An Interview with Ron Donoho

UNLV University Libraries Ray Donoho

An Oral History Conducted by Craig Brenner

Ralph Roske Oral History Project on Early Las Vegas Special Collections and Archives Oral History Research Center University Libraries University of Nevada, Las Vegas

UNLV University Libraries Ray Donoho

The Oral History Research Center (OHRC) was formally established by the Board of Regents of the University of Nevada System in September 2003 as an entity of the UNLV University

Libraries’ Special Collections Division. The OHRC conducts oral interviews with individuals who are selected for their ability to provide first-hand observations on a variety of historical topics in Las Vegas and Southern Nevada.

The OHRC is also home to legacy oral history interviews conducted prior to its establishment including many conducted by UNLV History Professor Ralph Roske and his students. This legacy interview transcript received minimal editing, such as the elimination of fragments, false starts, and repetitions in order to enhance the reader's understanding of the material. All measures have been taken to preserve the style and language of the narrator. The interviewee/narrator was not involved in the editing process.

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Abstract

On February 28, 1978, Craig Brenner interviewed Ron Donoho (b. 1929 in Amboy, IL) about some historical aspects on the history of Southern Nevada law enforcement. The first portion of the interview involves a discussion of the history of sheriffs in the Clark County Sheriff’s Office and eventually the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department. Donoho mentions various sheriffs, including Charles Corkhill, who was sheriff when Clark County formed in 1909, as well as Sam Gay, Joe Keate, Gene Ward, Glen Jones, “Butch” Leypoldt, and then-sheriff Ralph

Lamb. Donoho spoke somewhat about the performance of some of these sheriffs as well as the political factors involved during their leadership. The latter part of the interview includes a list of fallen officers who were killed in the line of duty in Southern Nevada, dating back to Ernest

May’s death in 1933. Donoho, who researched much of the material of the interview, also spoke several times about his personal familiarity and acquaintance with some of the law enforcement officials mentioned.

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This is Craig Brenner, talking for History 117. I’m talking to Mr. Ron Donoho at 3600

Pama Lane on February 28, 1978, and we’re going to discuss some of the peace officers in

the State of Nevada, primarily Clark County. Ron, when did you first come to Las Vegas?

I come to Las Vegas in August of 1950 (unintelligible).

How did you get involved with trying to find out the history of the peace officers in the

State of Nevada?

Well, basically, I’ve always had an interest in firearms, especially Western-type firearms, and frontier lawmen. So, I guess, originally, what I did, I collected Colt single-actions, and in doing so, I become interested in the lawmen who might’ve used them, and along about 1960, I went to work out at Mercury, Nevada, and (unintelligible) become well-acquainted with the sheriff’s office in Nye County and actually was a deputy sheriff at Mercury for eight years. And I guess this is how I really got involved in it; I picked up several Nye County law badges and then become interested and would use them, and I just kind of boomeranged or worked into the—

Did you ever have any contact any of these peace officers?

Yes, I did. I’ve had contact with several now. Were you referring to Clark County or Nye County

(unintelligible) the Las Vegas area?

You can stay in Clark County.

Yes, so I knew one of the chiefs of police, Don (unintelligible), I know him very well. See, Don was chief of police in 1946, I believe; I’d look and make certain on that. He’s an old-time lawman from the area, originally worked in Los Angeles and claims he has several men, to his credit or discredit, as far as killing is concerned. I don’t believe there’s any of ‘em in Nevada, though. I believe everything is strictly in the Los Angeles area. Don is a host at the Desert Inn right now; he was chief of security out there when they opened in 1950, and I believe about

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1960, he retired of chief of security there and went into being a host. He still carries an active

commission in Clark County and goes armed all the time. And he is a very outspoken individual,

gruff—he’s one of the old-time lawmen in the area, diamond in the rough, so to speak.

Diehard.

Diehard. Just a little something that he mentioned to me one time, that the past twenty years

when he goes to get in his car, he always takes the gun out of his holster and puts it in his hand

and step into the car, and always had hopes that somebody would try to rob him. So, this will

give you an indication of what type of lawman you’re dealing with there—someone who doesn’t

take too kind to being accosted by anyone.

He would more or less dare you try something.

Yes, he was. He definitely would kill. Now, as far as the other old-time lawmen from the area

here, he was the only one I’m really acquainted with. Of course, I know John Moran really well

and Walter Earp, who’s on the local police department, but there aren’t the old-timers you’re

talking about.

Right.

Briefly on Walter, he’s the grandnephew of Wyatt Earp, if it’s any interest to you at all—

mentioned what he told me about the Earp family and law enforcement, and he said that most of

your Earps drifted into California after Arizona and settled in the Southern California area, San

Diego, San Bernardino. To make a long story short, he said in all the years he was with the

family, he never saw a badge or a gun.

Were any of the Earps ever in Nevada?

Yes, Wyatt Earp mined here in Nevada at Tonopah and up around Mina. Virgil Earp died at

Tonopah—I don’t know the exact year—but he did die in Tonopah. (Unintelligible)

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Was he buried here, or did they—?

No, Virgil Earp’s buried, I believe, in Medford, Oregon, and don’t ask me why Oregon—I have no idea.

That’s interesting to know that he died in Tonopah.

