CHARLES MCLEAN
PETE MCGONIGLE
Arizona Republican Newspaper
August 11, 1903
A week ago last Monday Charles McLean of Flagstaff went out
to the canyon to relieve Pete McGonigle, who had been acting
as watchman at the Bright Angel Creek Power Company camp on
the north side of the canyon says the William News.
McGonigle met McLean at Cameron's camp at the Indian gardens
and started to take him across the river and show him where
the camp was located. He stated at Cameron's that he would
probably return that same evening, but the next day and still
the next day passed and he did not show up. Niles Cameron
then became anxious and taking several sticks of dynamite
with him went down to the river. He could see where the
boat had been pushed off but not trace of it nor the men was
to be seen on the opposite bank. Here the walls are close
together and the current very swift. Cameron saw the men's
burros feeding on the other side of the river and knew then
that they had not reached the other side in safety, as the
animals would have been taken on to the camp. He exploded
the dynamite as a signal, but received no response. Word
was telegraphed to the missing men's relatives at Flagstaff
and a search party organized, which reached the river Tuesday
of this week but a thorough search failed to reveal the
whereabouts of the missing men.
McGonigle was a cousin of Charles McGonigle, foreman for the
Arizona Lumber and Timber Company of Flagstaff and made his
home with William Friedlein from whose these particulars were
gleaned, he having gone to the canyon to satisfy himself of
the awful truth.
It is thought the current probably overturned the boat and
they were drowned in the rapids a short distance below.
This is the same place at which T.A. Fleming had such a narrow
escape a few years since when Russell was drowned. His body,
or a body supposed to be his, was later found on a sandbar some
distance down the river and a watch will no doubt be kept at
the same place for the appearance of these bodies as there is
a strong eddy at that point.
Did the men escape to the bank at a point below, there is
little possibility of their getting out alive, as the walls
are almost perpendicular and they would starve before help
could reach them. Thus is closed another chapter in the
silent tragedies enacted in the great gorge.
CHARLES NADEAU
Arizona Republican Newspaper
July 30, 1903
Justice Burnett returned yesterday morning from Agua Callente
where he had gone to hold an inquest on the body of Charles
Nadeau, the old man who had been found dead near there.
Arriving at the springs, he found that an informal inquest
had been held and that though it was not exactly authorized
by law, it had fully covered the body of the dead man with
dirt.
The justice accordingly did not go out to the place where the
body was buried, but he impaneled a jury, summoned witnesses
and otherwise supplemented the work of the jury which had
passed upon the case.
He learned of the burial of the body when he reached Sentinel.
Therefore he left there the box which he had taken along for
the burial of Nadeau, to be used in a similar emergency. It
could not have been used anyhow, without knocking out both
ends, both sides and the top for Nadeau was a very large man.
He was, by the way, a brother of Nadeau of the Nadeau Hotel
of Los Angeles. It was learned that the had been in a hospital
in Yavapai County and a certificate of discharge found upon him
contained most of the information that could be had of him.
He was sixty years old and was a native of either Rhode Island
or New York.
If he had not died where he did he certainly could never have
reached Phoenix. He took with him from the springs water
enough to reach a point three miles beyond the place where
he was found dead. The water had all been used up. Before
leaving the springs he said that he would depend for water
upon the Woolsey tanks. He was told that the tanks were dry,
but he would not believe it. So if he had survived death where
he died, he would have died of thirst between the Woolsey tanks
and the next watering place, thirty five miles further on.
Two of his burros were found dead. It was thought that they
might have died of thirst, but it appears that they were chocked
to death. Perhaps the last act of the old man was to tie all of
the burros together and in the exertion of doing it he succumbed
to heart disease. One of the burros, the one that went back to
his former camp, managed to detangle himself from the tangle.
The rest of the animals were found tied in a knot. Two of
them were dead and the other two nearly so.
ALONZO NOON
Arizona Republican Newspaper
September 3, 1903
A messenger from Oro Blanco, arriving in Nogales about 11:30
o'clock this morning brought the sad news of the death at an
early hour this morning, as the result of a gun shot wound, a
young man well known and much respected throughout Santa Cruz
County. The messenger who came in quickly brought only the
hurried particulars.
