At his home in Safford last Friday evening, while
sititng down talking to Jack Keasley, Barnabe Palm
fell from his chair, gasped once or twice and was
dead before Mr. Kealsly could summon George Birdno
from his store across the street. The cause of
death is supposed to have been heart trouble. The
Bulletin says Barnabe Palm was about 55 years old
and came from Tucson to the Gila Valley in the latter
seventies and operated a small brewery for Henry Levin
at what is known as the "Brewers Ranch" on the upper
road, about half way between Solomonville and Safford.
At that time the population in the valley was limited
to a few people in Safford, Fort Thomas and in the
vicinity of Solomonville. The product of the brewery
was soley for Fort Grant, Fort Thomas and Fort Bowie
and other points whose troops were located. For a
number of years up to 1891 Barney was the proprietor
of the old Solomonville Saloon now owned by Jerry
Barton. In 1891 he opened a saloon at Safford, on
the corner now occupied by the Birdno Brothers
store. There had been no saloon in Safford for
eight years up to that time. Several years ago
Barney quit the saloon business and engaged in
raising bees in which he was successful. He
leaves only one child, Mrs. Arnold Spring of
Tucson. He was married the second time some
years ago and leaves a widow and several step
children.
BENJAMIN F. PASCOE
May 26, 1901
Mr. Benjamin F. Pascoe who was engaged in the lumber
business in Safford, committed suicide last Monday morning
by shooting himself through the left breast with a rifle.
He placed the weapon on a protruding ledge of the wall and
pulled the trigger with a piece of lath. He had been
brooding for some time over financial troubles and ill
health and left a letter to his son and another to his
brother, Charles, saying he had done the deed himself
and giving his reasons. Mr. Pascoe was well known all
over eastern Arizona and has lived in Globe and the
Gila Valley most of the time since the Civil War, first
coming to Arizona with the fifth regiment of California
volunteers. He was at one time sheriff of Gila County
and leaves a wife, two daughters and one son in Globe
and one son in Safford.
FOREST B. PAYNE
June 28, 1901
Forest B. Payne died last night about 10 o'clock in his
rooms in Brill's addition of a hemorrhage of the lungs.
Mr. Payne was about 26 years old and was a most exemplary
young man, well known in this valley where he made his
home for the last nine or ten years. He was a native of
Missouri and came here from eastern Kansas. When the war
with Spain was declared he enlisted with the Rough Riders
in B Troop, commanded by captain McClintock and was
afterward transferred to C troop under the command of
Captain Alexander. He contracted tuberculosis in the
southern camps and has really been sick ever since his
return from the war, though for a long time he worked
in one or another of the stores of this city as a clerk.
He was employed longer in the store of J.W. Dorris than
in any other. His officers and comrades always spoke of
him as a model soldier, ever to be found at the post of
duty. Mr. Payne was well known in social circles and was
an active member of the I.O.G.T. lodge in this city. He
was gifted with talent and often appeared in local amateur
theatricals.
In the soldiers' plot in the Porter cemetery are already
the graves of eight soldiers of the Spanish American War,
mainly those of men who contracted disease in the southern
camps. In Phoenix have been taken the initial steps for
the organization of a camp of Spanish American War
veterans and under its auspices will the funeral be
held. His parents are dead but he has a sister
living who was devoted to him and the remains will
be shipped to Kansas.
LEE PERKINS
JOHN MCMAHAN
June 14, 1901
Passenger train No. 8 and a double headed freight
collided on the main lines at Challender, near Williams,
this morning. Firemen Lee Perkins and John McMahan were
killed. Conductor Moody was running the passenger and
Jack Mess the freight. The engines, baggage cars and four
freight cars were completely wrecked.
MAUDE PETERSON
June 23, 1901
Lydia Maude, daughter of Mayor Peterson and wife died
last night, June 21st of spinal meningitis at 11 p.m.
The funeral will be held in the Mormon tabernacle today
at 4 p.m. Lydia Maude had only been sick since last
Saturday and for the past two or three days it was
thought she was improving slightly, although those
in attendance knew she was a very sick child. She was
the only girl of the family and was almost worshiped
by her parents and brothers and beloved by everyone.
She was in her fourth year having been born Funerary 4,
1897.
