Mrs. Mary E. Nash died Saturday morning about 4 o'clock at her
home on Illinois Street in University Addition. The cause of
her death was cancer of the stomach. She was born in San
Francisco and was at the time of her death, 48 years of age.
The funeral will be held at 2 o'clock this afternoon from the
family residence, Rev. Mr. Penick officiating. The G.A.R. of
which her husband is a member will escort the remains to their
final resting place. Mr. Nash is employed by the Greene Copper
Company at La Cananea, Sonora and two sons, Bert and Walter
are with him. They have been notified but cannot reach here
in time for the funeral. Four other children are in Phoenix,
their names being Lucy, Willie, Louie and Mrs. Nina Burger.
MISS LIZZIE NEWTON
August 21, 1901
Miss Lizzie Newton died at her home on East Lincoln Street
on Monday evening at 6 o'clock and her funeral will be held
this morning at 10 o'clock at the parlors of Mohn and
Easterling. She came here from Huntington, Oregon about
three years ago for the benefit of her health. Her sister,
Miss Nellie Newton, arrived here Saturday morning and was
with her when the end came. She is spoken of very highly
by those who had the pleasure of her acquaintance.
AMOS NIGH
PETER JOHNSON
May 7, 1901
A most brutal tragedy occurred yesterday about 12 o'clock
at the ranch of Chaplain Scott of Scottsdale about ten
miles northeast of Phoenix when John Rubenstein shot and
killed, without provocation, Amos Nigh and an Indian named
Peter Johnson, both of whom were employed by Chaplain Scott.
Rubenstein who is well known in Phoenix as "Popcorn John"
is undoubtedly crazy, thought he has hitherto been looked
upon as eccentric and erratic but responsible for his
actions. He was in the employ of the government as a
mail carrier. He is now in the county jail awaiting the
outcome of his horrible and inhuman crime.
Rubenstein some time ago secured the contract for carrying
the mail between Phoenix and Scottsdale. He makes his trip
out from Phoenix in the morning, returning in the afternoon,
and during his stay at Scottsdale during the noon hour it
has been his practice to hitch his horse in Chaplain Scott's
yard while he ate his lunch. Yesterday Mr. Scott had Vernon
Vanderhoof, Amos Nigh and Peter Johnson working for him and
engaged in hauling hay from the field to the stack in the
yard. Relations between Rubenstein and the men working
for Mr. Scott have heretofore been the most friendly and
no altercation of any kind has ever occurred so far as
can be learned.
Chaplain Scott, who is suffering from a broken leg, was
taken out in the yard on a cot in the morning and at
twenty minutes before 10 he noticed that Rubenstein had
arrived some forty minutes ahead of his usual time.
About that time the men came with a load of hay, which
they unloaded, took Mr. Scott into the house and again
went to the field. At the end of the return trip they
shocking murders took place. Vanderhoof was riding on
the load of hay and driving and Nigh and the Indian were
walking behind. Some minutes before the yard was reached
Rubenstein had hitched up his cart and started out of the
yard. Something went wrong with the neck yoke and
Vanderhoof called to Nigh to come and fix it. He did
so, and while thus engaged Rubenstein rode by in his
cart and calling to Nigh said, "You are my friend,
aren't' you?" Night called back, "Oh, yes." Rubenstein
drove through the gate and into the road where he met
the Indian and killed him. He must have put the gun
close up to his breast and fired for when Johnson's
body was found later his clothing was on fire. The
shot that killed Johnson attracted no attention, as
hunters had been shooting rabbits in the vicinity all day.
Rubenstein then returned to Nigh at the haystack on foot.
Nigh being engaged in unhitching the horses and with his
back turned toward the murderer, who placed the pistol
close to his back and fired. Mrs. Scott saw Rubenstein
point his weapon at Nigh the instant he fired. Rubenstein
then ran to his cart, his horse having started down the road.
