Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1904-08-06
COMMUNICATED.

The recent action OF the grand jury
of Esmeralda county in failing to find
an Indictment against Howard Sharp,
charged with the murder of Curtis
Kendall, and the fact that the public
is not generally informed as to the
circumstances surrounding the case,
impels me to make this brief state
mento of facts relative thereto.
Rumor in Gold6eld has it that 1T is
nv intention to kill Sharp on sight.
This | wish to emphatically deny |
have never made any statement that
could be construed as a threat to
harm the murderer OF my brother,
nor have | ever entertained the in
~tention OF personal revenge. l DO,
however, earnestly desire that justice
shall be done; that Howard Sharp
be brought before a jury of his peers
and tried for the crime that he Is
charged with; that if he is proven
innocent in the judgment OF a falr
minded jury, that he be acquitted,
and if guilty punishment be meted
out to him according to his deserts.
The law should take its course. II
the grand jury Of Esmeralda county
had carefully weighed the damning
evidence brought out at the prellm-
mary hearing, they could not have
failed to have brought an indictment
against Sharp, and Sharp would have
had an opportunity to clear himself
at q jury trial, before a Judge where
no evasion of the law would be pos.
sible, il it be possible for him to do SO
At the preliminary hearing thu
following witnesses we're called, viz
J.. R. Wittke, Taylor Bales, II. Q
Hall. T. D. Murphy, Mrs. Matte NJ
Douglass, Thomas Ramsey, ]. F
Lothrop, L. S. Finnegan, w.
Cleary and Louis Lefkovits. Review
ing the testimony of these witnesse
the following facts are brought OF
clearly and definitely: That on tn
morning OF the 18th day of Apr
1904, Howard Sharp was standin
on the corner near Shirley's salooI
that Curtis Kendall passed by tn
corner close to Sharp; that not
word passed between Kendall al
Sharp; that if anything had be-
said by Sharp to Kendall or Kendi
to Sharp some Of the witnesses wol
have heard it; that thereafter Cur
Kendall walked towards the Peerle
Cafe; that Sharp followed him do
the street; that Curtis Kendall v
learning against a post with his ba
turned toward Sharp when the lat
approached; when Sharp had co
within about eight feet of Kendall
pulled a gun from his hip pock
took deliberate aim, resting the
across his hand, and fired the f
shot which evidently missed; Ken
turned when the first shot was ii
and ran in the direction across
street; that Sharp fired again
the second shot struck Kendall
he fell to his knees; that Kendall
said Don't shoot, | haven't
thing" or words to that effect,
staggered to his feet and starte
run across the street; that 81
fred a third shot which passed
Kendall and struck the ground 81
where across the street; that 81
then followed Kendall across
street with bis gun raised in pos
to shoot, and followed him in
out among the buildings on the c
side of the street, until the gun
taken away from him by Taylor
and another party near OBI
corral. Curtis Kendall was in
shirt sleeves, and it was appt
he had no weapon, nor did he
any move to defend himself, bu
mediately started to u wher
first shot was fired.
Summing this evidence up |
the following story: That Shar
l~iberately and premeditatedly q
cold blood shot down and killed {
Kendall. Immediately when c
who had just left his bed on hi
to his breakfast, passed him OF