The Goldfield news. [volume] (Goldfield, Nev.) 1904-1911, 1904-08-05

nesses would have heard it; that there
after Curtis Kendall walked towards the
Peerless cafe; that Sharp followed him
down the street; that Certis Kendall
was leaning against post with his back
turned toward Sharp when the latter
approached; when Sharp hal come
within about eight feet of Kendall he
pulled Il gun from his hip pocket, took
deliberate aim, resting the gun across
his hand, and fired the first shot which
|evidensly missed; Kendall turned when
the first shot was fret and ran in the
direction across the street; that Sharp
fired again asrt the second shon struck
Kendall and he fell to his knees that
Kendall then said "Don't Shoot,
haven't anything or words 10 that
effect, and staggered to his feet and
started To ran across the street; that
over Kendall and struck the ground
somewhere across the street; that Sharp
then followed Kendall across the street
with his gun raised in position to shoot,
and followed him i'm and out among the
buildings on the other side Of the street,
until the gun was taken away from him
by Taylor Bales and another party near
O'Brien's corral. Curtis Kendall was in
his shirt sleeves, and it was apparent he
had no weapon, nor did he make any
move To defend himself, but immediate
" started to run when the first shot was
fired.
Summing this evidence up we have
the following story: That Sharp delib-
erately and premeditatediy and in cold
blood shot down and killed Curtis Ken
dali. Immediately when Curtis passed
him on the corner at Shirley'- saloon,
entirely unconscious Of his peril he gave
no sign said no word, but followed Cur
tis down the street, waiting for an
opportunity to strike, without peril to
his own cowardly skin. The moment be
was waiting for came when Curtis leaned
against the post in front of the Peerless
Like Il coward who dares not fight in the
open and above board, he sneaked be-
hind his intended victim, and when
within few feet from the boy he drew
his gun, took deliberate and careful aim,
resting the gun on his left hand, and
fired shot which was the first intima-
ton Curti; had oi impending danger.
The startled boy turned his head, saw
Sharp with his gun and Immediately
started to run. Sharp seeing that there
was no danger to himself and that Curtis
was running fired the second shot,
which was better aimed than the first,
and this shot struck home and brought
Curtis down wounded to the death. En-
tirely at the mercy of his assailant,
wounded and helpless he called out
"Don't shoot. have no gun" and NOR
tally wounded he staggered to his feet
and ran as fast as he could to the other
side of the street. Sharp with brutal
murder in his heart did not heed the cry
of the defenseless boy, but fired again at
Curtis when he was about half way
across the street, and followed with lis
gun raised ready to shoot again and
finish his dastardly work. The end Of
the tragedy finds Curtis Kendall sleep
ing in an untimely grave, a stricken
family mourning his death, and Howard
Sharp at large and at liberty to kill the
next man who may incur his hatred.
The testimony is very clear and
strongly corroborative throughout, diff
fering only in some slight matters OF
detail, nor has the cross questioning OF
the ATTORNEYS for the defense made any
material difference, save only that it has
brought out more damaging evidence
against Sharp. In the face of all this,
the grand jury dismissed the whole
matter after an hours deliberation, and
did not even hold Sharp for trial. The
grand jury cannot be too strongly con-
demned by all fair minded citizens in
view of the strong and convincing evil
dence submitted. 1t is disgrace to the
officers and the court OF Esmeralda
county and the people OF the state of
Nevada, that murder goes unpunished;
that a murderer cannot even be brought
to the bar of justice to prove his guilt or
innocence. Is there any wonder that
murder stalks abroad in our fair state of
Nevada, when man can shoot another
in the back, who has not the courage to
meet him face to face and only casual
notice is taken Of the matter, the grand
Jury acquits him, the matter does not
come up for trial and the public is hood
winked by misleading reports. ! think
the attention of the people would be
aroused, ii they had gazed on the cold
clay of some one near and dear brutally
and foullv murdered by shot in the
back.
There seems to be some misapprehen-
sion as to what led up to the shooting
1t seems to be the impression of the
public that Sharps life was in danger,
but such never was the case. Curtis
never carried gun, nor did he, in any
OF the difficulties he had, ever use a
weapon of any character. In personal
encounter with this man Sharp some
weeks previous 10 the killing, he was
brutally and numerically beaten by
Sharp. This scrap came about in the