Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1914-01-23
SHOT TO KILL
w. H. Cotant Shot and Kill
ed Charles WilIisar at Hal
leck This Morning

old residents of this county, shot
and instantly killed Chas. Willisar.
The particulars Of the affair as
We got them from Deputy Sheriff
George Cotant, son of w. H. Cotant,
are as follows:
W. H. Cotant is foreman of the
Mclntrye ranch near Halleck and
has several men working under
him. While Mr.. Cotant was away
looking after cattle Mr.. McIntyre
hired Willisar and when he left Hal
leck he kept the man as a roust-
about around the place. This
morning Mr.. Cotant told Willisar
to do something and he refused. CO.
tant then told the tine keeper to
discharge him. This made Willisar
angry. MIR. Cotant then went to
the hotel barn to get his horse.
Willisar was waiting for him with
a pitch fork in his hand. AS Cotant
got on his horse, Willisar struck ut
him with tines of the fork. Cotant
lodged and received the blow on
his left shoulder. Willisar then said
you "old S. D. B." I'll kill YOU
and made a lunge to jab Cotant
with the tines of the fork. When
;C0tant saw the tines coming toward
his face and close to him, he pull
ed his revolver and shot, killing
Willisar instantly. Cotant then
went to the telegraph office and
wired Sheriff Harris. He then
caught a freight train and came 10
Elko and gave himself up.
Sheriff Harris and Corner Castle
left for Halleck on the first freight
train. A coroners' jury was SUM-
moned and an inquest held. the YER
dict being that Willisar came to his
death from gunshot wound inflicted
by a revolver in the hands Of W.
II. Cotant. We learn from Sheriff
Harris that three of the jurors
wanted to exonerate Mr.. Cotant
and the other three could not see
their way clear to GO that far.
Sheriff Harris and Coroner Cas-
tie returned from Halleck on No. 3
this afternoon with W%illisar's re-
mains. They were accompanied by
Mr. Cotant, and Jailer McMullen
no left for Halleck about noon.
From Sheriff Harris we learn
that Mr.. Cotant was not on his
horse when he fired the shot. He
and another man had started for
the ranch and overlook Wllisar in
the road near the river bridge.
When they Came up to him Willisar
struck Cotant with a foyk he was
carrying. Cotant and the other
man rode back 10 the barn and Gu
tant turned his horse in the barn
and then went to the telegraph
office and requested the operator to
wire Sheriff Harris to come after
Willisar. He then went to the
store and asked the clerk for a re-
r~olver, saying that he did not want
to use it, but he might have to de-
fend himself. He then went to the
barn for his horse. Willisar was
in the barn and as Cotant was pass
ing through to get his horse, he
made u lunge ut Cotant With the
fork. Cotant told him to stop,
but he paid no attention to it. Co.
tant then pulled his revolver and
shot. The bullet entered hear the
heart and Willisar rceled and fell
dead.
Willisar was about As years Of
age. he was not a quarrelsome
man but was said to be consider.
ably off his base.
Mr.. Cotant's shoulder panied
him a good deal this forenoon and
he had it examined by DR.. Hood.
The Dr.. was unable to tell the ex.
tent Of the injury at that time and
will put the X-ray on the shoulder
tonight.
No complaint had been made
against Mr.. Cotant at a late hour
this afternoon. As District Attor.
neS Carville had not returned from
Halleck when we went to press we
were unable to learn whether OF
not he intends to file q complaint
~-e~@~-e-..
The Storey county commissioners
are after the Virginia City officers
for permitting minors ia visit an