Elko independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1915-current, 1915-11-18
MUCH INTEREST TAKEN
IN MURDER CASE

There has not been murder case
in Elko county in years In which so
much interest was taken as in the case
OF Harland Sullivan, indicted as w.
Woods. now on trial for the killing
OF Ollie Bates at Goose Greek The
case is made interesting because of
the peculiar conditions surrounding II.
The defendant once having offered to
change his plea to guilty. Judge
: Ducker refused TO accept the change
OF plea because the defendant had no
counsel at the time, and such a plea
might have brought about the death
penalty. .,r..
. The court then appointed Attorney
Joseph Mcnamara 10 defend Sullivan.
and Attorney Van Fleet was later
made assistant counsel for the de-
Tense. The taking of evidence be-
gan yesterday morning and all day
there was large crowd of specta-
tors in the court room.
Oscar Bates the 12-year-old son of
the deceased, was the first witness.
The defense objected TO his testifying
on the ground of his age. The state
then asked that he be examined BY
Judge Breen to test his qualification.
oscar answered the questions prompt
ly and intelligently. but on being
questioned by the defense admitted
that he had gone over the questions
i'm the district attorneys Office. Judge
Breen ruled that the boy was compe-
tent to testify in the case.
He testified that his present home
was in Boise City, Idaho, where he
was going TO school. That he was
AT his fathers place In northeastern
Elko county the night his father was
killed. He went to bed shortly after
= O'Clock that evening. His bed was
under a juniper tree near his faith.
er's saloon. That short time after
going To bed he heard somebody
whistle near the saloon He after
ward heard voices and got up and
went To the saloon, where he found
his father and Dick Curtiss., His
father was behind the bar and Cur
uss stood in front of il. His father
stood near the south end of the bar
and Curtiss a few feet north of him.
He stood a few feet in front of the
bar He heard shot and on looking
around saw stream of fire coming
tnTDnUn rhn hn
his father in the face and he fell be-
hind the bar. He did not see who
nred the shot. His step-mother and
sister were the first ones in the saloon
after the shot. The defendant came
next. Woods was wearing n black hat
and light colored corduroy pants. A
number of people came shortly after
wards.
Mrs. Bates was the next witness.
She testified that on the night OF the
shooting she and Mr.. Bates went to
bed on the north side of the house
They retired between 8 and O'clock
After being in bed about half an hour
she heard somebody whistle near the
southeast corner of the house Some
one called to Mr.. Bates and he got
up and went into the saloon. She
got up few minutes afterwards and
went into the residence part of the
house TO dress. While there she went
TO peep hole in the partition between
the saloon and residence part of the
building and looked through. She
saw her husband behind the bar and
Dick Curtiss and Oscar Bates in front
of il. She then went where her step.
daughter slept and picked up a paper
and began to read 1t. Shortly after
she heard the shot and ran to the
peep hole to see what il was. She
could see nothing on account of the
powder smoke, but looked again and
saw her husband lying behind the
bar and Dick Curtiss and Oscar Bates
in front of 1t. She then ran around
the saloon and entered 1t by door
In the east side. Her step.daughter
followed closely. She found her hus-
band lying behind the bar with his
i'ou w 'hN luIt was NON-
cred wit blood. She raised his head
in her arms. kissed him and spoke to
him. but he did not answer. He died
almost instantly. His upper lip was
badly cut, both eyes were shot out
and both cheeks were torn by the
shot. His face was q mass of blood.
She asked Curtiss to go for help. The
defendants came shortly after she went
into the saloon. He wore black
hat and light colored corduroy pants
and carried pistol. Several people
came to the saloon after the shooting
and in their presence she searched
Mr.. Bates pockets and took out $345
in money She gave SITS of this to
her stop.daughter and 1925 was used
in paying the funeral expenses. About
IL o'clock that night she asked the de-
feDdant TO go to the Grande ranch
and telephone to Montello for the Of
ficers. He went and returned about
IL o'clock the next forenoon. II is
Ii miles 10 the ranch from the sa-
loon. ...
Leila a. Bates. daughter OF the de-
.