The funeral of J.H. Lyke took place yesterday afternoon from his
late residence at 120 East Adams Street.
Febraury 16, 1898
Pauline Lyke applied for letters upon the estate of Joseph Lyke.
JAMES LYTTLE
November 4, 1898
James W. Lytle, aged 29, died Monday of consumption. He had lived
in Arizona about three years--one year in Phoenix, and the
remainder of the time in Tucson. His health had been nearly
restored when he made a trip to Colorado and received a backset
from which he never recovered. Mr. Lytle was a lawyer by profession
and a young man of high character and noble ambition. During his
last days he received the care not only of a devoted aunt, Miss
Chase, but also of the Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias and Elks
of which orders he was a member. His body was sent to Delaware
Ohio for burial.
GEORGE SIMPSON
February 10, 1893
Profound sorrow as felt and expressed by our citizens on
Saturday morning when it was announced that George W. Simpson
had passed away during the night. He had been suffering from
pneumonia for several days and was believed to be out of
danger until Friday evening when he was suddenly taken
worse. Mr. Simpson was universally liked by his
acquaintances. He was a candidate on the Peoples ticket
at the recent election for county supervisor. He was a
kind and obliging neighbor and an indulgent husband and
father. He leaves a wife and two little boys to mourn
his loss. The funeral took place in North Globe on
Sunday and was largely attended.
MRS. GEORGE W. SIRRINE
June 8, 1893
Mrs. George W. Sirrine, wife of one of the oldest and highest
respected citizens of Mesa died day before yesterday afternoon
at 5 o'clock. Mrs. Sirrine had been an invalid for years, a
suffer from dropsy. Mr. Sirrine and son W.L. Sirrine and Mrs.
W.A. Kimball are at Chicago. The rest of the family are here
except those who reside elsewhere.
Mrs. Sirrine was one of the first settlers on the mesa and was
held in high esteem. The funeral occurred yesterday at 10
o'clock, President C.I. Robson, H.S. Phelps and George Passey
were the speakers.
HIRAM S. STEVENS
March 23, 1893
Tucson -- H.S. Stevens, a prominent cattleman and delegate to
congress from Arizona from 1872 to 1876 shot himself this
afternoon, dying after two hours. He had been despondent
for some time owing to cattle losses and ill health.
Mr. Stevens was for several days out with the board of
supervisors looking over the newly surveyed road between
here and Nogales. The party returned about noon today and
all who saw Mr. Stevens say that he seemed in very good
humor and waved his hand to them. He was left alone and
Mrs. Stevens was doing some work in another part of the
house. Suddenly she heard the report of a gun from the
room where her husband was and she found him lying on
the bed. A doctor was summoned and Mrs. Stevens was
observed to be wearing a towel around her head that
showed spots of blood.
Other people tell a different story. It seems he came home
and objected to something she said. Before she could
realize what he intended to do he fired at her twice
inflicting slight flesh wounds. She ran out into the
yard screaming and Mr. Stevens went into the room and
put a bullet through his own head.
Some of the children who were in the yard playing said
they saw Mrs. Stevens running from the house as the shot
rang out. Mrs. Stevens when seen was in a very nervous
condition and could not speak coherently to anyone.
Mr. Stevens is an old pioneer, having come to this country
about thirty years ago.
JAMES STOWE
March 5, 1893
One of the saddest suicides on record was that of James Stowe
at Casa Grande last Friday. Stowe was a man of the class
least likely to resort to self destruction. He was well
known in many parts of Arizona and wherever known was
respected and trusted. He was an old time miner, whose
height, 6 feet, 8 inches, gave him prominence as the
tallest man in the territory. He had formerly been in
good circumstances but ill luck attended him in latter
years and he became very poor with a large family
dependent upon him. On Friday afternoon he went to the
general merchandise store of J.T. Smith in Casa Grande
and asked for a sack of flour saying that he was unable
to pay for it immediately. He was refused and the
refusal prepared him for suicide.
He went across the street to a saloon where he excitedly
related what to his imagination was a reflection upon his
honor and remarked that it was time for him to die. The
bartender tried to show Stowe that the refusal of the
merchant to trust him was of slight importance. He
even offered Stowe all the money he had, $4.50.
Stowe refused to accept and soon after left town in
his buggy. Fifteen minutes later his horse returned
without a driver and Stowe was found soon after with
a bullet in his head.
BUCK TAYLOR
January 21, 1893
Among recent arrivals in Phoenix are Mrs. L.E. Gasaway and
Mrs. J.C. May lately of Deming, who day before yesterday
purchased property here and will take up their permanent
residence in the city. The ladies are sisters of Buck
Taylor the cowboy who on the 8th of last December was
killed by the renegade Kid in the southwestern part of
the territory. Taylor belonged to a party in search of
the outlaws.
LESLIE TOMPKINSON
August 8, 1893
Leslie Tompkinson, the one year old son of Mr. and Mrs. E.
Tompkinson died yesterday afternoon. The funeral will occur
today at 10 o'clock under the direction of Smith and Company,
the undertakers. The remains will be interred in the city
cemetery.
HENRY GORDON THOMPSON
April 23, 1893
Henry Gordon Thompson, son of Sheriff and Mrs. J.H. Thompson,
died on Tuesday morning on the 18th after an illness of nine
days with scarlet fever. He, who but a few days ago was the
pride and joy of his fond parents has been laid to rest.
HARRY THORNTON
April 1, 1893
Harry I. Thornton, who disappeared from his stock ranch near
Wilcox five months ago is still missing and the only facts
that thus far have been obtained go to indicate that he has
been murdered.
Charles A. Doyle, a showman, who is traveling in Arizona has
spent some time in inquiring about the disappearance of
Thornton. Writing from Wilcox under the date of March 24,
Doyle says that while hunting about outside of town he found
burned remnants of a man's clothing partially concealed under
some rocks. "As the material is finer than that usually worn
here," he writes, "I think it may be worth while to submit it
to the young man's parents for examination and so I will
forward the pieces to you."
The finding of the cloth was not considered an important
circumstance by the ranchmen at Wilcox. One who used to ride
the range with Thornton and who knew him well, says Doyle,
still discredits the theory of foul play but admits that the
vaqueros would not have abandoned the cattle unless they had
done mischief.
"My inquiries about Thornton," continued Doyle, "lead only to
the confirmation of your published report, that he was last
seen when going up the San Pedro with a band of cattle and
several vaqueros. The later, I understand, were his
customary herders. Crittenden Thornton has been here, but
left for Fort Grant before I reached town. He was informed
of a rancher who saw young Thornton on the road to the fort
last January. He has been advised to offer a reward as this
is a rough country and the reward might induce some of the
idle cowboys here to take up the trail.
