Las Vegas Age, December 15, 2003, Clark County, Nevada  
Copyright © 2003 Gerry Perry <MissGerry@cox.net>

This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives.

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LAS VEGAS AGE
6/26/1915

MAN KILLED AT GOODSPRINGS

JOE. ARMSTRONG SHOOTS TO DEATH ONE PAUL COSKI

VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY EXONERATES ARMSTRONG....DEAD MAN SAID TO HAVE
BEEN DRINKING

    At an early hour this morning word came from Goodsprings that J. C.
ARMSTRONG had shot and killed a miner named Paul COSKI. Sheriff GAY, 
District Attorney HENDERSON and Coroner HARKINS left at five o'clock 
with M. M. RILEY in the automobile of the latter and went to the scene
of the tragedy.
    A coroner's jury was impanelled by Coroner HARKINS and a careful 
investigation of the killing resulted in a verdict of self defense, 
entirely exonerating ARMSTRONG.
    The shooting occurred at 1:30 this morning.  Paul COSKI, Tony 
DIETRICH, Roy BLOOD, F. J. SCHROEDER, Tom LOWE and ARMSTRONG were seated
in the Pioneer Saloon playing stud poker.  COSKI had the deal and was 
detected in crooked work with the cards.  All but LOWE drew out of the 
deal but the latter stayed.  ARMSTRONG called attention to the fact that
COSKI had dealt himself a card from the bottom of the deck. H. S. 
SMITH, the bartender, who had been looking on also said he had seen 
COSKI deal from the bottom.
    It was proposed that the matter be dropped and the pot divided 
between LOWE and COSKI.  This COSKI refused, becoming abusive and 
attempting to take the checks by force.  In this he was prevented by 
ARMSTRONG who pushed him back, saying that he would not have any crooked
work in the game.  CORSKI, who was a powerful man and an ex-prize 
fighter with a reputation locally as a bad man then started to climb 
over the table to get ARMSTRONG.  The latter drew a six shooter and 
struck COSKI over the head with it.  COSKI seized ARMSTRONG by the wrist 
and again attempted to get him.  ARMSTRONG fired, the shot passing 
through COSKI's hand and into his chest, but did not stop him. 
ARMSTRONG then fired again, when COSKI slid back off the table and sank
to the floor dead.
    After the inquest, COSKI's body was sewed up in some sheets and 
placed in a box which had been made for the purpose and buried. There 
being no minister there, Coroner HARKINS conducted a simple funeral 
service.
    COSKI bore a very bad reputation where he was known and had no 
friend to speak a good word for him.  He was known as a very 
quarelsome[sic] man and his body was covered with scars.
    Joe ARMSTRONG is a man very well known and universally liked, in 
this section.  He has been in the Goodsprings district for 15 years and 
has never before had serious trouble.  He is a man who is quiet, self 
posessed and gentlemanly on all occasions and the very last one would 
expect to find in a shooting affair.  He is over sixty years of age and 
for some years was with the army during the Indian wars as a scout. At 
the time of the Custer massacre ARMSTRONG was a scout attached to the 
command of General TERRY and was among the first to arrive at the scene 
of carnage two days after the terrible slaughter.