About 8 o'clock Saturday evening Zachary Taylor, commonly known
as Jim Taylor, went to the house occupied by James D. Smith in
Old Fort Bowie. The door was opened by William C. Reuss who
was told by Taylor to step outside. Mr. Smith, who was sittng
at a table and in the act of lighting his pipe, called to Taylor
to "come in" but Taylor fired two shots at him through the
open door, both pistol balls entering his left breast. Rising,
Smith made two or three steps forward and grappled with Taylor
both falling flat on the ground outside the door. With his
left arm around Smith's neck, Taylor fired three more shots
into his body and completed the killing. There had been no
trouble between the two men and the act is considered to have
been a cold-blooded murder.
Taylor had previously threatened to kill Charles Gardner and
Mr. Fletcher of San Simon and belongs to the class of would-be
desperadoes. Though six or eight men were in the camp, Taylor
was allowed to escape, but a report reached town that he had
gone to Tombstone and surrendered to the authorities. Judge
Nichols and Constable Howarth on being notified of the
killing went to Fort Bowie and an inquest was held. The
body of Smith was buried in the post cemetery.
JOHN R. SMITH
May 17, 1896
Solomnville: News reached Solomonville last Saturday that a
young man named Gibson shot and killed John R. Smith, of Morenci
at Hampson's Ranch on Eagle Creek.
Gibson had been working for Smith at his ranch on Eagle Creek
for about two weeks. Last week Gibson was at work quite a distance
from the cabin irrigating a patch of alfalfa. During his absence
someone broke into the cabin and stole a tent which belonged to Mr.
Smith. On Smith's return he discovered the loss and when Gibson
approached the cabin he was accused by Smith of knowing of the
loss and kept on abusing him.
Gibson finally offered to make good the loss of the tent. Smith
knocked him down and kicked him in the face. Gibson got up and
walked down to the spring to wash the blood from his face when
Smith followed him and threatened that if he attempted to leave
the ranch that night that he (Smith) would kill him.
Gibson did leave the ranch that night, after Smith went to sleep
and walked to Hampson's Ranch a distance of six or seven miles
where he told the men there what had happened.
The next day about 1 o'clock Smith was seen approaching the
ranch with his hand on his sixshooter and as he rode into the
back yard in that position, Gibson put a rifle out of the kitchen
window and shot him through the heart, killing him instantly.
After the shooting Gibson rode to Fort Thomas and surrendered
himself to the law officers.
John R. Smith has been a resident of this county for ten years or
more and has always been industrious and attentive to his business
and accumulated considerable property. At one time he was constable
and deputy sheriff at Clifton and Morenci and while in office
killed a Mexican named Cuerrela at Clifton who was trying to
cut him with a knife. Burrela was considered a tough customer
when drinking.
Smith had been in business for several years and has had charge
of the stable owned by the Turtle Cattle Company with headquarters
at Morenci. He was a man of determined character and knew no
fear. He was one of the posse that killed the two Mexicans who
were implicated with Chacon in the robbery and attempted murder
of Paul Becker at Morenci last December and when Pablo Saldendo
was killed. He was a brother of Cap Smith who was indicted by
the recent Grand Jury for killing Mac Slaughter near Metcalf
two years ago.
Lafe Gibson, the slayer of Smith is about 18 or 19 years old
and has a brother living on Eagle Creek and his mother lives
near Fort Thomas.
JOSEPH W. SNYDER
Sep 19, 1896
The funeral of Joseph W. Snyder who died Thursday at 10 o'clock,
took place yesterday at 2 o'clock from the Catholic Church.
Deceased was 28 years of age.
Sep 20, 1896
Frank Snyder yesterday filed application in the probate court
for letters of administration on the estate of Joseph Snyder,
his deceased brother.
MRS. STANDAGE
July 3, 1896
Mrs. Standage, aged 73 years, fell Wednesday afternoon from the
top of a hayrack whither she had climbed to gather eggs and
broke her neck. Deceased was a pioneer of Mesa City, coming
here with her husband among the very first who took up land on
the barren plain and bravely started in to bring to it the
waters of the river.
