Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1906-08-18
MURDER
IN TONOPAH
Charles Smith Found in Cabin
With Bullet Hole Over Ear
and Head Crushed In

Another d~astardly crime has been
committed in Tonopah. Charles
Happy" Smith of Rossland, B. c.,
who had worked for two years as an
~ore-sorter on the Montana, was found
living on the bed in his cabin, just
behind the Midway on Sunday,
with a bullet hole over the right ear
and his forehead beaten in, evidently
with an ak that was found leaning
against the wall of the cabin, spotted
with blood.
A. E. Bell and a dance-hall girl,
named Jessie Case, have been
arrested in connection with the
murder. Smith was last seen alive
in the small hours of Thursday morning
walking in the direction of his cabin.
He quit work on the Montana on
August 2 and told his friends that he
intended to return to Rossland. Since
then, however, he seems to have blown
in his money, as he borrowed So from
County Clerk Bevis on Wednesday
evening. Robbery, therefore, does
not seem to have been the motive for
the crime and the arrest of the woman
seems to point to jealousy as the
motive. The FIRST impression was
that he was murdered in his
sleep and the miscreants who perpe-
trated the crime made a clumsy
attempt to give the impression that
Smith had committed suicide, by thrust
ing the revolver from which the fatal
shot was fired into the dead mans
belt, which he was still wearing, as he
had lain down to sleep fully dressed
with the exception of his shoes, collar
and tie.
1t has since developed at the inquest
that while the man might have been
lying on his bed at the time, he was
awake and had words with the parties
who killed him. The jury impaneled
by Judge Brissell, acting as Coroner,
held a very exhaustive inquisition, last
ing from Sunday until Wednesday even
ing. Among other witnesses examined
was Mrs. Harrison, who lives within
twenty-five or thirty yards from the
cabin in which Smith was murdered.
She testified that she saw a mar and
woman going to Smiths cabin on the
fatal night about eleven o'clock.
Shortly afterward she heard loud talk
ing and noticed the mar and woman
standing outside Of the door q%uarreling
with some one within. A few moments
later the parties disappeared into the
cabin when more loud talking was
heard followed by a heavy blow very
much like that which would be pro
duced by knocking a hog or other
animal on the head with ar ak or club.
1t also appeared from evidence giver
before the jury that Smith had beer
: living with the woman of the half
world, Jessie Case, who had thrown of
, on him, taking up with Bell. 1t i
upon this fact that the police base TIN
theory that jealousy was at the bottom
! of the murder. The jury after thei
investigation rendered a verdict simpl,
to the effect that Smith came to hi
death from a pistol shot and a click o
the head" from a heavy blunt instru
ment in the hands of parties unknow
to the jury.
On Wednesday the two prisoners
through their attorneys, Ford & Fore
appealed to the district court for a wrt
of habeas corpus claiming that the
2 were being deprived of their libert
without due process of law. The heaI
ing was had on Thursday before Judg
Breen and the officers of the lowe
!, court were cited to appear. After
thorough hearing of the facts of tt
case Judge Breen denied the writ al
> remanded the prisoners to the custoc
of the Sheriff.
Yesterday the defendants appear
before Judge Brissell for examinatit
!, accompanied by their counsel. AS
i very material witness for the prosec
~ ton, Mrs. Harrison, was i'll from ner
:. Gus pr~ostration and unable to appear
: court, the examination was continu
"A until today at 10 o'clock.