Robert H. White

Case record: Robert H. White

Background

Robert H. White was born in Texas in 1889 and was 39 at the time of his conviction. His occupation was listed as cafe manager.

The offence

Robert H. White was convicted of killing Louis LaVell in Elko in eastern Nevada on May 6, 1928.

White, Louis LaVell, and a third person were gamblers using a marked cards scheme in Elko. LaVell was supposed to pay White 25% of his earnings. A dispute over payment occurred, and LaVell was killed by White.

Investigation

Around midnight, Mike Connis was looking for his friend and gambling associate, “Louie the Greek.” He had last seen Louis LaVell leave the Commercial Hotel with Bob White a few minutes before eleven p.m.

For more than three hours, Mike searched various clandestine gambling places in downtown Elko. In 1928 gambling was not legal in Nevada.

After the killing, White purchased a flashlight and loaded five cans of gasoline into his car trunk. He then drove to the Commercial where he stood just outside the door and peered in. Lavell saw White and went out to talk with him. After talking for a couple of minutes, the two got into White’s Packard and drove off. It was a few minutes before eleven p.m.

Less than twenty minutes later, two married couples were driving up the Hesson Powder House road east of town. Nearing the powder house, they saw the interior light of an automobile glowing just ahead of them. As they passed, they saw Bob White, alone, sitting inside his Packard. The couples continued up the road until they found a turnaround. Starting back down, they saw White’s car speeding back toward town.

Early Monday morning, White’s wife boarded the eastbound train.

Monday evening, Connis was eating at the Commercial when he saw White walk in. Connis asked if Bob had seen Louie. White told him he hadn’t. Connis pointed out that he had seen Louie and him talking and then both left in Bob’s car. White turned and stalked out.

Mike dropped in at the Sheriff’s office around eight p.m. and reported that Lavell was missing and he feared that something awful had happened to his poker partner.

Bob and Mike had another confrontation Tuesday morning in front of the Mayer Garage. Connis accused White of doing something to Louie. The cab driver angrily denied seeing Louis, claiming he had been home all night.

After the incident, Bob headed for Secret Pass. He stopped at the 71 Ranch and talked with William Wright for a while. On his way again, he spotted a car with a flat tire and pulled over to help the people change it. He continued his drive up Secret Pass to the Ryan Place where he was leasing a cabin.

During the night, the structure had burned to the ground. It was an extremely hot fire scorching poplar trees fifty feet away. People from Halleck and Ruby Valleys stopped to sightsee. They could see an iron bed, some chicken wire, and five blackened gas cans. Around the same time, three rabbit hunters were out near the powder house east of Elko and saw a light gray hat on the ground. Two areas of dried blood were found nearby.

Returning to Elko and learning that a local gambler was missing, one of the hunters called Sheriff Joe Harris. Harris drove out to the powder house, retrieved the hat and saw that it had a bullet hole through it. Powder burns around the hole meant that the gun had been held very close to the hat when fired.

Wednesday morning, Harris and his deputies were in Secret Pass at the Ryan cabin. Digging around the cold ashes, they found a cuff link, stick pin, the knot of a blue knit tie, a pocket knife, a glasses case, a tobacco sack, a platinum dental plate, some charred bones, and a belt buckle engraved with “Louis.”

Arrest

No separate arrest event was stated.

Trial

Sentencing

Robert H. White was executed by asphyxiation-gas in Nevada on June 2, 1930.