Yeah, died in Tonopah. Let’s see, Wyatt Earp is buried in the Jewish section of the cemetery in

San Francisco, and I can’t think of the cemetery offhand. But anyway, we do have an Earp on the local police department here, and he’s the grandnephew. And he has no wild tales to tell about law enforcement. He said it’s all, as far as he’s concerned, most of it is just—

He’s now working with Metro?

Yes, Walt is; he’s deputy chief. Walter Earp is the deputy chief of police here, and he is the head of the detective bureau.

Okay.

Well, now, as far as some of the old-timers, we go back here, if I can find my list on Clark

County, there haven’t been too many sheriffs in Clark County. In fact, there’s only one, two, three—actually, only seven, ‘cause Ralph Lamb has been in office since 1961, and we’re getting up near 1980 now, so that takes in a lot of time. We’re talking about a four-year term. Now, just for information, from the very beginning, the term of sheriff in the State of Nevada, since we became a state in 1864, was two years. And then in 1922, through legislative changes, why, they went to a four-year term. So—

These are all by appointments?

Yes, now, the original sheriffs in any county when Nevada became a state, they were all appointed for the first two-year term, and that was done by Territorial Governor Nye; he appointed them for the first two years. And then when the election came around, the people

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picked their sheriff. And as you look down through the years, you can see that the people’s

choice wasn’t always the governor’s choice.

Right.

So, when Clark County was formed in 1909—I wouldn’t swear to it for sure, but I’m quite certain the county commissioners appointed the sheriff here. That was Charles Corkhill, C-O-R-

K-H-I-L-L. He was the owner or the general manager of the Las Vegas Age newspaper, which

was the forerunner of the Review Journal. And in going over the records and talking to a number

of people who knew Corkhill, they claimed that this was a total farce; in order to becoming

sheriff, it was strictly a political-type thing that he knew absolutely nothing about law

enforcement, so he was only in—well, he was in eighteen months, that was almost a two-year term.

Was this more like a jumping stone for him, maybe, to a senator or governor in Nevada?

No, as far I know, he never went any further than that. And I (unintelligible) Corkhill after he was (unintelligible) sheriff. I do know that there is some of the family still living in Reno, but I haven’t been in contact with them. Then, after he went out of office in 1911, probably the most popular sheriff that the county’s ever had come into office: Sam Gay. And don’t let the last name fool you because definitely he was not. This man was about six-feet, six and weighed 260 pounds. He rarely ever carried a sidearm, and they say his hands were like average—like two hands of a—

(Unintelligible) a big man.

He was a man, and he rarely ever carried his sidearm. He was known to (unintelligible) in the booze a little bit, and he had a running battle with the county commissioners over the drinking.

However, he was one of the better lawmen of the time. He originally come into Las Vegas about

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1906, and through research, I find out that he was chief of police of San Diego at one time. Now,

I’m not sure just—

Before coming to Las Vegas?

Before Las Vegas. He came to Las Vegas from Goldfield. And then what year he was chief in

San Diego, I don’t really know, but he died, I think at the age of 72 in ’32, so he was born in

1860. So, in 1880 or 1890, along in there, he might’ve been chief of police in San Diego. But he was one of the better-like lawmen of the area. He owned an apartment building off of Second

Street called the Sam Gay Apartments, and after he died—he died in 1932 as I mentioned—I don’t know what happened to the apartments. He had numerous firearms and shotguns that he gathered over the years, and, but just like most of the other artifacts, most of these things have disappeared.

Was he allowed to, as chief, keep the hotel at the same time?

As sheriff—

Did he own it at the same time?

As far as I—I’m sure he did. It was an apartment building called the Sam Gay Apartments. Now, what year they went up in there, I don’t really know. So many of these things that I’ve picked up and mentioned were given to me by older people who, you ask ‘em, they can’t possibly give you a date.

Right.

They vividly see the apartment building standing; they can’t tell you when it was—

Right.

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Then, in 1911, Gay become sheriff; he served twenty years, or seven-and-a-half terms. Now, I don’t know just what happened, whether he died in office or not—I think he died in office.

That’s why he only served seven-and-half terms.

Seven-and-a-half?

Mm-hmm.

Didn’t finish the other half a year.

Right, but then in 1914, he became chief of police or city marshal of Las Vegas, and therefore, he held two offices at the same time. He was chief of police and sheriff; Sheriff of Clark County, and Chief of Police or City Marshal in the City of Las Vegas, which I think is a really unique situation. I don’t know if that occurs or had occurred in any other place in the country or not. It’s rather unusual to have that occur. Now if I can find—

(Unintelligible)

Yes, it is. What I wanted to mention was, well, as I mentioned Sam Gay being a city marshal in

1914, we’ll go into the city a little bit. It was probably 1912, I believe, is when it was incorporated, and first city marshal was C.M. Mitchell, and he was appointed 6/20/1911 as city marshal, so it must’ve been 1911 when we become a city here.

Right.

A hundred and twenty-five dollars a month was his pay, and he was in office, I guess, three years, and then Sam Gay took over in 1914. So, again, Gay had the distinction of owning two offices at one time.

At the same time.