Mr. Frederick Noon, Rev. Wm. McConnel, Mr. Duffy and others
left for Oro Blanco as soon as possible. Mr. A.S. Noon left
for Hermolillo two days ago. Dr. Noon was compelled to remain
with the bereaved families. No kinder hearted or more worthy
man than Alonzo Noon could be found, he was a friend of every
man and his loss will indeed be greatly regretted by all who
knew him.
JOSEPHINE OLSON
Arizona Republican Newspaper
November 16, 1903
Mrs. Charles H. Jones received word yesterday to the effect
that Miss Josephine Olson had died at St. Paul Minnesota.
This will be learned with deep regret by a great may people
in Tempe for Miss Olson has spent four winters, previously
to last winter here, for the benefit of her health and during
that time her lovely character won for her many friends. At
that time, though, not an invalid, she was far from well;
but the past year she has suffered everything and death came
to her as a welcome relief from pain. She died last Thursday,
the 12th.
JOHN OWENS
Arizona Republican Newspaper
November 9, 1903
John Owens who was living in a tent on the Griswold place,
on North Third Avenue was found dead yesterday morning.
Owens was fifty four years of age and was a resident of
Whatcom, Washington. He came here about a month ago. He
was suffering from consumption but he did not appear to be
in an advanced stage of the disease. He came down town on
Saturday and returning to his tent was not seen alive after
that. That was about 2 o'clock. Yesterday morning a man by
the name of M. Kelly, living in an adjacent tent, called on
Owens and found him lying on the floor in a pool of blood.
Justice Burnett was notified and a coroner's jury was
impaneled. It was found that death was the result of a
hemorrhage. From papers in his possession it was found
that he was a member in good standing of Lynden Lodge No.
7 I.O.O.F. of Lynden, Washington. It appeared also that
he was owner of considerable property at Whatcom and that
he had a great deal of money loaned out. There was also a
certified draft from a Whatcom bank for $200. Beside this
there was $20 in cash. Among his letters were found some
from two cousins and a niece at Louisville, Kentucky. They
have been notified of his death.
November 11, 1903
The body of John Owens, the man who was found dead in a tent
on North Third Street was sent to his home in Whatcom,
Washington for burial. Communication had been established
with his relatives in Kentucky who ordered the body sent to
Whatdom. Later a telegram was received from the attorney of
Owens, Virgil Peringer of Whatcom directing burial there.
According to correspondence between Owens and his attorney,
he was a man of considerable wealth.
PABLO PARRIS
Arizona Republican Newspaper
September 6, 1903
Another of those most awful dastardly crimes for which this
section of Arizona is noted, was committed a few miles above
Clifton during the early hours of Tuesday morning says the
Copper Era. Tuesday morning the body of a Mexican was found
in the 'Frisco River a mile above town by two gentlemen who
were coming down the river. The river had been quite high
during the night, and the body was washed to a bar, where it
was left when the flood water subsided.
Justice Royle and officers visited the place where the body
was found and soon recognized it as that of Pablo Parris who
had been in the employ of the New England Copper Company.
After the body had been identified Mr. Ayling the general
manager of the company was telephoned for. He came down
and recognized the body and stated that on Monday night Pablo
had asked permission to ride his horse to Clifton promising
to return early in the evening. On Tuesday the horse was
home, with the saddle on and the bridle rein over the horn
of the saddle. A part of Pablo's vest was also hanging to
the saddle horn. Fearing that something of a serious
nature had happened to the man, Mr. Ayling sent his
daughter down town to make inquiries of him.
After finding the body it was developed that Pablo had
remained in Clifton until a late hour. At 11 o'clock he
was seen in company with another Mexican who was arrested
on the following day by Deputy Sheriff Arzato. This man
denies any knowledge of the crime. The inquest will be held
today, at which time it is expected that some new evidence
will be produced which may fasten the guilt upon the right
parties. There can be no question that the man met with
foul play.
