John Holmes

HUMBOLDT COUNTY’S HISTORICAL LEGACY

By J.P. Marden

The Murder of Deputy Sheriff Holmes at National

Law enforcement has been and remains a dangerous way to make a living in Humboldt County there have been several law enforcement officers who have died violently in the line of duty. This is the story of one such case which occurred in 1910 in the boom town of National.

National was the last of the great boom camps that sprang up in Humboldt County and contained some of the richest ore ever found in the county. Because of its boomtown status and the rapid influx of people, law enforcement was at a minimum.

Deputy Sheriff John Holmes was the only law enforcement in the camp. On the night of August 27, 1910, Holmes was making his rounds through the business section of town when he spotted Riley Wooten in front of the National Hotel with a rifle in his hands. While attempting to disarm Wooten, the rifle discharged, the bullet striking Holmes in the left side and penetrating his stomach. After falling he fired at Wooten but both shots went wild.

Early the following morning Sheriff Lamb was called in Winnemucca. He left immediately for National in Smith’s automobile, accompanied by District Attorney Ducker. Upon his arrival in National he arrested Wooten, who had not yet been arrested. Sheriff Lamb immediately left for Winnemucca with his prisoner as there was talk in National of lynching the accused for what appears to be a senseless and cold-blooded murder.

More evidence was gathered at the scene of the crime by District Attorney Ducker. The rifle used in the murder of Deputy Holmes belonged to Guy Bishop who was with Wooten when he shot the Deputy. Bishop’s story differed from the other witnesses. He said that Holmes had fired at Wooten twice before Wooten shot him…

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