At the same time, right. I don’t think any other lawman has that distinction in the state

(unintelligible). But anyway, he was well-liked, especially his methods. Now, as I mentioned, he

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originally hit here about 1906 and worked as a night watchman Downtown in the red light

district. And he was well-liked by all the (unintelligible) and had very little trouble with the law

enforcement (unintelligible). There were killings in the red light district, but he (unintelligible).

There were several night watchmen killed in the Downtown area in the early years, but at this

point, I haven’t been able to really get a name—the newspaper articles I see, it says “Night

Watchman Killed,” and doesn’t tell who he was, just “Night Watchman Killed,” and it doesn’t

say who. So, at this time, I’ve exhausted about all sources of the Las Vegas Age, which is, again,

the forerunner of the Journal.

Do you have any idea how many men would be under him at this time, how big the

department would be?

Actually, in the early years—and this is something that you mentioned—I think, probably Sam

Gay was all by himself. This is hard for people to understand when we’re talking about a

sheriff’s office; at this point, I haven’t been able to find where he had any full-time deputies.

Now, this is something that, in the early years of Nevada, as other Western states, the sheriffs, many of ‘em, did not have a force of deputy sheriffs as the movies depict it. They were all by themselves, and then if they needed a man, they would (unintelligible) in. Well, this is where I

(unintelligible) badge collecting (unintelligible). There’s hundreds of badges around, and watching Western movies, there’s always people with a badge, so they figured, well, there’s all kinds of badges, but the sheriff was, in most cases, the only man, the law enforcement man in the county in early years. And this held pretty much true up until 1900 in Western counties.

(Unintelligible)

He was the lone man and the lone law enforcement—you might have someone who’s a special deputy, who you can call upon, or he might have a resident or swear in a posse, but as far as a

UNLV University Libraries Ray Donoho full force of deputies, I’ll think you’ll find in most cases, especially in Nevada, up until around

1900, they were—

By themselves.

They were by themselves.

Well, since they had the whole county, did they do a lot of traveling?

Yes, they did a great deal of traveling. Gay used a buckboard and a horse. Of course, his main

(unintelligible) was the Las Vegas area, and you go back in 1906, why, he did—he did have a deputy at Searchlight, like, I don’t know the deputy’s name. Searchlight was trying to hedge Las

Vegas out county/city. So, he have a deputy down there, and (unintelligible) there was no safe law enforcement in Searchlight. I’ve seen city marshals badges from Searchlight, but there never was; it was strictly phonies that I’ve seen. ‘Cause I’ve actually gone to Searchlight and talked to people who were there at the beginning.

(Unintelligible)

There was never city marshals—all county enforcement. So, I knew we’re skipping around here quite a bit, but—

That’s all right. But Gay was well-liked by all the (unintelligible) people in the town.

Yes, he was a little better-liked lawman, and I guess it must’ve been his size and hardly ever carrying a firearm. Then after Sam Gay, Joe Keate came into office. He moved in and was appointed to the sheriff’s office and was elected in—served six years or about two-and-a-half terms. Joe got—he went in 1031 and served up until 1936. Joe got involved, I believe, in narcotics and a very hotheaded individual. Now, as far as the narcotics, I can’t put a name on that because, when talking to his nephew, his nephew wouldn’t ever give out any information, and in trying to find the newspaper accounts of his removal from house, there’s no mention of

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narcotics. However, all those who were living here in those years say that he was involved in

narcotics, and he was always an addict of some type. The other thing that the news

(unintelligible) was the constable at Boulder City—he’s dead now—(unintelligible) Joe Keate,

you know, where Vo Tech is over here behind us.

Right, the school.

And he had his still right down in there—I understand there’s (unintelligible) down in there

(unintelligible) during Prohibition, and (unintelligible) and getting his five-gallon keg of whiskey

and he’d bury it out on the grounds of the Old Frontier Hotel, where the Frontier is now.

Right.

And he said he went back to find it and never could find where he buried it (unintelligible). Of

course, you can remember that’s fifty years ago, almost. But it goes to show (unintelligible).

Straight-laced.

What was the excuse that they listed in the paper as far as (unintelligible)?

His (unintelligible) whatever the word for that is—you don’t perform in the office properly or

something like that.

Malfeasance of an office.

Whatever the term is.

That’s what they would call it.

Yeah.

He wasn’t doing his job.

He wasn’t doing his job properly. But he was a very hotheaded individual; he got into many

verbal and combatant—Hawkins, George Hawkins is an old (unintelligible) Mormon, too—most of these people were—and they almost had a gunfight one time. They got into a spat and

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(unintelligible). I’m just naming these things off the top of (unintelligible) I’ve read and talked to

people who eventually told me, but he was a very hotheaded individual, and I imagine it’s

probably gotten him into trouble (unintelligible). And when he went out—he died in 1948, he

was about sixty years old, he’s buried down there in the cemetery in North Las Vegas

(unintelligible).

(Unintelligible)

But he, as a lawman, I don’t think he was an outstanding man, by any means. He was involved in

numerous (unintelligible) things around here. He (unintelligible) drove a (unintelligible) past

Nellis Air Force Base to go atop of the hill and make a turn, I used to look out in the desert, and off the right hand side, there’s a windmill out there in the desert, and I think he built that at about

1916, somewhere, he was in the plumbing or (unintelligible). He wasn’t really too outstanding of a man. Gene Ward followed him. He was a well-liked individual; I don’t think he was particularly outstanding. Most of the time, when someone asks you about the lawmen in Nevada, they expect you to come up with all kinds of Gunsmoke stories.

