White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-26
(Bs II. +. MII.I.E.R.)
PART NINETEEN

Anlle Tile WT1ieT LOT years was
personally acquainted with every
nan in Osceola and Is convinced that
no town could boast a better or more
iawalidins class of citizens. still the
camp was stigmatized by one of the
worst crimes committed in White
pine county. This was the murder
of r. & O'Neil. whose slayers were
never caught However. in justice TO
the residents of Osceola, 1t must he
said that the band of murderers who
killed o Nell were always believed to
have come from outside of the town
and suspicion was never directed
against any resident of the camp.
In the summer of 1888 officers ar
rested Mr.. o'Neil and his two sons,
Dick. aged about 16, and Billy, about
Ia, on "A charge of shooting Manton
Bassett in the arm The three were
brought from the OfNeil ranch in
Rpspring valley TO Oseeola and arraign-
I'd before Justice farnham. who
hound them over 10 await action by
fbe grand jury at Hamilton. The
father and the two boys were dis
armed and lodged in little board
shack used for jail. During tho
night a crowd of unknown masked
men broke into the jail and shot Mr..
ONeil To death. The two boys es-
capped in the excitement. though Dick
was shot through the shoulder. After
the murder the crowd disappeared
and the two boys hid out I'm the brush
all night and the following morning
were found and cared for by the
good people of Oseeola. Later az
Hamilton the boys swore that they
recognized among the mob Pat Flan-
nigan, one of their neighbors In
Spring valley. claiming that his mask
had fallen during the melee. Flan-
nigan. however. was able TO prove an
alibi
At the time OF the murder IL was
rumored that bad blood existed be
tween Mr. O'Neil and the other set
tiers in the valley. and while Mr.
Iiassett. a neighbor of the O'Neils.
was riding on TIE range he was shot
from ambush, receiving slight
wound in the arm. Mr. Bassett es-
capped and made his way home. later
circulating report that he had been
shot by one OF the o Nell boys. Dur.
ing the trial Rassett testified that he
saw one of the boys eighteen or TWEEN
ty feet from him at the time he was
shot aud recognized him on account
of the wav he was dressed. but on
.cross-examination he admitted that
OF the O'Neil boys and the lads were
promptly acquitted
IL was also reported AT the time
that Bassett had trouble over wages
with Mormon boy and that II was
this lad who shot him. This report
was generally credited from the fact
that IL was said Mr.. O'Neil taught his
children how 10 shoot from early
childhood. and that any child OF his
at 10 years OF age could score a
hullseye with rifle at forty Yards
The real basis for the enmity toward
the O'Neils seemed TO be that their
herds grew more rapidly than those
of their neighbors. Mr.. O'Neil had
previously been arrested for brand
Ing calves under age. but acted as
his own attorney in court and was
acquitted. Bad blood existed from
the time OF this trial, and IL was gen
orally believed that enemies OF the
ONeil family had decided TO wine IL
out and used the Bassett shooting as
an excuse Not knowing any OF the
particulars. the writer gives the YER
sion as IL was told To him.
AT the time OF the trial of the
u Nell hoys, with whom he was well
acquainted. the writer was called TO
Hamilton ON business and there wit.
messed one of the most heartrendine
scenes of his life. Shortly after reach
ing the codnty seat he saw Mrs
oNeil. the widow. dressed in mourn.
ing, sitting ON the sidewalk with her
httie ones crowded around her and
sonoing IA II heartbroken Recog-
hizing the writer. she immediately
related her troubles. saying that their
vehemies had murdered her husband
port she had. and were then pre.
pairing TO put her property I'm the
hands OF the public administrator
because she could not furnish the re-
luired bond to administer the estate.
She declared that all of Spring val.
ley was In Hamilton TO clear Flanni-
gan OF the charge of numbering her
husband and using their entire in
huence to force their 400 head OF
cattle and 60 head of horses into
the hands of her enemies, and she
said that IL could aid her in this.
the hardest trial of her life she
prayed that | would do so. She said
she still lacked $4,000 of the re-
CURED bond before the court would
allow her 10 administer the estate.
l told her to give me the bond and
to go to the hotel and | would see
what could do. | first went to Bliss
Hayes, who was running a laundry
and who was at the same time buy
ing and handling the greater part OF
the script issued by White Pine coun-
ty Mr.. Hayes said that he had
Just been rejected as a bondsman for
sz,oVo on this same bond, but after
Taking over the matter with him
learned that he could draw on the
Hibernian bank OF San Francisco for
$1,000 and this no agreed to do. The
writer. who had been hard hit by the
Cherry Creek crash. strained q point
and signed for $4,000. Hayes and
then went to Sam Liddle, county
treasurer. and put the matter up to
him. Sam, after looking at the mat
Ter from all political angles. at first
hesitated, but when Hayes and l re.
minded him Of the heavy Irish vote