Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1890-06-26
THE POTTS TRAGEDY.
Further Particulars Of the Crime
and It's Discovery.

az AAANA AAAaNN MI anu A'AlEs ONk,
were residents OF this city somj
years ago, and the further fact tina
their victim, Miles Fawcett, ha,
relatives here, is sufficient justifica
ton for presenting additional partic
ulsrs Of their crime and its discov
cry, which have come 70 hand sine,
our last article in reference to tn,
matter.
Last evening Mr. Robert Ave
son, sR einpioye OF this ofIieS
and the murdered mans nephew,
met and conversed with Mr.. Jess
English, who was n resident of Car.
lin, Nevada, at the time Of the muir.
der, and until after the remain:
were discovered. Mr.. English was
personally acquainted with all Of the
parties connected with the tragedy,
and was familiar with the circum-
stances attending It.
As has been previously stated, the
murder was committed on New
Years night, January lst, ISIS.
On the evening OF that day dance
was held in Carlin. While it was
in progress Mr.. Potts was observed
10 drive past the building in
which it was being Conducted,
in Miles Eaweett's sleigh, and with
his horses. Later in the night
Potts was seen 10 return TO the set
Element driving Fawcett's horses,
which were attached TO n new
wagon belonging 10 the murdered
man. The superstition is that Potts
went to Eawcetts ranch in the
sleigh which he left there, and
brought back the new wagon. The
latter was seen next day on Potts
premises. The horses Were placed
in charge Of n neighbor. Two OF
three days later inquiries began TO
belmade As 20 FaYcett's whereabouts,
when the POttses offered the ex-
PLANTATION, as before stated, that he
had suddenly been called east
and had given them bill Of sale
Of all his property.
This eNPlagauOu did not satisfy
the people Ol Cariin. IL Was be-
lieved that there had ueeu foul play,
and party was organized and en-
gagged in a search for Fawcgtt's
body, Is il was suspected he had
been murdered 10y the Potts. His
ranch WIS visited ami inspected and
the road leading to it searched, but
the snow was deep and no clue
could he found. Thus the matter
rested until the following Sep;em-
Der, when the Potts family r.
moved to Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Some time after their removal &
family named Brewer rented the
house which they hal occu-
pied. About this time 4 rumor
spread through the ueighbJrhOJd
10 the effect that the house was
''haunted.'' Mrs. Brewer had been q
correspondent Of the free IreSs, /
published at ElkO, and on January
), Iss9, over the signature OF Busy
Bee, - her usual nom ds plume, she [.
wrote the following communication .
to that PAPER
''CAELIN, Jan. ., lS,9.
81 have been intending to write u I
you FOR several weeks, but You know I
when one moves 10 a new place one I
naturally is kept very busy for =
while. And in edition 70 o.her mai F.
teIs OF interest 1t is I Little exciting
when one has the good luck - move
into a yeritshle haunted house. No.
many persons hBve such a thing "a
happen to them these DAYS. 80 Tar ,
the ghost hasn't scared any Of US, hut +.
he is here jus. the slue. Sometimes !
he trrs CT Ike nsadboard Of the bed; Z
ether times he stalks across the kitchen
floor. and anon he hammers away ~ |
tine door. but nobOdy's there. But the I
Cayest capers OF all are cut mp in the F.
cellar. There be holds high reveis. I
and upSe;s the pickles and carries On I
generally"
1t is asserted a absolute truth that I
the Brewer family frequently heard 4
rnaccJuntcble noises in different 4
parts O. The house, laTticulariy in 1
the cellar, and that these strange I
sounds led to the ADMINISTRATION which /
resulted In the discovery Of Faw- |
cett's remains. Mr.. Brewer in COM /
pany with 4 railroad conductor /.
named Lewis, took an iron rod. I
went into the cellar and began a |
thorough scrutiny Of it. While 4
probing around with the rOl q soft I
place was discovered. On the re-
mOyal Of some Of the earth human 4
remains were disclosed. the body 1
had been cut 10 pieces. The head ]
was Charlei AMI fleshiess. and had Z
been cut up and partially burnt. l
The legs, arms, and body were in 4
small fragments. The clothing Of I
the murdered man showed evidence /
Of having been partially burnt up; 4
one Of the pockets If the plutalO5us I
was intact and contained n pocket [
knife, which was recognized as the |
property Of Miles Fawcett.
This discovery occurred Jan. 10, (
1889, and greatly strengthened the /.
suspicious which had beeu hitherto I
entertained. The Potts family were (
known to be in Rock Springs, WyO- (
ming and a telegram was sent for
their arrest. When the Nevada Off
GERS reached Rock Springs, and took |
the accused couple into custody, Mr.. !
Potts exclaimed, when told II the
discovery Of the human remains in 4
the cellar, "Why that is old man |
Fawcett's body" proving C0nclus- |
lively that ne and his wife were at 1
least familiar with tine disappear |
ance Of the murdered man. This /
evidence is regarded a. the strongest |
linz in the chain Of proof which led |
10 their conviction. Their state |
msnt that Miles Fawcett committed |
suicide in their house, while some |
what ingenious, was received with 1
incredulity.
The EikO Free Press OF the DIST |
inst. contains an account Of the |
crime, the trial and the execution, |
from which il would appear that /
Mrs. Potts was woman OF wonder
full nerve and self-cOntrol. When
the verdict Of conviction was rem
tered she seemed the coolest person
in the room, and when the sentence
Of death was pronounced she dis /
played 10 emotion. Once or twice i
while in prison awaiting execution /
she shed tears, but with these eN-
cepuOns she showed an unmoved 1
outward appearance. Her husband /
exhibited considerable firmness.
though not so much as did she.
Francis w. Faweett, ef Newiny- !
ton Junction, Connecticut. under |
date Of February 18th, 1890, writes |
to Mr.. Robert Aveson, Of this city, |
rs follows:
my brother Miles has not written |
TO me for nearly four years now, and |
am afraid something has happened |
10 hIm. l can gain no clue 10 his /
whereabouts; have tried every effort /
IN my power or that writing could do,
but 70 no effect so far"
Other relatives Of the murdered 1