JOHN KNIGHT
Arizona Republican Newspaper
September 9, 1904
Our esteemed citizen, John Knight, was laid to rest
yesterday afternoon at the Double Butte Cemetery. The
funeral was held from the house, the services being
under the auspices of the Woodman.
The pall bearers were all members of that order and were:
Messrs. Woods, Corbell, Hough, Schoushusen, Nichols and
McNeil. Rev. Fields of the M.E. Church gave a short
sermon at the residence and several hymns were sung by
the choir composed of Misses Wingar and McNeil and Messrs.
Johnstone and Miller.
There was a large attendance at the funeral and the high
esteem in which Mr. Knight was held by the community was
attested to by the number that followed the remains to
the final resting place. At the grave Rev. Rollins of
the M.E. Church made a few short remarks which were
followed by a prayer.
PADDY LAMB
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 13, 1904
Paddy Lamb who has been a resident of this valley for
seventeen years and who previous to that time conducted a
corral and livery stable at old Maricopa station in the
stage days died Monday night at the insane asylum. He
was committed to the asylum about five years ago, G.H.N.
Luhrs being appointed the guardian of his affairs. The
funeral will be held this morning at 10 o'clock at the
parlors of George F. Merryman. Mr. Lamb a few years ago
was one of the most generally known citizens of the town.
Since he was placed in the asylum nothing has occurred to
attract the attention of the public to him and many of his
former friends have imagined him dead. He had no relatives
or at least none in this part of the country.
ANTONIO LARA
Arizona Republican Newspaper
July 3, 1904
Antonio Lara was put out of a door twice yesterday and went
back. The third time he was taken out in one of those
"first aids" used by undertakers, a long basket contrivance
and then he stayed put. He was shot and killed by M.J.
McKelligon at the saloon of the latter near the Seventh
Avenue railroad crossing. Lara was a section hand of the
S.F.P&P. and lived at Ninth Avenue and Jackson Streets two
blocks from the place where he met death.
The shooting took place about two o'clock in the afternoon.
There were three men in the saloon, Jose Hernandez, Emerito
Adams and Antonio Valenzuela. They were sitting at a table
drinking a bottle of wine when Lara entered in a quarrelsome
mood and began a wordy attack upon one of them. It was
continued until a blow was struck when McKelligon interfered
and ordered Lara out of the house. He refused to go and
McKelligon pushed him, not roughly out of the house by a
back door. He returned with a rush and McKelligon picked
up a large tin can used to catch beer drippings intending
to throw the contents into the face of Lara and so cool
him off. The can happened to be empty and he thresw the
empty can at him. Lara picked it up and struck McKelligon
a violent blow on top of the head wit hit. Then McKelligon
threw him out the second time, this time with considerable
violence and closed the door but neglected to lock it.
Lara immediately returned furious with anger and rushed
toward McKelligon who went behind the bar, followed by
Lara. McKelligon keeps a bung starter on top of his beer
cooler to use in such emergencies as the one which
confronted him but he passed it and the only instrument
within his reach was a single barreled shot gun, 12 gauge
loaded with bird shot. Lara was still coming when McKelligon
fired at him at close range. The charge struck him high up
on the right breast tearing a hole two inches in diameter.
Lara staggered to a table, rested his hands on it for a few
moments, the blood pouring upon the table in a stream. He
slowly sank backward, fell upon the floor where he lay
gasping for a minute.
There was another man, just outside the saloon, a stranger
named H. Swissher who did not hear the shooting, so engrossed
was he with the reading of a dime novel and so filled with
strong drink that he was oblivious to his surroundings.
When his attention was called to the tragedy he tried to
telephone the police about it but nothing could be made of
his narrative and it was fifteen minutes later that the
authorities understood that there had been a killing.
Officers John Moore and Henry Bloomhorst hurried to
McKelligon's place.
No formal warrant has been issued for McKelligon and
nothing will be done until the conclusion of the inquest.
