White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1921-06-09
(By u. r. MlI,I.ER.)
PART SEVENTEEN

its output. In fact, the writer can
not recall any other important dis
eovery in the district The Pleiades
was discovered and located by Mat
Gleason and Jack Roach or Mineral
City and its discovery led to one OF
the earliest tragedies OF Ward. The
mine was located shortly after the
discovery of the Paymaster and gave
promise of great future When
Roach. in dispute over "a mine deal,
killed Gleason. Roach was tried for
the murder. convicted and given a
life sentence. but later was trans
ferreo to the insane asylum. where
he died shortly afterward.
Another OF Wards early-day TRACE
dies. and one which divided the camp
ior a long time, was the killing OF
Nelson Houston. town officer. by Tim
Finnigan In a dance hall. Just prior
TO the murder Finnigan's gun had
fallen from his pocket and was dis
charged. causing Shoofiy. Minnie Gil
more. Big Mouth Anna and other
aenizens Of the underworld TO fee
into the street calling for Houston.
.'he town officer responded promptly
and when he reached the dance hall
found Finnigan. who had picked up
the gun. standing near the bar.
Houston. with his club in his hand.
managed 10 get letween Finnigan
and the bar and ordered the Irishman
cut of the place. f'innigan. refusing
10 surrender his gun and being afraid
to turn his back on the officer. was
hacking toward the door in slow
and stubborn way when Houston at
tempted 10 drive him faster by rails
ing his club in a threatening manner
innigan at once fired. killing Heus-
ton almost instantly.
Finnigan was taken To Hamilton
Tor trial and the writer was one OF
the jury 10 hear the care. the trial
lasting several days and attracting all
of the underworld of Ward as we'll a.
many OF the respectable citizens, the
spectators and witnesses being pretty
evenly divided for and against the
prisoner However. testimony of the
better class of citizens showed that
bad blood had existed between the
dead man and Finnigan for some
tine. Houston previously having
made threats against Finnegan's life
| IN he did not either quit drinking or
leave town. lust "A few days prior to
the killing Houston had told William
Bassett that IL he were called on to
arrest Finnigan he would either take
him into custody or Kill him Mr.
Bassett's testimony saved Finnigans
neck from the rope and he was given
a life sentence.
Another criminal ease which at.
tracted much attention in Ward :
early days was the Irial of a man
named Clifford for holding up the
Hamilton-Pioche stage. which passed
through Ward. in the cedars just be.
low the town. Clifford secured bar
of bullion In the holdup. but was
later captured. tried and convicted
and given a lone term in the peni
tentiary
Another attempted stage holdup
which ended disastrously for the ban.
dts occurred in 1871. when J. craw
ford and John Carlo both of whom
had been employed In the mines az
Ward and had borne good reputa.
lions. tried To rob ,he stage as In was
coming in about n mile below town
The Two men stepped out from the
brush whore they were hidden and
hred at the driver and Eugene Flair
the messenger Fortunately both
shots went wild and Blair NJ once re-
turned the fire. killing Carlo and
wounding Crawford. who made his
escape but was later captured and
sent To the penitentiary, where he
tiled few years later
The unproyoked murder OF a citi.
zen by the name OF Tighten led 10 the
only lynching. as far as the writer
knows. in White Pine county. This
happened In the fall OF 1876 when
Tighten had refused 10 loan money
10 tough named Donohue. who later
hid behind a wagon box and shot aud
killed his victim as Tighten was pass
hU
hody was found hanging from tree
lust below town This lynching had
salutary effect oR the toughs of the
town and thereafter their murders
were confined TO their own kind. and
TO these respectable citizens paid lit.
Tie attention
From these eases. however. the in.
Terence must not be drawn that the
1awlesS element formed any eonsid-
cradle part OF the population of
ward, as the camp boasted as clean
ana me lot OF citizens as any com.
munity in the state, and mention of
those who aided in the upbuilding of
the camp may not be nmiss. Among
these was Joseph s. carothers. who
was prominent during the entire life
OF the camp. having had charge of
the Ward mill- during all its opera
uohs Robert Briggs was anoth her 4
trusted employe of the Martin White
interests until the discovery of Tay-
LOT, when he left for that camp. W
n McGill was consulting engineer
and surveyor during the construction
and operation of all the Ward plants
and was also interested with A. d
Sampton In the teaming business,
hauling wood and coal to the mills
and ore from the mines.
Henry and Fred Hip were the first
merchants 10 oren up a store in Ward
III 1S75, and they were later ioinad
Dy their brother Sol Sam Roach and
DICK Fossett built the first livery sta
BILE and later Thomas O'Neill and
Dan Morris engaged in the same busi-
ness Mr.. Norris was one of the first
settlers In the county and operated
Tor years the Dan Morris stables at
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