The funeral of Judge Pegleg S. Perley occurred yesterday afternoon
from the family residence. The services were preceded by a
meeting of the bar association which attended in a body. They
were conducted by Rev. Preston McKinney who in the course of
his remarks reviewed his acquaintance with the dead one who
was highly esteemed for his learning and culture. At the
cemetery the services were concluded by Dr. McKinney. In
reading from the scripture he was constrained to select the
same extract which Judge Perley himself had once chosen on
the occasion of the death of his daughter. The pall bearers
were Attorney General C.M. Frazier, Judge J.B. Woodward and
Messrs C.F. Ainsworth, J.M. Burnett, Jerry Millay, W.A.
Hancock and judge W.H. Stillwell.
JOSEPH PLANTONI
February 3, 1898
The dead body of a man named Joseph Piantoni was found in a rear
room of G. Bianchi's saloon on Second Street between Washington
and Jefferson yesterday morning. The discovery having been made
known to the authorities, Justice Johnstone impaneled a jury and
held an inquest. It was learned from Bianchi that Piantoni came
to Phoenix a month of more ago and that he was a native of
Switzerland.
Mr. Bianchi himself being a Swiss, Piantoni made his saloon his
headquarters and slept on a bed in a rear room.
On Tuesday night Piantoni came into the saloon and leaned or
fell against the bar, his head lying on it. He seemed insensible
and the proprietor dragged and carried him into the rear room
and left him lying on the floor.
After that he heard him snoring and later went back and tried
to induce him to go to bed but could not arouse him. It was
Bianchi's opinion that he was drunk. When Piantoni was
found he was lying on his right side and had been dead
for some time. One of the witnesses, Dr. Wylie, testified that
death was the result of an affection of the throat. The
jury returned a verdict of death from natural causes.
It was learned from letters and papers found in his trunk that
shortly before coming to Phoenix he had been at the Needles,
where he was employed by the railroad company. It was also
learned that he had a family, but their whereabouts was not
indicated. Piantoni was apparently 45 years old, was fairly
dressed and seemed to have money on his arrival in town.
ENSIGN JOHN S. PORTER
February 11, 1898
Ensign John S. Porter of the Engineering Corps of the United States
Navy died at the Sisters Hospital last night. A telegram was
sent to his brother Robert S. Porter of Knoxville, Tenn and the
body will be sent there tonight by the Phoenix Undertaking
Company.
The deceased came to Phoenix last December in an advanced
stage of consumption with little prospect of recovery. He put
himself under the care of Dr. Alex S. Porter of the U.S. Army.
He obtained relief and there was a hope until lately that his
life might be prolonged.
Ensign Porter was only 25 years old and was a young man of
brilliancy. He was graduated from Annapolis in 1892 and took
the grade of ensign. After a cruise of two years around the
world he was ordered to Paris to make a special study of
naval engineering. He remained there until his health failed and
he was attacked by a hemorrhage, when he returned to this
country and sought relief in Colorado. He partially
recovered but the illness and death of his parents took him
east at a season of the year which destroyed all the result
of his Colorado residence. He returned to that climate but
could not regain what had been lost and he was finally
recommended to Phoenix. He appeared to have a great future
and expected to be promoted to a lieutenancy next fall.
He was as modest as he was brilliant. He was frequently referred
to as Lt. Porter but the title was given him without
authorization by him. He never designated himself by his
grade at all but was always plain Mr. Porter.
February 13, 1898
The funeral of Ensign John s. Porter, U.S.N. took place yesterday
afternoon from the rooms of the Phoenix Undertaking Company. It
was attended by the many intimate friends of the young man, for
though his residence here had been short and much of the time
he was confined to his rooms, he met many people and all he met
became his intimate friends.
MRS. G.F. POSTLEWAITE
November 12, 1898
Mrs. G.F. Postlewaite died in this city yesterday morning. Until
the end of the last decade, Mrs. Postlewaite, whose stage name was
Virginia Dreer, was a favorite among theater goers. She made her
debut in St. Louis twenty years ago and almost instantly developed
so great a talent that she was welcomed into the Daly Company.
She never played with any other and it is a remarkable fact that
she knew no other actor or actress than those who had been with
Daly. She early became the understudy of Ada Rehan and the
companion of nearly all of those who are now delighting the
metropolis in Cyrano de Bergerac. She left the stage ten years
ago to marry Mr. Postlewaite, a younger son of a noble English
family and now a capitalist of New York.
Two years ago her health left her and she began a weary and
hopeless journey in quest of it. She traveled everywhere. She
spent last winter in Colorado and last summer in the east. She
came to Phoenix a month ago accompanied by her brother, Hamilton
Murphy of New York and two of her six children. She was
bright and cheerful and it was feared that she was deluded by
a hope of getting well. But she was at no time deceived. On
Thursday night her physician knew that she must die within
forty eight hours and he dreaded to tell her that the end was
so near. He was sent for yesterday morning. She was sweeter and
brighter than ever. she said, "I have felt for a long time
that death could not be far away. I realize now that it is
at hand. I have not much to say, but I wish to thank you for
what you have tried to do for me." She died soon after. The
body was embalmed and last night her brother started home with
it.
CHARLES E.PRATT
January 7, 1898
The will of the late Charles E. Pratt of Rahway, N.J. was filed
in the office of the county recorder yesterday. It was a very
brief document, contains no description of the estate or its value
but leaves it all to the wife and four sons, two of whom are
Joseph M. and W.B. Pratt, former residents of Phoenix. Pratt
owned a great deal of New York property, had a great deal of
property in Phoenix and the valley and was a one time a large
holder of stocks and bonds.
VIRGINIA PRIEST
December 2, 1898
Miss Virginia Priest, a teacher in the public schools, died at
the Sisters Hospital at half past four yesterday afternoon of
pneumonia. She was stricken with illness nearly a month ago and
was obliged to relinquish her duties in the East End School. For
a week her life had been despaired of and it seemed hardly
possible that she would live through Wednesday night. Pending a
reply sent last night to eastern relatives no arrangements
have been made for the funeral.
Miss Priest came to Arizona two years ago from Henderson, Kentucky
where her parents now reside. A year ago she was employed in the
schools at Tucson. At the beginning of the present school year
she was given a place in the city schools. She was a faithful
and accomplished teacher. She also possessed a sweetness of
disposition which gained the love of all who knew her.
December 3, 1898
The funeral of Miss Virginia Priest will take place at 2 o'clock
this afternoon from the First Baptist Church. It is not known yet
whether the remains will be buried here or sent back to Kentucky.
December 4, 1898
The funeral of Mary Virginia Priest at the First Baptist Church
at 2 o'clock yesterday afternoon was the occasion of a touching
expression of grief. The dead was related to no one present, yet
many mourned her as a daughter or a sister. Two years ago she
was a stranger in a strange land, but with a gentleness of manner
two years is long enough to endear oneself to a wide circle.
The funeral was attended by all the teachers in the schools, the
officers and many of the pupils. The pall bearers for the dead
girl were Messrs. T.J. Barkley, H.W. Berryman, Shirley Christy,
W.J. Cain, Vernon l. Clark and C.W. Johnstone Jr.
Ever forgetful of self, she did not wish her father to know of
her dangerous illness because her mother was at that very time
near unto death.
The remians will be sent back tomorrow night to Henderson Kentucky.
