ,rgs Of having muir
dered Miles Faucet nj Cariin Oh tho lst
day Of January, 1883. The evidence
was concluded OH Thursday evening,
the lith.. argument by Dist. Atty. Love
for the State. and By J. A. Plummer
Esq. ON behalf OF the defendants, WAS
concluded yesterday afternoon. tho
Court gave itt Instructions and the case
wls given to tho jury at $40 =. At
7:55 p. NJ. III" jury came int" Court aud
rendered the foil ,wiug verdict:
The State Of Nevada ~. Josiah Potts
and Elizabeth Potts: w. the jury find
tho above namod defendants guilty Of
murder in the ii rat desres.
G W. PHILLIPS, Foreman.
Dated Elko, Mnrci, 10, 1889.
The Court set wedne 4iay. the Goth
instant, at 10 o'clock A. NJ. M the time
for %pronouncing sentence. aud thus
ends one of the most remarkable cnses
over tried in Elko county. Tho circuin-
stances OF the case. briefly .ta,od, 40
substantially a. follows:
Josiah Potts. his wife and two chill
dren, had resided in Carlin something
like two years, having previously lived
in Terrace. Potts was n machinist and
worked in the shops Of tho G. Z. Rail-
road. There also resided ut Carlin n
man about 81 years of age named Niles
Faucet, a ca pontcr by trade. WHO
seemed TO 10 n friend Of the Potts ium-
lily with whom he boarded for several
months. In the Summer Of 1927 Fau-
colt bought u small ranch some seven
miles from Carliu. known rs the hot
springs ranch, together with n wagon
and tenm of horses. Sometime during
the Fall Faucet: removed to hi. ranch,
after which Mrs. Potts baked bread for
him aud did his washing which caused
him to visit Mrs. Potts twice n week.
On the 1st day of January, 1883, Fnu-
colt told Mr.. Line!nrger, with whom he
was somewhat intimate, that Potts and
his wife Dwell him n certain sum of
money TINT he knew they had the
money md that he intended 10 60 there
and get il; that he khsw enough OF tile
past life Of Mrs. Potts to compel her to
pny it rather than have these things
revealed In the moan tiiue Fnuc. tt
paid Linebnrger n small bill. aud Line
barger observed that Fnncett had over
500 in gold which no poured out OF tho
purse into his hand. Faucet aud Line
barger went to Potts house in the even
ing where L~inebarger loft him, after
Mrs. Potts had invited Faucet to atay
all night which invitation he accepted,
and his tenn wns put in Potts stable.
This was tho last ever seen Of Faucet
alive.
The sudden disappearance OF Faucet
cauNed suspicion in tho mind. OF several
persons aud nome attempt wns made to
investigate but without success. Potts
showed n bill Of sale from Faucett turn
ing over NIL his property to Potts, and
b h ho and his wife stated that Faucet
had been suddenly cnlled Enst on busi-
THUS the matter rested; and
the Summer tue Potts family
removed to Rock Springs, Wyoming.
George Brewer and wife moved iuto
the house vacated by Potts. aud about
the 10Th OF last january Brewer dis
covered tho remains Of n human being
in tho COLLAR; ho called assistance and
Greater pnrt Of the mutilntsd re-
mains OF a mnn were exhumed. A Curo-
inquest was held and tho jury re-
inrned n verdict finding the remains to
DO those Of Miles Fnucott, md accusing
Josiah md Elizabeth Potts OF having
him on or about the lat day
OF January, 1883.
Sheriff Barnard tclegrnphed to Rock
TO have tue parties placed un-
der arrest, and armed with the ncces
papers he md Constable Tripietl
proceeded 70 Wyoming. secured tho
prisoners md lodged them in tho Elko
jail jan. 2Sih. They were tnksn down
10 Carlin where n preliminary examinn-
ton wns hold mud tho prisoners were
hold without bail To nsuit the action OF
Grand Jury, aud hy TINT body they
were duly indicted oil the 18th OF Feb.
1889, for tho crime OF murder.
The prosecution wns conducted by
W. q. Love Esq. District Attorney, who
animated hy tho feeling that his cause
was one Of justice. made a noble effort
behalf OF tho State aud the people.
rho defense was ably conducted by j.
4. Plunmer Esq, who did all tia, could
done in behalf OF his clients, but the
'vi1cnco ~aa no conclusive Of the
Of the accused TINT tho jury was
INT a short time in reaching n verdict
murder in tho ir.t degree.