Tonopah daily bonanza. [volume] (Tonopah, Nev.) 1906-1929, 1909-11-14
Interior OF
COURT RESEMBLES
A BARROOM
BAR Is PLACED IN EVIDENCE
BY STATE IN MANGANA
MURDER TRIAL

Slowly the net is being drawn
closer around Assertion Mangana,
who is on trial in the district court
charged with the murder of Byron
Nelson at Iceland. While the tes-
timony SO far presented is of cir
cumstantial nature, it points strong
ly to Mangana as being the party
who committed or helped to COM
nit, the double murder.
Yesterday afternoon the bar,
taken from the saloon conducted by
Nelson at Iceland, was erected in
the court room for the purpose of
better informing the jury as to the
scene of the murder The bar,
which is roughly constructed of
plain lumber, was placed in EVIL
dence by the state and will be in
the keeping of the clerk of the
court, L. Daniels, until the case
closes.
The first witness called to the
stand was w. H. Lillard, who exer-
cised his right as citizen and
placed Mangana under arrest. At
the time of the double murder Mr..
Lillard offered large reward for
the apprehension of the murderers
and took an active part in the chase
of the two Mexicans. He also drew
maps of the scene and informed the
jury as to the location of the bodies
when found. Mr. Lillard brought
the bar up from Iceland. His tes-
timony will - e strongest por-
ton of the case of the state, as he
is regarded as the main witness.
While he spoke yesterday of gen
eral facts only, he will be recalled
to the stand at a later date.
P. McEvoy, forman of the rail
road construction gang on which
Mangana was employed, took the
stand and dwelt at length on impor-
tant facts relative to the case. Nc
Evoy was a close friend of Nelson 5
and stated that the murdered man
was always plentifully supplied with
money. Nelson cashed the time
checks of the railroad laborers and
it was known on occasions that he
kept large sums in his saloon On
the night of the murder, McEvoy
accompanied Mangana and his part
ner, also Mexican, into Nelson s
saloon, but did not remain there
for any length of time The de-
PENDANT and his partner had their
monthly checks waiting for them,
/ but did not call for them McEvoy
c was the first to notice the disappear
) ance of the two MeXicans on the
, day following the killing, and his
d suspicious were aroused by the fact
i that both men had departed with
" out securing their wages. He made
> search of the cabin which had
been occupied by the missing men,
d but could find nothing there that
e showed any connection with the
! murder.
al A watch was placed in evidence
sc "hASh mCHFoy lucutlHeu DIS one LOT
~ merly worn by Nelson. He had seen
~ ~ the timepiece some forty or fifty
II times and was well qualified to iden-
IS tify it. While the testimony con-
al corning the finding of the watch
!. was not presented, it is understood
bis that it was found on the person of
'Mangana, or rather after Mangana
: had made an attempt to dispose of
1.-THE chronometer.
f Tomas Guiterraz followed McEvoy
tand through an interpreter stated
that he was in the saloon with his
brother on the night that Nelson
and Stilwell were killed. He paid
uia bill to Nelson and after buying
several drinks departed for his cab
n. When he left Mangana and his
partner were playing cards.
AAa George Duncan is acting as inter-
)reter for the state, while Frank
Jassellas is officiating in a like ca
lacity for the defendant.
At the conclusion of yesterday S
ession an adjournment was taken
ntil Monday and the jury placed
the custody of the sheriff. who
ill keep a watchful eye on his
harges in the mainline 1t is prob
Bile that the state will nearly finish
side of the case by Monday even
ig, and if this proves true, the
ial should reach a close by the
Id of Tuesdays session.
Yesterday Mangana appeared to
II Ike more interest in the proceed
" egs and when Guiterraz was on the
and. listened to the answers to
he questions propounded by conu-