JUDGE. PHILLIPS
November 30, 1901
W.J. Phillips, son of Judge Phillips who died suddenly
this week, will arrive in the city this morning to accompany
his mother and sister Mrs. Hardy back to Des Moines with the
remains. The experience of the wife of Judge Phillips in
Arizona is as unpleasant as it could well be. The body of
her husband will be the third which she has conveyed from
Phoenix to Iowa for burial. Judge Phillips and his wife
came here about nine years ago with a son who was in extreme
ill health. He died a year later and his remains were taken
home to be laid away. In the meantime their daughter who
accompanied them to Phoenix married Dr. J. Hardy and he
died a year ago . His body too, was taken away for burial.
Early in the fall the Judge, Mrs. Phillips and Mrs. Hardy
returned to spend the winter and settle the doctor's estate.
Judge Phillips was in excellent health until within a few
days before his death.
MRS. DELLA CARTER PIERCE
April 4, 1901
Word was received in Tempe yesterday announcing the death
of Mrs. Della Carter Pierce at Walnut Grove. Mrs. Pierce
was formerly Miss Della Carter and a student at the Normal,
where she has many sorrowing friends. She was a bride of
six weeks at her death.
JOHN POWELL
October 5, 1901
This morning a telephone message was received at the
sheriff's office from the Exposed Reef Company in the
Huachuacas that Andy Griffin had shot and killed John
Powell at that place says the Prospector. No particulars
were furnished other than that Powell was a saloon man at
the Exposed Reef camp and the killing was a result of a
quarrel or dispute, the nature of which was not learned by
the informant. The telephone connection is some distant
from the scene of the tragedy hence full particulars were
not had. Coroner C.S. Clark was notified and left
immediately after with Deputy Sheriff Porter McDonald
for the scene of the killing and upon their return full
particulars will be learned. Griffin is well known in
this section being a pioneer prospector and has been
working some of his mines in the Huachuacas for years,
making occasional trips to Tombstone. He was here the
day before and as no intimation of any trouble was had
it is presumed the first trouble leading to the tragedy
arose between the men after his arrival at the camp. Not
much is known of Powell who is more of a stranger here.
BRUCE PROFITT
September 23, 1901
Prescott -- Bruce Profitt, a miner at Big Bug was shot from
ambush and killed this afternoon. Profitt was employed at
the Argyle Mine and started to work about 2 o'clock. This
was the last seen of him alive. The murderer evidently lay
in wait for him at the roadside and shot him with a rifle of
small caliber, the ball entering the right side, ranging
upward, causing death instantly. His body was found soon
afterwards by his fellow workers. He had the reputation of
being a quiet, law abiding citizen and is not known to have
had any enemies.
Sheriff Munds was immediately notified and is now on the
ground with assistants and it is thought they will soon
succeed in placing the deed at the door of the one that is
guilty of the crime.
Mrs. Profitt and family of two children are in Redlands,
California and have been notified by wire of their sad
bereavement. Profitt was about 30 years of age.
September 27, 1901
Regarding the murder of Bruce Profitt at Big Bug last
Sunday, the Prescott Courier says:
"Deputy sheriffs Lon Young and Jack Nelson came in from
Big Bug yesterday having in custody Thomas Powias who is
charged with the assassination of Bruce Profitt who was
shot from ambush near Big Bug the afternoon of the 23rd
of this month. Profitt was going from his cabin to his
work. He was found about eighty feet from his dinner pail
in a dying condition. He had dropped his pail and ran
this distance before falling, after being shot. He was
shot while walking in the road from behind a rock fence
not over ten feet distant. The bullet which made the
wound was of small caliber, probably a 32. Tracks leading
to and from the place of ambush indicate that Powias is
the man who did the shooting. Further circumstantial
evidence is that Powias and Profitt had had some trouble.
It seems that Powias had been corresponding with Profitt's
wife in California, had been sending her money--$140 it is
stated-- on the supposition that she and Profitt had
separated. By some means Powias ascertained that Mrs.
Profitt was sending his letters and some of his money
to her husband. At any rate Powias remonstrated with
Profitt and wanted his money back, so the story goes.
It is also stated that both Profitt and his wife had
told Powias that they had separated, that Profitt had
told Powias that he could have Mrs. Profitt. The above
statements are of course gathered from talking with
various people, and should not be accepted as sworn
testimony.