While you mention that, was there very many gunfights by these individuals?

No, as far as I’ve been able to ascertain on any of our sheriffs, they haven’t personally been involved in a gunfight, unless it might be coming up on a place where they have someone

(unintelligible) in a house or something, but they themselves were not involved in any combat at any time. You know, you’d think that the new era around here—a new area coming in here, Las

Vegas is relatively new, what is it, seventy years old now?

Well at this time, wouldn’t there be any mining going around this area, too?

Right, there was a great deal of mining, especially in the Searchlight area. But they didn’t seem to have too much of a problem, for some reason. If you go back further than that, now, back into

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the 1860s, the town of Nelson and Eldorado, they had a considerable amount of problem there.

But, remember, at that time, it was Lincoln County, and Las Vegas didn’t exist, nor did

Searchlight, at that time. So, back in 1860s, we’re talking about territorial days at that time. But

as far as actually being a Gunsmoke-type village, I don’t think Las Vegas ever was.

So, actually, there was never this walking-down-the-street one-on-one?

No, no one-on-one here. It was all (unintelligible). Anything we have here is mostly figment of the imagination. I’ve seen law badges—some (unintelligible) recently, one of ‘em said Las

Vegas, Nevada territory—Las Vegas didn’t exist during the Nevada territorial days, so that should give you a clue right there.

It’s not real.

No, not (unintelligible). But Gene Ward, he followed Joe Keate, and Ward was a grocer for the grocery store and meat market Downtown. I think the only thing, perhaps, that Ward was involved in was in the discovery of the Indian (unintelligible). He was an Indian outlaw in this area; they found his body in a cave down along the Colorado River. He had been involved in numerous killings in the Searchlight area. I guess they’d been looking for him about forty years, and I think Ward is the one who discovered the body (unintelligible) down there.

You just mentioned (unintelligible) interesting; none of these people had any police background.

That’s right.

As today, they want you to work up in the department or some kind of background from another department.

In the State of Oregon—I don’t know how it is elsewhere—but the State of Oregon requires a degree now, I think, at least two years of college to become a deputy sheriff—

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Get on the force.

Get on their force (unintelligible). So, it is interesting to see that, perhaps, the only one so far we’ve talked about has had any law enforcement background is probably Sam Gay.

(Unintelligible) Then, the interesting thing is, after we get through with Gene Ward, probably the most infamous or famous sheriff we’ve ever had in years, been Glen Jones—he might be

infamous or famous, whichever way you want to go. Glen was a storekeeper himself; he also was

a storekeeper and worked as part-time city policeman in addition. And he was elected—when I

come to Las Vegas in 1950, well, he was right in his heights—he (unintelligible) since ’43, and

of course, he got—I don’t know if you remember the book called The Green Felt Jungle—that’s where he got (unintelligible) houses of prostitution out here: Four Mile—overseeing favors from all of the hotel owners, and he passed out commissions like they were ten cents a dozen. He just had all kinds of deputies. He had all the deputies and security people in the hotels were deputy sheriffs.

So he had a man on the take, or giving out the commissions for favors?

Yes, that’s what they—The Green Felt Jungle by Hank Greenspun, I think? No—Ed Reid wrote the Green Felt Jungle, and he’ll go into great detail telling about Glen’s involvement—well,

(unintelligible) have to admit, things were pretty quiet here. But I guess they (unintelligible).

And (unintelligible) sheriff and local law enforcement (unintelligible). (Unintelligible) just strictly outside (unintelligible) during Jones’s administration. But he was a—I consider him a do- nothing sheriff; I know him quite well. He was always in the, I can’t say limelight—he was in

(unintelligible); he was always getting his pictures taken, and he was always—whoever coming to town, it was Roy Rogers or—

He was with ‘em.

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(Unintelligible) always together. (Unintelligible) constable, he was involved in all this. Then finally, he was on the take. But let me tell you about this, too, all about Glen Jones,

(unintelligible)—

How did the people accept him?

Well, I think the people accepted him great.

Eleven years.

He was in office a long time. But then The Green Felt Journal came out—

(Unintelligible)

The book came out, and then their attitude kinda changed, and he lost election. He’s been in the restaurant business since that time. He ran a catering business at the convention center for years, he run the Hilltop Nightclub up on (unintelligible) right by the airport there, just on the hilltop.

Now, I understand he’s running a restaurant out on the Salt Lake Highway. He’s about—he must be getting near (unintelligible), not really an old man yet. But he had a very colorful career as far as the birth of Las Vegas (unintelligible). He was involved in everything. He voted

(unintelligible) and a long time, he wearing two guns and all the usual.

He was around here when Vegas was really growing.

Yes. And actually that, right in his prime, when it was actually starting to grow. Of course, then I don’t think he, as far as I’ve talked to Glen a number of times, and as far as him and—he was never involved in any shootouts or anything like that. Now, when Butch Leypoldt has followed him along—oh, 1955, Butch came in as an elected—he only served six years. He resigned, and I can’t remember why he resigned. He resigned in 1961, and I think he was going into the gaming commission, I believe. I think that’s what he did, he went into the gaming commission.