Mrs. Scott ran to Nigh and said, "What is the matter?"
Nigh answered, "I'm shot." To Mr. Vanderhoof still on
the wagon, in answer to the same question, said, "He
shot me." Nigh fell down on his hands and knees then
turned over on his back and blood gushed from his
mouth. Mrs. Scott brought a dish of water with which
to wash his mouth but he lived less than five minutes.
When Rubenstein went to the store or post office, Mr.
Thomas who lives near Mr. Scott's place, went down also
to warn the people. He saw the pistol lying in the cart
and when Rubenstein went into the store, Thomas took
possession of it. Chaplain Scott ordered those who
were able to arrest the man.
Mr. C.H. Utting who heard of the event, came on ahead
to warn people who might meet him and sent S.A. Parham
to the Crosscut Canal telephone to notify the sheriff.
Mr. Davis, the postmaster and his son, followed in a
buggy. Near the asylum, Rubenstein came up with Utting
and the former seemed to talk rationally, though no
reference was made to the killing. Near the residence
of Thomas Armstrong, Jr. deputy Sheriff Williams met
them and Rubenstein was placed under arrest. When
asked about the affair, Rubenstein replied, "That's the
way I fix them when they interfere with me."
Coroner Burnett was notified and he summoned the
following juryman: G.K. Dowd, H. Mitchell, Ed McCourt,
R.F. Hoslin, J.W. Joslin and h.C. McDonald. They went
to Scottsdale and viewed the remains, summoned witness
and attended to minor details. Among the witnesses were
S.W. Nigh, a brother of the dead man, W.S. Perry, F.S.
Webb, Vernon Vanderhoof and S.A. Thomas.
Amos Nigh, one of the victims of the crazy murderer was
43 years old, a native of Ontario and unmarried. Last
year he worked for his brother, who rented the Scott farm
and this year he was working for Mr. Scott by the month.
The chaplain says he was one of the most faithful and best
workers he had.
The Indian, Peter Johnson, had been working for Mr. Scott
but a few days, but was also accounted a good hand and
received the highest wages for his work. He was 23 years old.
Of the murderer, little need be said, as he is well known
in the city where he has lived for some time. He was
formerly a well known character in the streets, where for
years he sold popcorn, his usual stand being at the corner
of the court house plaza.
May 10, 1901
The funeral of Amos Nigh, who was murdered by John
Rubenstein will be held at Scottsdale next Sunday at
11 o'clock.
JULIUS NOBER
Probate Court Notice
February 28, 1901
In the estate of Julius Nober, petition for the
appointment of administrator was heard, legal notice
of hearing proved and Hugh M. Creighton was appointed
administrator on the filing of a $500 bond.
JACK O'NEIL
December 22, 1901
A shooting scrape occurred at Fort Thomas a few days ago
in which Jack O'Neil was killed by Bill Oglesby, formerly
in the employ of the Double Circle Cattle Company. O'Neil
had been a peace officer in Graham County for the past
eighteen years and was well known all over southern Arizona.
L.M. Oyster
May 23, 1901
Yardmaster L.E. Oyster of the S.F. P and P. railway
was run down by a Santa Fe Pacific train in the yards at
Ash Fork this morning and was instantly killed. He was
engaged in checking the cars of the train when the train
was backed upon him. He has a brother at Winslow who was
notified of the killing and another in Alliance Ohio from
which city he had come to Arizona to reside. The dead man
was single.
RICHARD PADDOCK
July 14, 1901
Richard J. Paddock died at the Phoenix hospital yesterday
morning after a prolonged illness of tuberculosis. He
was thirty four years of age and had lived in the
territory several years, for a long time at Tombstone
and later at Gila Bend. He was brought to the hospital
less than a month ago, hopelessly ill. He was a brother
of Ben Paddock and Jack paddock, both of this city.
The funeral will take place at 5 o'clock this afternoon
from the undertaking rooms of Mohn and Easterling.
