Yerington times. [volume] (Yerington, Nev.) 1907-1932, 1914-05-30
INDIAN MURDER TRIAL IS
LARGELY ATTENDED.
Murderer Pleads Guilty and is Sen
fenced to Pen for Life.


lived in Gold Canyon between Silver
City and Dayton, attracted consid
cradle attention in the District Court
this week from all parts of the State
The court room was crowded most
of the time and about half the audi
ence were women. The high-school
was we'll represented. By the side of
the prisoner sat his eart-broken
mother, who continually murmured,
my poor little boy" During the trial
the prisoner sat very quiet and paid
close attention to the proceedings.
The boy is but sixteen years of age,
has a pleasant appearance and does
not look to be the desperate character
his crime indicates him to be. He has
secured a fair education at the Carson
Indian school. From the testimony
given by NJ. J. King it was learned
that Matthias had lived about a quarter
of mile above the King residence.
The King family did not see any
smoke coming from the Matthias cabin
for couple OF days and Mr. King
went up to see what was the trouble.
arriving there he saw a pool of blood
Just outside of the cabin door. Enter
ing he saw blood spots in different
parts of the room In the back room
he found Matthias sitting on an old
bunk. He spoke to him but received
no intelligent reply, he having been SO
severely beaten about the head that
he could scarcely talk. Deputy Sheriff
Thompson testified to following the
Indian boys tracks to the Carson In
dian school The boy made the state
ment to Thompson that he had gone
to Joe's cabin and asked for some
thing to eat Matthias had given him
some crackers and told him to wait
awhile and he would give him some
supper The boy went outside and
sat down to eat the crackers. Matthias
came out and stood in front of the
Indian, looking down the canyon. The
boy picked up bar OF iron lying close
by and struck Matthias on the head
with the bar, knocking him down. He
then beat him brutally about the head
and then left for the Carson Indian
school.
Several witnesses were examined.
all telling about the same story,
The pleas made by Warren Hauser
for the defendant and Attorney Will
lis for the State were listened to with
close attention. The District Attor-
ney, in accepting the plea OF murder
in the second degree, showed humane
ness and a realization of his respon
sibility Judge Langan, in passing
sentence, was visibly affected and
showed plainly that he was perform
ing a very unpleasant duty. Attorney
Hauser was the first TO address the
Court and he did as follows:
After introducing evidence showing the In
dian boy to be about II years OF age and in
/ debilitated physical condition caused ty
adenods, attorney Hauser made an eloquent
plea for his client. lie had made careful
investigation Of the facts in the case and the
history Of the boy and coming as nearly as
could be to his origin, environment and con
diton he, thought there was strong chance
to secure an acquttal, or at most, a convie-
tion for manslaaghter ne Geleyea; n,o ates
couple OF times and the Indian school, that
II would be to the best interests OF the boy to
plead guilty TO murder in the second degree
and receive such sentence the Court might
see FIT to impose. further stating that he had
taken particul ar pains and he thought sue
cessfully, to thoroughly acquaint the boy with
The position in which he stood, and that the
boy thoroughly understanding the extreme
punishment that could be meted out to him,
III hy n pig Il aCuut-
ted. was ready and willing to plead as he had
Mr.. Hauser paid a high compliment to the
District Attorney for his fairness in the case
during the hearing.
District Attorney Willis addressed
the Court in an earnest and conscien-
tious manner, speaking as follows:
While ] appreciate the eloquent appeal for
leniency interposed by defendant counsel,
such as to- constitute wful and deliberate
murder and the only reason why. ever con
sented to the acceptance OF plea OF guilty
was because of the extreme youth of the de-
fendant | feel that all concessions have been
made that ii would be right to make, keep
ing in view the effect of such consessiaus on
the minds of the white people as well as the
Indians throughout the State. ask the
Court for the extreme penalty under inc pea
of guilty to murder in the second degree.
Judge Langan, in passing sentence,
said:
Stand up, Oscar: defendant arises) oscar,
a very sad and solemn duty rests upon me
tonight l can assure you my boy, that that
duty is a very unpleasant one to ne. You
stand before me now. | may say, mere
cn,ld | have known you, Oscar, 'or some
little time myself, personally. | know your
little brother and | have known your mother
In and about Dayton. and it gricves me sortly
that / have to send you to the pententiary
at Carson City, Nevada You know, Oscar,
! advised you to be good boy.
Defendenat; Yes
Won will recall / met the tram one
day going to Virginia City in the custody oi
an officer. and | shok hands with vfn,, ana
You knew me, and knew why you we're being
taken to Virginia City, didn't you!
Defendant Yes.
And / was shocked beyond measure when
I heard YOU went down to that canyon and
killed poor old Joe Matthias; l have been
out here several days. and have resolved
in nv own mind time and again, what l
should do in the matter of determining the
punishment to, nflict upon you for the crime