Mrs. Mary Rhodes
Arizona Republican Newspaper
March 7, 1891
Mrs. Mary Rhodes, wife of J.P. Rhodes of this city died
at 11 o'clock Wednesday night of consumption. Deceased
was 44 years, 10 months and 20 days old. She leaves a
husband and five children to mourn her death. Two
years ago Mr. Rhodes brought his wife to Phoenix from
Reading Michigan to try the effect of this climate on
her health, but the dread disease of consumption had
too firm a hold. Funeral will take place at 10 o'clock
today from the residence.
March 11, 1891
On Wednesday night March 4, Mary, wife of J.P. Rhodes
finished her life and entered into rest. Mrs. Rhodes
came to our valley with her oldest son in January 1889.
For a number of years she had been a sufferer, having
changed her residence several times in search of health,
and she sought the mild climate of Arizona with high
hopes. She found it more beautiful even than she had
anticipated and from the first, it was to her home and
hope. It seems sad that her anticipations and those of
her husband and children could not have been realized.
Mrs. Mary McBride was born April 24, 1846 at Corunna,
Michigan. Here her early life was spent and here,
December 2, 1869 she married Mr. J.P. Rhodes who became
a resident of Corunna in 1854.
Mrs. Rhodes early became a professing Christian attracting
herself to the Presbyterian Church. Five years after her
marriage in 1874, after the removal of the family to Fenton
Michigan she was baptized into the fellowship of the Baptist
Church by the Rev. Mr. Titterington. After a return to and
several years spent in the old home at Corunna, a removal
was made to Flushing and later on account of failing
health to Reading. From Reading her son brought her to
Phoenix, the entire family soon following her and making
their permanent home in our city.
Thomas Sherman
March 21, 1891
Arizona Republican Newspaper
The funeral of the late Thomas Sherman yesterday was very
largely attended, about fifty buggies and carriages being
in the procession to the cemetery. The services were
conducted by Rev. Ruller, of the Methodist Episcopal
Church, South assisted by Dr. Belden of the Episcopal
Church. W.L. George, J.O. Vinent, E. Ganz, H.C.
McDonald and F.A. Newcomb acted as pall bearers.
The services at the cemetery were performed under
the ritual of the ex-Confederate Association.
Andrew Simmons
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 9, 1891
Another ghastly discovery was made early yesterday morning.
A Mexican boy was crossing the vacant lot adjoining Burger's
corral when he saw the body of a man lying against the fence
covered with blood. Not waiting to make an examination he
hurried uptown and informed two men who returned with him,
they afterward reporting it to the officers.
A coroner's jury was summoned, Justice Huson acting as
Coroner, and upon investigation found that the deceased's
name was Andrew Simmons, a man about 30 years of age and
that he came to his death by suicide.
A most extraordinary means was used to accomplish the act.
The man evidently on the brink of the grave, shriveled and
deformed with suffering, had taken a razor and gashed both
his legs to the bone just below the calf, cut his throat,
and whether before or after so fearfully lacerated himself,
had succeeded in twisting a handkerchief in a loop around
his throat and sticking one end of a walking cane in the
loop, turned it around until it was twisted as tight as a
rope, retaining in death the grip on the cane. The jury
was unable to find the razor, but found its case lying
near the body.
Deceased has been rooming for a month or so at Alex
Steinegger's Lodging House on Monroe Street and was
suffering from mental and physical ills. He was morose
and despondent at times and being without money or health
no doubt concluded to give up the ghost.
From letters found among his effects it was found that he
was a friend of the Billings family, who moved from
Phoenix to California several months ago, and that he
was engaged as a stage driver several years ago in
Wyoming. The correspondence was taken charge of and
the proper authorities will notify his friends of his
death. The county undertaker was notified and the
remains will be buried this morning.