A son was William M. Standage, deceased last year formerly
Water Commissioner and Supervisor. The funeral was held yesterday
afternoon under the auspices of the Church of Latter Day Saints
and was attended by hundreds.
W.H. STILMEYER
Dec 2, 1896
W.H. Stilmeyer, who has been in the city for several days for
the benefit of his health, died yesterday morning at 4 o'clock
from congestion of the lungs. The deceased was 35 years of age
and a resident of Pasadena, Cal. to which place the remains
were shipped last night.
MR. STONE
Dec 16, 1896
Miss Ella Stone departed over the Santa Fe Road yesterday
morning in charge of the remains of her brother who died a
few days ago. The remains will be buried at Harrisburg,
Pennsylvania.
FLORA STREETER
March 11, 1896
Miss Flora B. Streeter died Monday night at the residence of
E.L. Andrews. The remains will be shipped to Cedar Falls,
Iowa, accompanied by relatives.
MR. SUTMEYER
Dec 2, 1896
Mrs. Sutmeyer, a bereaved mother, will leave on a sad home
journey to Pasadena, Cal. today with the body of her son
who died here early yesterday morning. He and his mother
arrived in Phoenix last Thursday.
JOHN SVENSON
March 6, 1896
John C. Kellum has filed application for letters of
administration on the estate of John Svenson, the man who
dropped dead near the Maricopa and Phoenix Depot a couple of
months ago. The estate consists of $200 in cash and a
silver watch and the only heir known is a brother in
California for whom Kellum is acting. The hearing in the
probate court will be on March 16 at 2 pm.
SIDNEY TEDROW
August 20, 1896
A peculiar case has been developed in the death of Sidney S.
Tedrow, the 11 year old of son of J.W. Tedrow. The boy died
Tuesday afternoon at 3 o'clock, but some person notified
Justice Johnstone that the death was not a natural one and
that official impaneled a coroner's jury and held an
inquest as to the cause of the lad's death, bringing out
the following facts:
About six weeks ago young Tedrow and a few companions were
playing near their homes on Fourth Avenue near Jackson
Street. Among his companions was Hank Wylie, a lad about
15 years old. While playing the youngsters began fighting
among themselves, young Tedrow getting the worse of it.
He started for home crying and Hank Wylie, the oldest of
the group ran after him. He caught Tedrow as he was about
to step onto the porch of a neighbor. He grabbed him by
the throat with one hand and the back of the head with the
other. He then bumped the boy's forehead against a post of
the porch. Young Wylie said nothing to his parents about
the occurence, but three days after he complained of severe
pain in his head. Dr. T.F. Childs was called and arroded
the lad some relief but every few days the pains would
return. Dr. Childs finally called Dr. Dameron in
consultation.
By this time a sore spot appeared on the patient's forehead
which soon commenced to discharge pus. The physicians saw
from the nature of the sore that the place had been bruised
but the boy would not state how it happened. After a week
young Tedrow related the circumstances of his beating.
The lad was not confined to his bed until a couple of days
before his death.
Coroner Johnstone and the physicians yesterday morning made
an examination of the remains. An incision was cut around
the sore place when it was found that the frontal bone had
been fractured. The fracture was two inches in length and
one inch wide.
At the inquest several of the companions of the dead lad
testified to the treatment he received at the hands of
Wylie and the physicians stated that the fracture was the
direct cause of death.
Hank Wylie, the boy who was the means of Tedrow's death,
stands accused of murder and a warrant has been issued
for his arrest. He is at present at the head of the Arizona
canal. His father says that he is a wild youth and has
an ungovernable temper. He expressed deep sorrow that his
son was the means of Tedrow's death but is disposed to let
the law take its course. There is some speculation as to
whether Wylie can be held on the charge of murder as at
the time of the trouble he clearly had no intention of
badly hurting the youth.