Has the gaming commission been around quite a while?

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Yes, as far as I know, it’s been around since—I think gambling was legal in 1932. Somebody

would have to (unintelligible) on that, it’s either ’32 or ’34.

And they’ve been here ever since?

Yes, in some form, they’ve been here. And they are extremely strong; they can close a place

down or, you know, they see any infractions of the law, which they (unintelligible) kid standing

there with the slot machines, they’ll close it down.

Close it down.

So, the infractions are easy—and they’re a very powerful group, and most of the time, the—

who’s on the commission, the deputies, you might know the (unintelligible).

(Unintelligible)

You walk in, sit down—

(Unintelligible)

(Unintelligible) could be playing cards, he could be on the gaming commission, see something

going on, either fire ‘em or pull their license or, you know.

The gaming commission deputies, are they certified as peace officers?

I wished I could tell you. I don’t really know. I know they’re armed.

They have to be commissioned by somebody.

Probably the state, state commission.

The governor.

(Unintelligible) if they’re armed and have arrest powers.

Yes, they have powers of arrest, but powers of arrest only on certain individuals (unintelligible).

It would have to be something involving the gambling.

Right.

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But that’s a different thing, totally, getting into the gaming commission, and I don’t want to give

false information on it. Leypoldt—he was a nice guy. He kinda got the sheriff’s department lined

up, at least I think he did. Glen Jones—most of his deputies were the cowboy-type, and there’s nothing wrong with that—they all wore gambler’s stripes, pants and boots, hats. Most of ‘em wore a white gun belt, not necessarily tied town around their ankles, but little white gun belts. I have pictures of ‘em here someplace. And they were striking individuals; they really were.

There’s no doubt in your mind, you’d say, “There’s one of the Clark County deputies over there,” you can see him walking down the street—you knew who the hell he was.

You knew who he was.

Right, but then when he started his new aero suit, they stopped making arrests, they started

(unintelligible) you know what from the individual. Gunsmoke, (unintelligible) all this kind of stuff. So, when Leypoldt come in, why, he started putting an end to the regular type uniforms and (unintelligible) and did away with the—

With the cowboy—

The Old West-type law enforcement, at least the look of the Old West went out with Leypoldt.

Leypoldt is a nice guy; I think he’s still in the gambling commission, either that or he’s the chief of security at Caesars Palace—I’m not sure which. He sold cars; he was a car salesman, I believe, for (unintelligible) Lincoln-Mercury, or that would be Bill (unintelligible). I’m pretty sure he sold cars; he’s a car salesman. (Unintelligible) Then, when Leypoldt resigned, why, of course, Ralph Lamb was in there—I don’t know if he was undersheriff or just what it was—

Ralph is, likened to Las Vegas, Ralph was a very young man as I was, and he was a security guard at the Desert Inn Hotel.

In 1950?

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1950 or ’51, first time I ever seen him. And Bell brother Lloyd Bell and—can’t think of the other

Bell—Tom Bell were also security officers, and I think Tom Bell is a lawyer now and Lloyd Bell was (unintelligible) with the sheriff’s department, but I don’t know if he is now or not, but they moved up in their (unintelligible). Now, as far as Lamb is concerned, he’s (unintelligible), from a layman’s standpoint and watching him through my own eyes, and having been involved in the hotel business somewhat for (unintelligible) years, I wasn’t personally involved, but my ex-wife was—at the Desert Inn for eighteen years—and this is how I become like a (unintelligible) who I mentioned to you.

Mm-hmm.

And the Bells and the Lambs through the hotel, and keeping—watching these things transpire.

Lamb come in, and his voice has been I the limelight—very, you know, you never see him. The only time you ever see him is he get his picture taken with the Boy Scouts or—

You don’t hear very much—

[Recording cuts out, tape ends]

We’ll leave the Lambs for a moment. Something which I think is of interest about sheriffs in the

State of Nevada: they are more powerful than the government. When I’m saying that, they are their own particular area. They have more power, actually, than the government does throughout the state. Now, there’s only one person who can arrest the sheriff in the State of Nevada. Now, you gotta, maybe should qualify that. I mean, if the sheriff has actually committed a crime or something, well, that might be different. But the coroner is really the only people who can arrest the sheriff. You stop and maybe think, coroner, right? What would he—how, why would he arrest the sheriff, the coroner? Maybe there’s a body or something?

Mm-hmm.

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I don’t really know. But in this book I have by Effie Mack, who is an authority on Nevada, she

makes a statement in there, and as I remember, she went into—there’s something to do with the

(unintelligible) of bodies. But basically speaking, the coroner is the only one who can arrest the

sheriff in the State of Nevada.

That’s interesting.

So, I think that is an interesting bit of information there. But anyway, Mr. Lamb, I think, has

done a good job. He’s been in the limelight and has taken over consolidation—I don’t know

whether it’s working out well or not. Been talking to a number of the officers; some of ‘em are,

they don’t like it too well. Some of ‘em think it’s great. My own personal opinion, I prefer the

old sheriff/city police department myself, and why?—I don’t really know. I think maybe it was

more personalized then.

Is there any reason why they went to Metro, but they still call Mr. Lamb ‘sheriff’ instead of, say, chief of police? Is there any reason for him keeping that title?