January 9, 1891
The body of Andrew Simmons was reburied yesterday attended
by comrades of Owens Post of the G.A.R. The call was
made at 3 o'clock and members of the post marched to the
beat of a mulled drum to the cemetery where the remains
after having been properly prepared for burial were
consigned to earth again.
C. Smith
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 18, 1891
Steve Bryant came in town last night and brought the
news with him of the killing of C. Smith, a brother
of B.F. Smith, in their ranch in the Chiricahua
Mountains. The only information regarding the
killing was that Apaches surrounded his cabin
at daylight and lay in waiting for him to get up.
When Smith arose he went to the fire place to build
a fire, having previously opened the door. The
Indians took advantage of his back being to them,
and shot him through the door as he was in a kneeling
position. After killing him they ransacked the house
taking everything or use to them after which they
broke up everything in sight. The spot where the
deed was committed is about fifteen miles from Fort
Bowie, and it is supposed the troops from there were
at once notified. The funeral of the murdered man
took place yesterday.
Teodor Valencia
February 17, 1891
Arizona Republican Newspaper
The remains of a Mexican named Teodor Valencia were
brought in yesterday from the Agua Fria mutilated and
fearfully burned.
From the disjointed information collected, it seems that
Valencia who is a sheep herder was camped in a mesquite
grove on the Agua Fria and built a fire near the foot of
a tree. He made his bed close to the fire and tree and
went to sleep. The fire burned the tree down and it
fell across him, pinning him to the ground and burning
him to death. A young Mexican who lives in the
neighborhood found the body and brought it to town.
It was taken to the residence of relatives on Madison
Street and officer Slankard being notified, instructed
Justice Goodin, who immediately summoned a coroner's
jury to investigate the case. The jury was unable to
reach any conclusion until the witnesses were summoned
and they adjourned to take up the case today.
Solomon Walbridge
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 16, 1891
The funeral of Solomon Walbridge, father of A.P.
Walbridge, took place yesterday from the residence
of the latter in the University Addition. Services
were held at the house by Elder Herring of the
Christian Church.
Andrew Wall
Arizona Republican Newspaper
February 4, 1891
A shooting affray occurred at Tempe early Sunday morning
which will result fatally, the victim being a man by the
name of Andrew Wall, who is reputed to be anything between
a tramp, "tin horn" gambler or dead beat.
It seems that a large crowd of Mexicans and disreputable
whites were gathered at a dance in Mexican town, an
addition to Tempe and among them was one "Doc" Dines,
employed as foreman of Daggs Brothers. In the course of
the night Dines and Wall repaired to a saloon and being
groggy from drink fell asleep in chairs sitting beside
each other. The crowd, who had paid no attention to
them were suddenly startled by the report of a pistol
and seeing Wall fall over in his chair.
The reports are mixed and conflicting as to the facts,
but Wall made a statement that Dines shot him, while
asleep and that after the first shot he stood over
him with the pistol in his hand and attempted to
shoot a second time. The testimony gathered at the
preliminary examination before Justice Forsee at
Tempe from other bystanders, contradict this statement,
however, and went to show that the shot must have been
accidental. The only way it could be accounted for
was that in falling over in his chair asleep a pistol
which was in a scabbard attached to a belt around Dine's
waist, fell out upon the floor and was discharged,
shooting Wall. The ball entered about three inches
to the right of the base of the spine and ranging
upwards grazed the spine and right lung and lodged
under the scapula, paralyzing the lower part of the
body.
A physician was called from Phoenix and made an examination
pronouncing the wound necessarily fatal. "Doc" Dines
has the reputation of being a peaceable and ordinarily
sober man, and is one of the Daggs brothers' most valued
hands. He was to have had an examination before the
Justice of the Peace yesterday but the trial was
continued and the case will probably have a change
of venue to Phoenix. District Attorney Cox went down
to Tempe yesterday and advised the Justice on
examination to hold the prisoner under $10,000 bond.
He is at present in charge of the authorities at
Tempe.
