Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1903-07-11
Festivities of the Fourth
End With Cruel Murder
Walter Dunn the Victim of a Fiend
Receives Knife Wounds at the Hands OF Frank Smith
That Cause His Death---The Murderer Ar
rested and Taken to Belmont

Until Sunday evening, almost up
IN the conclusion of the Fourth Of
July festivities, which had up to the
moment passed off without hitch or
accident, Tonopah held record for
morality and decency that had never
been approached in the history of the
worlds mining camps. In its three
wears of life but one deed of violence,
resulting in death, had been com
mitted, and that was clearly one Of
elf-defense. But in one fell moment,
that record, which had been the
boast and pride of every denizen Of
the district, was wiped out, and in
its place was established a record
that for brutality and Nervousness
has seldom been equaled in the Grim
inal annals of the state and it will
for all time remain blackened spot
on the fair name Of the town.
On the evening in question, just as
preparations were being made tn
pull off the last number of the two
days program, and while the streets
we're full of people vying with each
other to secure point of vantage
to witness the event-the tiremen S
race-Walter Dunn, young man,
was literally hacked to pieces with
knife in the hands of Frank Smith
and received injuries from which he
died the following morning.
The story leading up to the tragedy
had its inception at the close of the
drilling contest the day previous, and
from the tale told by eye witnesses
and adduced from the evidence given
at the coroner's inquest is as follows:
When the drilling contest closed on
Saturday, large crowd gathered
on the platform where the drillers
had been at work and many of them
were inspecting the piece of steel
which Hansen and Banane had
broken while competing for the prize.
Among them were Dunn and Smith.
The former made some joshing re.
mark about the manner in which the
steel had been sharpened. Smith,
who had done the sharpening, heard
the remark and resented it, applying
vile epithet to Dunn. The latter
struck him in the face, ard as they
came together both grappled and
held till others on the platform sep
arated them. Smith then picked up
drill and started again for Dunn,
but officers had arrived by that time,
and Selling Smith led him away. On
his promise to remain peaceable,
however, they let him go. A short
while after that he was seen while
passing the Butler saloon, to draw
knife, open the blade and hide it in
his sleeve, remarking to the people
on the sidewalk that he would get
Dunn II he was strung to an electric
pole for it. The officers we're in
formed OF his action and his words
and they sought him and it is said
took the knife from him, but they did
not lock him up because of his solemn.
promise to let the matter drop.
Dunn was informed of the threats
that Smith had made and said he
would keep his eyes open and avoid
him as much as possible.
A watch was kept on Smith all the
following day, but he made no demon
stration. He was drinking some,
however, and towards 7 o'clock he
was in the Tonopah Club saloon.
Going to the door he saw Dunn
standing on the sidewalk alongside
the bootblack stand which is almost
Immediately in front of the saloon.
Approaching Dunn he caught him by
the arm, and muttering few mar
ucuate words he struck at him.
Dunn returned the blow and both
clenched, working towards t h Q
street. A crowd Immediately
gathered around the men and at
tempts were made to separate them,
out Smith had q firm hold on Dunn
with his left arm. and could not be !