The silver state. [volume] (Winnemucca, Nev.) 1909-1925, 1913-10-23
CHOATE INQUEST
HELD YESTERDAY

Last evening Sheriff Lamb, District
Attorney Callahan and DIR. p. j. Man
gan returned from Virgin station,
bringing Lester Howard, who killed
Sabe Choate at the old Howard sta
tion Tuesday morning. The prisoner
was lodged In the county Jail and will
probably be given a preliminary ex-
animation before Judge Dunn some
time during the next few days.
The inquest was held over the re-
mains of the dead man, beginning yes
terday morning and terminating at 3
o'clock yesterday afternoon. 1t was
held before L. +. Melody, the Rebel
Creek justice of the peace, and jury
composed of s. q. Lamb, +. f. Bran
lett, Prof. Bumstead, w. +. Tregaskis,
l.. TregaskIs, Dave Palmer and John
Blackwood. Judge C. +. Robins, of
the law firm of Salter Il Robins, was
present in the interest of Howard.
After hearing the testimony of wit
nesses, the jury returned verdict to
the effect that Sabe Choate, the de-
ceased, came to his death from a gun
shot wound inflicted by Lester How
ard, but made no further comment or
recommendation.
From reliable sources it is learned
that about two years ago Choate rent
ed the old Howard station, ON the
DEMO road, from Lester Howard 5
mother, now Mrs. William Wallace.
She had built the house nearly forty
years ago, living there until the time
she rented the place to Choate. This
spring a man named Fred Kerlee, dis
covering that the house was a quarter
of a mile away from the Howard land,
filed desert entry upon the land on
which the house stood. Choate gave
him possession and moved away, TAX
ing with him an addition he had built
to the house after renting it. The
Howards owned all the water in the
neighborhood, and as they would give
none to Kerlee, about two months ago
he moved out. Monday morning, Mr..
and Mrs. Wallace, Lester Howard and
a little sister named Jenny came back
to occupy the house.
According to the testimony brought
out at the inquest, on Tuesday morn
ing, at about 0 0 clock, while Lester
Howard and William Wallace were
setting up tove in the front room,
Jenny called out that Sabe Choate was
coming. AS they looked out the
window they saw him take rifle out
of the jockey box of a wagon drawn
by six-horse team and start towards
the house, some 45 feet away, taking
the gun out of its scabbard, which he
threw down in the road. As Choate
was about to enter the open front door
Lester Howard stepped into the ad-
joining bedroom and secured his rifle,
calling on Choate to stop. The latter
walked to the bedroom door, when he
was again commanded by Howard to
stop. Not needing the command,
Choate stood in the bedroom door and
threw his rifle, 25-35, down on How
ard, who fred, the bullet passing
through Choate's left hand and enter
ing his body on the left side at and
breaking the fourth rib. He was evi-
IDENTIFY having trouble with his trig
ger guard and bent down on his right
knee and endeavored to throw a shell
into the barrel, but the lever would
not work, and he was shot again by
Howard. This time the bullet entered
the right breast, passing through the
top of the heart, and he rolled over
dead.
Ed Choate and Ike Choate, of Kings
river, respectively father and uncle of
the dead man, arrived at the Howard
house yesterday afternoon, at the
close of the inquest, when they accom-
panied the body to DEMO, where the
funeral will be held. The remains
were taken in wagon by G. w. Youn-
kin, brother-in-law of Lester How
ard, while the two relatives rode on
their horses.