Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1900-11-30
AFFAIRS AT sIARDIs.

Judge Talbot in sentencing A. A
Schole this morning reviewed the
criminal history OF Mardis. That
community Tor the last fourteen years
has not had the reputation OF beng
the most orderly nnd w-abiding in
the State. That this has been so Is
not due to the fact that there are no
orderly peaceable citizens in Mardis,
but to the fact that it has been the
resort OF lawlcss element that has
made the peaceable citizens band to-
gether for mutual protection.
The first crime committed in Mar
dis since we became II citizen OF Elko
county was tho murder OF miner
named Kelley. This crime passed
without anyone being punished, al.
though efforts were made to lind ont
and punish the murderer. The se-
cret OF TINT crime remains locked up
III .he breast Of one OF two old resi-
dents OF Mardis. Then followed Il
series OF Iawless acts 10y Sam Jones
that finally culmInHted in shooting
scrape, FOR which he WAS arrested, III.
dicted and tried for assault with III.
tent to kill. The jury failed to con-
vict last winter nnd Jones il still
under bonds to appear for trial. \
good deal of the bad reputation OF
Mardis is due to the iawless acts COM
mitted by Jones. How he WAS able
to defy the law as he did is Il mystery
to the writer.
The killing OF Grail was thoroughly
investigated anG found to be case
OF justiiiab!e homicide. In this case
there wa n conspiracy to run
peaceable citizen away from his
home and appropriate tile fruits Of
his labor. One OF tho conspirators
was Charles Graf, who met his death
at the hands OF the man he had
threatened to kill on sight. Ills
death broke up the conspiracy and
tho lawless bnnd scattered for the
time. One OF them attcrward became
involved i'll a shooting scrape with
Sam Jones and left the country to
avoid arrest. lie afterwards return ned
and is now resident OF Mardis or
WAS the last we heard Of hun.
For a time after the killing OF
Graft, Mardis was am orderly com.
munity except now Rnd then when its
peace and quiet were disturbed by
tho lRwless acts Of Sam Jones. As
before stated, Jones finally became
involved in shooting scrape which
resulted in his indictment and trial.
This took him away from Mardis and
the community gettlcd down to an
orderly basis. This continued for
two years when last August y. a.
Schole shot and killed j. y. Hicks.
For this crime Schole was indicted
for murder, tried and found guilty Of
granddaughter und sentenced To ten
years in the peDitentiary.
In oItenuatIon OF what looked like
cold bIooded murder, Mr.. Schoio
pleaded that Mr.. Hicks had stolen n
COW frOm him and he was unable to
got any legal redress. llo had ap.
piled tu the justice Of the peace toi
warrant for Hicks arrest and il had
been refused for lack Uf evidence.
Mr.. Scholo also claimed :hat bu had
no intention Of killing Hicks aud that
he aimed ms gun at him only when
Hicks made q motion hs IL To
draw revolver and that the gun was
accidentally discharged. Tho plea
OF seli.dcfenss did not have much
weight with tho jury. but that OF tho
accidental discharge Of tho gun,
taken with tho nervous and excited
condition Of Mr.. Scholc, weighed
sufficiently to turn tho scales in favor
OF n verdict OF manslaughter. For
this crime MIR. Schole hos been sen.
fenced 10 ten years in tho pcuiten.
tary.
This 10 brioi history Of tho crimes
committed in Mardis since the writer
has been resident Of tho county and
In published merely TO eh1w the
grounds for the scathing remarks
OF Judge Talbot. II is writton
wholly from momory and may not
give all the crimes that have bocn
committed ,horo. Enough, however,
are giyon to show that Judge Talbot
had como foundation for tho remarks
mado this morning.