Well, this is a tough one. I thought of this a number of times myself trying to answer that. He is the sheriff—the only reason I can figure he’d be called the sheriff is that he has the City of Las

Vegas plus all of the county; see, that would involve more than being just chief of police—would take in the whole county.

The county would be much larger than the city?

Right. Now, then he moved on down the line of chain of commands, and I have a drawing of that here, too, but I (unintelligible). It’s not supposed to be out either, but I have it anyway. It shows the chain of the commands through the department. Well, you go from Sheriff Lamb, you go to an undersheriff, who is John Moran, who’s an old-time lawman in Clark County, and a good one—I can’t say anything bad about John or Sheriff Lamb either (unintelligible). And then you

UNLV University Libraries Ray Donoho branch off into under—Moran’s undersheriff, and then you branch off into deputy chief, and as I remember there are four of them. And if I can find my drawing here, I can show you where they go from there. The one man I mentioned was Walter Earp—he is in charge of the detective department. There was some (unintelligible) something else here. Well anyway, the reign of

Sheriff Lamb with me, from my standpoint, looks like it’s gonna be indefinite. There are always a number who would like to replace him, but I don’t think there’s anybody who’s strong enough.

There is no set number of years that he can—?

No.

He can go on until he wants to quit.

Until the state legislative makes the change in that—

There’s no age limit, no—

As far as I know, there’s no age limit, there’s no limit all on this. Just an interesting thing

(unintelligible) Nye County for (unintelligible). We had the oldest acting sheriff in the United

States, was in Nye County here a few years ago, was Bill Thomas, who I know. He had been sheriff from 1916 till 1964, and he was eighty-five, eighty-six years old and was still an active—

Still active.

Yes. So, State of Nevada is real Old West. But here’s the breakdown of our instructional—now, I don’t know if this is still the same way it was. Now, let’s see, Doug Perkins—okay, the deputy chiefs now, we got a man by the—Captain Ray, he’s in charge of the Uniform and Field Service

Division. Walt Earps is Investigative Services—detectives—Hamilton is Detention Service

Division; Amos Elliot is Administratives; and Witte, W-I-T-T-E, is in Technical Services. And there are many other offshoots all through this. There’s many names in the department you’d recognize—well, Rex Bell, for example; that’s Rex Bell Jr. He’s the legal advisor in the Legal

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Bureau. Let’s see, Beverly Perkins, Selica (unintelligible), he was a United States Marshal here for many years in the State of Nevada, and I have known him for a good many years. He was also, when I first come to Nevada, he was a security officer at the Desert Inn hotel. So, this drawing on my hand here is—actually not supposed to be on the—I was given this to—

To show you how it works.

To complete my arrangement for the Metropolitan Police and get some idea of how it works. I think it’s rather interesting to see. The way it looks here with Metropolitan, they have more chiefs (unintelligible).

It looks like it.

Doesn’t it though?

Quite a number of men.

Quite a number of men there—all pencil pushers, the way it looks here. And it’s even branching out more now. They’re going into the jail service now; they’re hiring twenty more what they call correctional officers, which this—jailers—trying to get twenty more hired.

I think another interesting list is that the peace officers that’s been killed in the line of duty.

Yes.

In Clark County.

I have a list, which is up to date, to the point of (unintelligible) was killed.

Mr. Rogan.

Rogan—I don’t have him listed. Now, the peace officers that have been killed—find it, what I did with it here—in Clark County in Las Vegas, there hasn’t been too many of ‘em. Of course, if any of ‘em are killed at all, it’s too many, I guess. But actually the first one that was supposed to have been killed in the line of duty was Ernie May in 1933. Now, I used the term supposed to

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have been first—there were others who were killed in Downtown Las Vegas in the very early

years, about 1967 before the town was incorporated or become a city. And these fellas that were

killed there were considered night watchmen; they were considered policemen, and they were

town constables. And going through the newspapers, I hadn’t been able to find out who all these

people were. And the newspaper record’s the only thing I have to go on, on these early killings in

the Downtown area. I know there were a number of night watchmen killed in the red light

district—I’d say another two or three (unintelligible).

Before we get into this, I know the railroad had their guards taking care of the town; were

there any railroad detectives killed while on duty?

I can’t truthfully answer that. It seems to me that I do remember that one was in the Block 16,

which was the, again, red light district. It seems to me that there was one killed there. Now, I

can’t swear to that for certain. I can’t give you a name or anything like that, but it seems to me

that there was one, was killed in the line of duty here.

Can we say that, when the railroad came in, that was the first real law enforcement that

Las Vegas had?

Well, I—the first real law enforcement for the city or the village of Las Vegas would have—the

railroad probably had their own law enforcement, which would’ve been the railroad police. You

being a railroad policemen, you should know some of the (unintelligible), the bowls.

The bowls are still used today.

The (unintelligible). Remember them called the (unintelligible).

Yes, they used that, but it’s not—

Not too much anymore.

Not anymore; it’s (unintelligible) bowl.

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Bowl, yes. Okay, well, the bowls and the (unintelligible) were used in the early years, but May liked to keep the railroad personnel in line, keep ‘em out of the red light district.

Away from the booze.

Away from the booze, keep ‘em in good, clean (unintelligible).

Right.

