The morning call., 1892-09-25
Light ON A DARK Deed.
Why the Potts Killed Myles
FaWCett.
A ROMANCE AND A CRIME.
a Husband and Wife Meet Death on the
GallowE, Retaining Secret Which, II Re.
veal,d, Might Have Cleared Them.

Josiah aud Elizabeth Potts, husband and
wife, were hanged severa! years ago in
Nevada for the murder of Myles Fawcett
The crime was peculiar one, inasmuch
as the Potts and Fawcett were neghbors
near Carlin and were supposed to be on the
most friendly terms.
One fine morning, however. Fawcett was
counted among the missing. and a few days
afterward the Potts sold their belongings
and quietly removed to another part of
Nevada.
The mystery surrounding Fawcett's dis
appearance, which caused no little comment
in Carlin, was solved by the purchaser of
the Potts property.
The new pOssessor, while rummaging about
the premises, found a loose board in the
flooring Of the house.
He raised II, and after digging for few
feet in the earth beneath, he came upon the
body OF Fawcett.
The head had been crushed in by blow
from an AK, and the commission Of the
crime was Immediately charged upon the
Potts, under whose house the body had been
buried.
The accused were hunted down and
brought TO trial. They seemingly had no
defense 10 offer for their crime OF course
they fought the case in the courts by taking
advantage Of every technical point known
to the law and by endeavorng to diseredit
the testimony against them, which was
purely clrcumstantial.
Both Potts and his wife we're found guilty
of the crime Of murder and were sentenced
to death by hanging.
True to the order of execution Potts and
his wife were hanged On the same gallows
at the same time.
During the trying moment that preceded
their execution they apparently maintained
q stoical indifference TO what was going on
and went TO their death without an eXplana-
ton OF their reasons for committing the
crime.
Lately. however. the true facts in the case
have come 10 light and ii has been shown
that the couple might have pleaded miti-
eating circumstances for their deed had
they been willing TO unveil crime which
the wife had committed year previous to
the murder.
Potts and his wife were married in 1862.
They lived together in Nevada until 1887,
when the wife came to this city to see the
sights.
While here she engaged In what she con-
sIdered as an innocent amusement by seek
ing husband through a matrimonial
agency. conducted by a Mrs. Thomas at
607h Washington street.
Through this medium she became &C
said her name was Elizabeth Atherton.
She encouraged his attentions for amuse-
menT, but she was handsome woman, and
Fawcett fell desperately la love with her.
lie squandered fortune on her In jewelry
and fine clothes and Mrs. Potts then awak-
eDed TO the seriousness OF her amusement.
Fawcett was desperate and would brook
n o refusal from her, He vowed TO marry
her, or take her life and his own.
Through fear Mrs. Potts yielded. and in
March. 1887 the couple were married by
Justice of the Peace Burke.
After several weeks Of life with Fawcett
Mrs. Potts became stricken with remorse
and wanted TO leave for her home in Ne
vada At last she confessed that she was
married to another. and that she was
bigamist.
At first Fawcett appeared to regard the
matter in reasonable light. He was angry.
OF course. and he employed Attorney M.
Matthews to recover the 500 he had paid
the marriage bureau for its services in pro-