THOMAS WARNER
March 4, 1901
Arizona Republican Newspaper
On Sunday a man named Thomas Warner was brought to Tombstone
from Naco and admitted to the hospital. The new patient was
found to be in serious condition and suffering from violent
injuries which placed him at death's door and from which he
did not recover, the unfortunate man dying last night. The
peculiar circumstances of his injuries and condition led to
further investigation and a corners jury were summoned who
viewed the remains, heard testimony and rendered a verdict
that deceased came to his death as the result of injuries
received at the hands of a party or parties unknown, the
inference being that deceased received the injuries while
in an intoxicated condition. From the testimony gathered
the deceased had been drinking heavily for some time. He
was seen on the 21st with his face bruised, and acting
strangely and believed to be suffering from the excessive
use of liquor. When seen later he was brought here.
An examination showed his nose was broken and his head
and body bruised, with indications that he had been hit
with a club or blunt instrument. Who administered these
violent injuries is not known and further investigation
is being instituted to bring the facts to light. The
deceased who is known as "Soldier Tom" is a well known
sporting man and known in Bisbee and Tombstone. His
home is in Tucson and is understood friends there will
have his body brought to Tucson for burial.
Tombstone-Prospector
J.S. WATROUS
April 21, 1901
Mr. J.S. Watrous passed away on Thursday afternoon between
4 and 5 o'clock, at the home of his daughter, Mrs. E.A.
Murphy on Fifth Street. He was 75 years old. The cause
of his death was pleural pneumonia. Mr. Waltrous was an
old resident of the south side and one of its most highly
respected and progressive citizens and one of the best
liked old men in the valley. His two daughters, Mrs.
E.A. Murphy and Mrs. Pratt of Phoenix were at his
bedside at his death. His wife arrived from California
where the couple were intending to make their future
home, yesterday morning. They already had purchased
and fitting up a home there. Mrs. Watrous had gone but
Mr. Watrous was compelled to remain to attend to business
matters when he was struck down. The funeral services
were held at the Congregational Church at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Probate Court Notice
May 4, 1901
A petition was made by Mrs. Kate Watrous for letters
of administration on the estate of J.S. Watrous.
MERRICK A. WEAVER
February 4, 1901
Arizona Republican Newspaper
Merrick A. Weaver of Bedford, Iowa, died yesterday ta his
residence in Brill's addition. He was 63 years of age and
came here recently for the benefit of his health. He was a
gentleman of considerable prominence in his home town and
his wife and other relatives were with him in his last hours.
They remains will be taken back to Bedford for interment.
MRS. VIOLA GERTRUDE WEST
November 19, 1901
Kansas City, Mo. -- A coroner's jury which met this morning
to inquire into the death of Mrs. Viola Gertrude West of
Agua Caliente, Arizona at the Phoenix Hotel last Friday
night, returned a verdict this afternoon recommending that
Frank Quigley, who was with the woman at the time of her
death, be discharged. After the coroner's jury reported,
prosecutor Hadley took the case under advisement for an
hour and then decided to turn Quigley loose. He was released
and will not be prosecuted.
Quigley and Mrs. West went to the rooming house on Friday
after they had quarreled and the woman threatened to kill
herself. She had kept company with Quigley for several
weeks and he was trying to rid himself of her. He had
offered her money to go away and leave him alone but she
would not do it. She wanted Quigley to die with her and
he says he agreed to allow her to shoot him while he
slept. If this part of Quigley's story is true, the
woman changed her mind at the last moment and decided to
kill herself and let him live. One of the notes she left
bears out the theory, for in it she says she hoped Quigley
would lead a better life for the sake of his family.
The inquest occupied the greater part of the forenoon.
Quigley made an excellent witness for himself. His face
indicated the strain under which he had been laboring. He
told the story of Mrs. West's suicide in an impressive
manner and at one time when his attorney objected to a
question, Quigley spoke up and said that while he wished
to follow the advice of his counsel he was willing to
answer all questions.
He was the wisest witness called and said that he had become
acquainted with Mrs. West last September at 1816 Main
Street. Quigley told of his acquaintance with Mrs. West
from the time she met him in September, after she had
left her husband and brought his story up to the day of
the shooting. After telling about an afternoon of
dissipation he told of his friends, Brice and Helen
VanHorn and himself being at a place near Eighth and
Central Streets with Mrs. West. "Mrs. West," said
Quigley, "found out then that I had a pistol. Then
she and I wrangled and she asked me to die with her
and on impulse I said, well, if that's your game, it's
mine too." I told her I had a revolver and she
whispered "give it to me." We left the Exchange
where we lost Brice and Helen VanHorn and went to
the Phoenix. I sent down and got a pencil and paper
and wrote a note, stamped the envelope and gave it to
her to hand to the maid in the hall. I lay on the bed
on the side next to the street and did not drop off to
sleep. After an interval I heard a snap and a report.
She was lying on the bed but her face did not seem
natural. I sprang over her body and rang the bell."
Quigley tried hard to suppress a show of feeling when he
told of the tragedy but he became excited and gave
evidence of deep emotion. Dr. Monahan who was the
first in the room after the shooting testified that
Mrs. West was lying on the bed. The maid at the hotel
testified that she found four unexploded cartridges
under the rug next to the side of the bed where the woman
was lying. Several witnesses testified that Mrs. West
had attempted suicide before and that she had said that
when she tried it again it would be with a pistol.
Others testified that Mrs. West was a confirmed user
of morphine.
A Mystery Clearing--death of Mrs. West
November 23, 1901
A few days ago the Republican printed a special dispatch
from Kansas City giving the details of a Mrs. West under
very peculiar circumstances. The story in short was that
Frank Quigley and Mrs. West, from Agua Caliente, Az, both
married persons, had bee infatuated with each other for
some time and both tiring of their false life it was
agreed that Quigley should go to sleep and that the
woman would kill him. He went to sleep, but Mrs. West
instead of carrying out her part of the agreement turned
her revolver on herself and Quigley awoke to find her
dead, and himself accused of murder, though subsequently
exonerated.
Diligent inquiry has been made for further light on the
Arizona end of the story but nothing could be learned
till yesterday when a gentleman who came from Agua Caliente,
gave the following information:
Mr. and Mrs. West came to Bisbee some time ago from Kansas
City, Mr. West being troubled with rheumatism as well as
an affection of the lungs, they moved to Agua Caliente
last spring, where Mr. West now resides, and who is said
to be a most estimable and scholarly gentlemen enjoying
the respect of all who know him. Last summer Mrs. West
returned to Kansas City and became infatuated with Quigley
sometime in September. They lived in each other's society
till seemingly overcome with the remorse of their double
life and the tragedy followed. So far as known, Quigley
was never in Arizona.
GEORGE WHEATLEY
February 28, 1901
A telephone message from F.M. Pool, the Shultz merchant
to the Star last evening conveyed the information that
George Wheatley and two Mexicans were found dead on
Thursday in a tent occupied by the men together. The
men had been doing development work. The camp is known
as Red Hill Camp, three fourths of a mile from Shultz.
The men were last seen on Tuesday evening and it is
supposed they died from suffocating fumes of charcoal
they had been burning that night. This is merely
conjectural. George Wheatley has been known in
Tucson and the county for twenty years past. He has
been cooking in camps and mining during that period,
except when he came to town and when he drank heavily.
He was about forty five years of age and leaves a
divorced wife who resides in Tucson.