The four witnesses have already told their stories but the
relation of Swissher did not throw a great deal of light
on the tragedy. He was so muddled that he finally admitted
that he did not know if he was in New Castle, Pennsylvania
or Phoenix, Arizona.
McKelligon has lived in Phoenix for the past ten years
and has been continuously engaged in the saloon business.
For some reason he was always been regarded as a man not
to be trifled with. He is not a quarrelsome man. He
seldom engages in conversation on any subject. About
four years ago he stabbed and seriously wounded a big
bartender who followed him into an alley in the rear
of his place of business and cornered him. In the
proceeding that followed that affair he was discharged.
The Lara Inquest
July 3, 1904
The inquest concerning the death of Antonio Lara set for
yesterday was continued by Justice Burnett until half past
nine o'clock this morning. The fact that Lara had been put
out of McKelligon's saloon twice before the fatal shot was
fired and that he had returned each time to the assault of
the proprietor together with the fact that when he was dead
there was found in his pocket an open knife, it is
believed that a defense will need some development.
McKeligon spent the day in the women's cell in the county
jail seeing no one but his lawyer.
JAMES M. LATTA
Arizona Republican Newspaper
July 5, 1904
Last winter a young man named James M. Latta came here from
Wilson Kansas in the hope of regaining his health which was
very badly undermined by consumption. He was accompanied by
his uncle who was for many years a fireman in an eastern city
and who at once affiliated with the Phoenix Fireman making
the engine house his headquarters and also making his invalid
nephew feel at home there. "Uncle Tom" and the boy came to
be favorites among those who made headquarters at the city
hall, the fire house and other public places.
But the young man failed to improve and recently the two
returned home, where Mr. Latta died on June 24. He was
born in Wilson Kansas in 1880 and graduated from the school
of pharmacy in the Kansas University in June 1900. His
father, James Latta, contributed an obit notice to the
Wilson Echo which is reproduced as having some local interest:
The Latta boy left this world on June 24, 1904, to join his
mother who has been in heaven for over five years.
The Scotch people--the old stock--were stoical, much
judgment, little emotion, they knew how to live and did
know how to die. Jamie's grandparents sprang from that
race whose forefathers fought at Bothwell, Brig. Drumclog
and on other battle fields for the right to worship their
God as they saw fit. The boy was rather proud of his
ancestry and so shaped his course through life, by being
good and clean, that he left no blot upon the family
record. In all human probabilities he was the last of
the Latta's as when his Uncle Tom and myself go, the male
branch will become extinct.
MRS. FANNIE E. LINVILLE
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 11, 1904
Mrs. Fannie E. Linville, wife of Thomas E. Linville died
yesterday morning Jan 10, about 6 o'clock at the family
residence, No. 801 West M...son Street. death followed
an illness in the nature of blood poisoning that extended
over a period of many weeks almost since the birth of a
little daughter about seven weeks ago.
Mrs. Linville was a most lovable woman and very popular
in a wide circle of acquaintances formed during a residence
of only a few years. She was born in Belton, Bell, County,
Texas ,March 16, 1877 and her age was therefore twenty seven
years, nine months and twenty five days. Her maiden name was
Fannie E. Ratterree and she was married first to T.R.
Pafford who was drowned in the Rio Grande River in 1897
and by whom she had two children, Harold R., 9 years old
and Lenora C. 7 years old and both of whom survive her.
Other immediate relatives who mourn her untimely death are
a father, two sisters and a brother, the latter a resident
of Bisbee but now in Phoenix.
She came to Phoenix a few years ago, making a rather
extended visit and it was during this time that she formed
an acquaintance of Mr. Linville. She returned to Texas and
later Mr. Linville joined her there., where they were
married, thence returning to Phoenix.
Mr. Linville has lived in Phoenix the greater part of his
life and is an estimable young business man at present in
charge of the business of the Phoenix Hay and Grain Company.
He is widely known and sympathy for him in his bereavement
is universally expressed.
The funeral will be held at the residence this afternoon at
3 o'clock.