(Unintelligible) the next day, I guess. But what I remember, Clark County—or, Las Vegas, at that time, though, was part of Lincoln County, and the county policing was done by the sheriff’s office, which is (unintelligible) Pioche. And there were a number of deputies stationed in this area, and I read in a newspaper account someplace that along the railroad track downtown there, some newspaper reporter came in from Los Angeles and said there was barbwire strung up along the railroad track. And it looked like the Old West with the deputy sheriffs lined up with their rifles and their guns along there—for what reason, they didn’t give the account.

Nobody (unintelligible).

It said that, above where the Union Plaza is now, along that area—that’s where the first sale took place down there. They had a tent down there, and they sold the land right from that area there.

But anyway, the first law enforcement of any consequence, I would say, would be the railroad police here. They were involved—they had an office along with the Lincoln Police Department here. From what little I’ve been able to gather, I would say they probably didn’t cooperate too well, just from what I’ve been able to pick up. Now as far as the lawmen killed in the line of duty, after the City of Las Vegas was incorporated in 1912—now I keep going to 1912, I’m sure it was 1912, it was incorporated—the first man killed in the line of duty was Ernie May. That was June 8th, 1933, and that was just down on—you tell a person’s age—what they called the streets, that was Fifth Street at that time, and that was Las Vegas Boulevard South. And that’d be

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along in there—anybody knows where Gaudin Ford is, if you went two block further south on

the right hand side of the street, this place called the Clark Motel. And he was called down there

and when he got down there, why, he stepped out of the car, and a man by the name of Clark was

shooting at him, and quite a gunfight entailed, and he killed Clark, but in doing so was mortally

wounded. And it’s quite a hotly contested shooting today, to get involved with anyone who’s

been here a number of years—May was probably not too well-liked. He was poorly educated from (unintelligible) Mormon family—not that that means anything—but they call come out of

St. George, Utah down there—and worked for the railroad originally. And then he got involved with the building of the dam, worked down there as a guard and as a special deputy. His brother was on the police force here, from 1916 on: Joe May. He worked with his brother. And Ernie was—well, from the picture, you can see that he was about half maniac just from looking at him.

He’d had an affair with (unintelligible), but he—just a little incident (unintelligible) Morris told me—I’m sure you’re familiar with North Las Vegas. When I first come here, you go out to

North Las Vegas to Nellis; well, that was a gravel street there. Well, about where the Silver

Nugget—what’s the other?

Silver Dollar?

Silver Nugget—well, I can’t think of it, Silver—

Slipper?

No, it’s in North Las Vegas. You go into North Las Vegas, there’s the Silver Nugget; as you got out of North Las Vegas, what’s that other, Silver what, that you go into North Las Vegas there?

It’s gotta be (unintelligible).

It’s the Nugget.

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Well, anyway, along in that area, that was all gravel in those years when I first come in here.

And (unintelligible) Morris said that he and Ernie May were riding out towards what would’ve been Nellis Air Force Base in a turning car, and it was going along a pretty good cliff, and a car came towards them, and another turning car, and for some reason, Ernie didn’t like him, and just stepped out on the running board and left the driving to (unintelligible) had him turn around, and he went back and show the tires out of the cars that went along this old dirt road out along, you know, into North Las Vegas. So this goes to show you that perhaps he wasn’t all, you know, what he should’ve been, that maybe he was a little problem there. But anyway, it’s a hotly contested killing. They think that he was set up. The chief of police was Boggs at that time; they think he was in on it. The family was going to kill Boggs over it, and this is something that has never really come out. But all these things I’ve picked up, not necessarily with (unintelligible) people have been involved in it. And a number of these people have died recently, too. So, anyway, I think Ernie May is the most noteworthy killing, of course (unintelligible) really. I have his badge, too, by the way. It’s number thirteen, that’s rather ironic.

Did you get that from the family?

No, I got it from John Moran. I tried to get one from the family, and (unintelligible) was able to do it, wouldn’t even talk to me about it. But this is when he was supposed to have been

(unintelligible) shot. So, when it was, I don’t know. Well, anyway, that was in 1933, and the next one is Wilbur McGee; I think he was shot down on Main Street, 1955 in the (unintelligible) hotel, I remember that quite well. He tried to (unintelligible) arrest a burglary suspect, just

(unintelligible) killed him when he come out the hotel room. And Robert Dula, he was one of the more prominent families—another Mormon family, too, I might add—his mother just died recently. Her name was Lake, Alice Lake. He was very well-liked (unintelligible)—super jock in

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high school, all the usual things that goes on. And I was working for Archie Grant—that’ll date

me a little bit at that time—and the Ford dealer there where the—that’s where the policemen had

their cars repaired; now they’re across from city hall. Some kids hit him when they were driving

a ’39 Chevrolet, and they ran over him, hit him, and killed him; and they had the streets blocked

off for several hours. Of course, they finally got ‘em, not too much problem. And it was really a

sad day because he was really well-liked in this area. And then of course, another eleven years

passed, and there was William Fortye. And quite a few people remember that. That was over on

