Circumstances of Death

On December 19, 1922, Prohibition Agents Nick Carter and Pete Dubois received confidential informant information about a still located on the Raines Ranch, 10 miles outside Palisade, NV.  Arrangements were made to lure the suspects to the still, as the agents and a hired driver established surveillance about 10:00 p.m.  Shortly thereafter, two suspects, Robert Raines and John Brite arrived on horseback.  While Raines was attempting to destroy the moonshine whiskey, Brite acted as a lookout.

The agents called out to the suspects, "stick up your hands, you're under arrest," but were greeted with gunfire.  During the ensuing gunfight, Raines and Brite escaped and Agent Carter was shot twice in the same leg.  Agent Dubois carried him to a grove of trees and searched for their driver, but soon realized he had run away.  Agent Dubois walked nearly 14 miles in the snow to summon help, reaching the nearest town the following morning.  He returned to Agent Carter with the local doctor.

Agent Carter had endured 11 hours of below freezing temperatures and was suffering from frost bite, in addition to his gunshot wounds.  He was evacuated to St. Mary's hospital in Reno, NV, and a posse was quickly formed, led by Prohibition Agent Percival Nash and U. S. Marshal J. H. Fulmer.  They went to the Raines Ranch and arrested Raines and Brite, who were hiding in the field.  Both suspects confessed to the shooting and operation of the still.

Agent Carter developed an infection from the leg wound and died five days later in the hospital. Raines and Brite were prosecuted on state murder charges.

Background

Agent Carter joined the Prohibition Unit on February 1, 1922, with an annual salary of $1,800. Previously, he served from 1918-1921, as a deputy sheriff in Reno, NV.

Personal

Agent Carter was born in San Pedro, CA.  At the time of his death, he was a widower.  His wife, Irene Nevada Fogg died several years earlier from influenza.  Agent Carter was survived by his mother, Mrs. Mary  F. Grennon and brother, Lavern; both of Klamath, OR.  A second brother, Ira, lived in Los Angeles.