Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1903-12-12
RIOTERS AGAINST
CHINESE ACQUITTED
TOgnOni Is Also Free and
Smith Case Called
Great Demonstration in Court Over
The Announcement Of the Two
Verdicts.

The men who we're tried at Bel
mont on the charge Of having engaged
in a riot against the Chinese inhab-
itants of Tonopah, eliminating in the
death of Chong Bing Lung, have
been acquitted and most of them re-
turned to Tonopah last night.
Their names are: Il. M. Arandall,
E. r. Shellingberger, W. A. Lang,
A. Wilson, A. M. Bradshaw and 0.
NJ. jackson. With the exception of
Shellingberger and Wilson, all of
these are back in town. Shelling
berger remained in Belmont and ac-
cepted position as bookkeeper for
the recorder and the sheriff, while
Wilson is now cooking for Mrs
Leon. o. NJ. Jackson will resume
his position at Casey g. Arden's cafe,
while Arandall has returned to his
laundry business.
The trial did not consume a full
week and it proved of intense inter
est to the inhabitants OF Belmont and
all who witnessed it. Prosecuting
Attorney Richards had the assist
ance of p. M. Bowler and S. K. Yer
milyea was for the defense. The
case was called on last Saturday at
p. m. and the verdict was rendered
at 10. 45 Thursday night,
Following is list OF the jurors
who sat on the case: VIM. Short, A.
B. Puett, J. G. Ford, Paul Irwin,
Jesse Daniels, w. fitzpatrick, A. +.
AckermaL, James Powers, J. T. Oar
rough, Phil Sharp, B. +. Rogers, l..
p. McGarry.
A large number OF witnesses, both
Chinese and white were examined
and ross.examined throughout a
hard-fought legal battle. The court
room was crowded during the entire
trial which comprised night sessions
as well. Judge Breen's charge to
the jury contained fourteen instruc-
tions dictated by the prosecution and
fifteen of the twenty-five submitted
by the attorneys for defense. Shell
lingberger and Jackson took record
of the evidence for Attorney Yer
milyea.
The jury remained out for about one
hour and fifteen minutes, during which
time separate ballot was taken on
the case of each of the accused men.
When they returned and the foreman
announced the verdict to be for uni
versal acquittal, there were scenes Of
widest enthusiasm in the court room
and it took some minutes to restore
order. The men who had been re-
leased were crowded by various
friends with congratulations.
Great interest also attaches to the
Tognoni case, the verdict OF which
had not been reported at the time
the BONANZA went to press last Sat
urday. The acquittal was made on
that same dav. The case was called
on Tuesday, December 1st, at 8 a. m,
and the select ton of jurors immedia
tely followed the refusal of the Court
to grant continuance asked on the
grounds that many witnesses materi-
al to the defense were absent. The
entire jury was impanellsd on the
first day of the trial which occupied
the remainder of the week. The fol
lowing acted as jurors: w. d. Mel
ligan, w. Fitzpatrick, Roger Dough-
erty, A. +. Ackerman, Emil Marks,
M. p. Devine, Thomas Kane, Thomas
Gillian, ]. ]. Timlin, William Parker
and Van Newman.
Prosecuting Attorney Richards
was assisted in the case by. Vermilea
& Bartlett and p. M. Bowler while
Key Pittman and w. B. Pittman act
ed for the defense. Judge Breen
had finished his charge and the jury
had retired to consider the case at
ll:30 Saturday morning. AT 1l:4O
they returned, after taking one bal
lot, and acquitted Tognoni.
After the verdict had been rem
dered in the case of Arandall and
others, court adjourned until yester-
day, and at 2 o'clock the case of
Frank Smith, who kill ed Walter
Dunn on July 5th, was called. In
this case, Mr.. Bowler will also as
Sist Mr.. Richards in the prosecution,
while Vermilyea and Bartlett are
acting for the defense.