Highland Avenue, going towards the Westside. There’s an animal hospital along in there—did a

routine traffic stop over there—and no one knows for sure what happened. It was a car, man and his wife, and somewhere along the way, why, Fortye wound up dead, and (unintelligible) by the name of Howard was convicted of the murder of him. And I’d say he just come up for parole here recently, and he didn’t get it, I might add, because there’s too much backlash, ‘cause too many people remembered the killing—it’s only been eleven years. One thing of interest on that, when Howard, the man who shot Fortye, had his thumb ripped off—the police dog tore his

thumb off, so it wasn’t all easy going for the killer who killed Fortye, ‘cause the police dog was

there (unintelligible) too. So how he got his gun and got him killed, I don’t really know. Another

one was Paul DeWeert, D-E-W-E-E-R-T. He was an old-time lawman in this area. He was killed

in 1967 on a routine traffic check. As I remember, that was up in North Las Vegas, and Civic

Center Drive, if I remember correctly. He stopped to check somebody out, and stepped out, and

the guy killed him with a rifle, dropped him right in the spot. So, what the reason for it was, I’ll never know. These have all been city law enforcement here, that I’ve mentioned so far. Then we drop into Clark County—now, as far as anybody ever having been killed or shot, as a deputy sheriff, I don’t have any record of hit. George Hart—I knew George well—he was on the police

UNLV University Libraries Ray Donoho department on the time I knew him. He was a big, burly individual, and not too well-liked,

‘cause most policemen weren’t, or aren’t. But anyway, he got involved in a fight in the jail and received a blow just below the heart, and something went wrong, and of course, he died from it.

Then, another deputy sheriff by the name of Eddie Johnson died a couple months after being beat up by some prisoners in the jail—stole his keys and escaped from the jail. I don’t remember the exact year—I have the middle 1950s—I think it was about 1957. I do remember it. And then

Eddie Mills, he was an older fella; he died as a result of a fall while on extradition. I don’t remember just what happened, but I think he fell down a flight of stairs or slipped and bumped his head or something. And he was, I would say, in his sixties (unintelligible). I remember it happening, but I don’t remember the exact year. And then a deputy was killed in the mid-

1940s—and I haven’t been able to find out who this was—while directing traffic immediately east of Twenty-Fifth and Fremont. Now, if you go down to Twenty-Fifth and Fremont, you’re going to be down in the approximate area of the old—well, at that time, it would’ve been the

Saddle Club or the Silver Dollars, or it might’ve been the Black Cat—I don’t remember. But anyway, he was directing traffic and was run over. And I don’t know who he was—I’ve asked

Glen Jones and he doesn’t know, doesn’t remember either—that’d have been his era. But as far—again, we’re sticking strictly with Clark County and Las Vegas. Nevada Highway Patrol, was Bob McGuire—I knew him and he was a great big fellow, big ole Irish boy, and he must’ve been six-four, something like that, about 230 pounds. Anyway, he was on a high-speed chase on the Boulder Highway, and a drunk pulled up, come through on the side of the highway and a head-on collision. That covers up until the last week of all those killed in the line of duty or anything to do with duty as far as Clark County and Las Vegas is concerned. Actually, there hasn’t been a great deal, a great number of lawmen killed in the whole State of Nevada from the

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very beginning. There are a few. I would say, since statehood, there probably hasn’t been more

than thirty-five total for the state, and that’s not too bad.

That’s not very many at all for that many years.

I’m just guessing; from what I’ve been able to gather, around thirty-five in the state.

Before we close, I know you have an article about a woman who became the first U.S.

Marshal in the State of Nevada?

Yes, Deputy Marshal.

Right.

This lady died recently, and I hate to say, I didn’t know when she died or wasn’t aware of her death. Her name was Chalice Dales, D-A-L-E-S, first name was Chalice, like a silver chalice.

She was the first woman in the United States to ever become a Deputy U.S. Marshal.

So not only in the state, but in the country?

In the whole United States, right, Nevada’s first. I know it’s kind of amusing when I see this in the newspaper that some (unintelligible) call the newspaper and say she’s the first female Deputy

Marshal in the United States, and it always kinda does me good to tell them they’re fifty years behind (unintelligible).

Nevada’s had one for a long time.

Yes. From 1923, and I talked with her numerous times. She served under nine U.S. Marshals and four federal judges, so she worked over thirty years as a Deputy Marshal, So, I would say that’s something to be proud of. Now, last time I saw her was about three years ago when she had emphysema very badly, and she just wasn’t getting around all well.

Was she born in Las Vegas?

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She was born in Carson City, and that’s where she spent most of her time serve was in Carson

City.

And she now lives in Las Vegas?

No, she lives in Carson City, still. Her son lives in North Las Vegas. Her husband, Clyde Dales, was guard at the state prison, Carson City. So, her husband was in law enforcement, she was in law enforcement.

Did she spend more of her career in Carson City?

Majority of her career was spent either in Carson City or down here in Las Vegas. But I don’t know what year the U.S. Marshals’ office moved to Las Vegas, but it’s been down here for a number of years. Originally, it was in Carson—now, what year it moved down here, I really can’t tell you. I’m just not certain.

This now concludes my interview with Mr. Donoho, and I sincerely appreciate his time.

And if anybody wishes to talk to him further, he is available, and this man should be contacted because he has a wealth of information about this state, especially the peace officers, since he is connected with the Peace Officers Association. And Mr. Donoho, I once again appreciate your time and effort.