R.B. Moore
November 19, 1904
Arizona Republican Newspaper
R.B. Moore died last night about 9 o'clock at the
residence of his son Billy Moore on North Fifth Street
of a dropsical affection. No funeral arrangements
have yet been made. Mr. Moore has been in feeble health
for a couple of years of more and was well advanced in
years. He was an old timer in California and came from
California to Arizona in the pioneer days. Much of his
life was spent in the cattle business in the vicinity of
Mount Reno. Mr. Moore was widely know and greatly
respected. A number of years ago he was elected to
the territorial legislature serving his constituency
faithfully. Beside his son Billy Moore, he leaves
two daughters, Misses Mamie and Belle.
CHARLES MOSHER
Arizona Republican Newspaper
March 9, 1904
A telegram was received yesterday announcing the death at
Portland Oregon of Charles Mosher, a former well known
newspaper man of Phoenix. Mr. Mosher first came to the
territory in the early eighties. He was connected with
the Gazette in its palmist days. He was a brilliant writer
and a great gatherer of news. Later he started a paper
called the Arizona, which though not long lived was a lively
journal. It was also a success but early in the year 1890
Mr. Mosher decided to leave the territory and the paper was
merged with the Phoenix Herald.
Leaving Phoenix, Mr. Mosher spent some time on the coast and
then went east. He was employed for some time on New York
newspapers. In the course of his eastern residence he
contracted consumption and his working days were practically
over. He was a practical printer and had from the first
maintained his membership in the typographical union.
When his health failed he went to Colorado and for a time
resided at the printers' home at Colorado Springs. That
life was too inactive for him. Though he never expected
to engage in newspaper work again, he decided to leave
the home and perform such work as his health would permit.
Accordingly about a year ago he returned to Phoenix and was
employed by the H.H. McNeil company until about two months
ago when he grew worse and decided to go to Portland Oregon
where his mother lives. He leaves a daughter, Miss Julia
Lount. The mother and daughter are now in Europe.
The friends of Mr. Mosher included the population of Phoenix.
This friendship for him took the substantial form of support
of his newspaper and his election to the office of city
recorder, which he filled for two terms or up to the time
of his leaving the city. Mr. Mosher was about 46 years of
age. He was born near Portland but the greater part of his
early life was spent in California.
RUDOLPH NELSON
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 7, 1904
Rudolph Nelson, aged twenty one , died at 9 o'clock this
morning at the Blakely residence of consumption. Mr. Nelson
came here about three months ago from Trinity County Calf.
in an endeavor to regain his fast failing health, but like
too many more, he waited until the climate could be of no
material benefit to him. The funeral will be held in Mesa
tomorrow, but the exact time has not been fixed. Mr. Nelson
was accompanied here by his brother Edward, who is employed
at the skimming station of the Tempe Creamery.
SIMON NOVINGER
Arizona Republican Newspaper
January 22, 1904
Simon Novinger died last night at 10:50 o'clock at his
home southwest of the city of Bright's disease. He had
not been in good health for a year or more and for the
last month had been confined to his bed. No arrangements
have yet been made for the funeral.
Mr. Novinger had just passed his 72nd birthday, being born
in Halifax, Dauphin County Pennsylvania, January 14, 1832.
He came to this valley in 1871 when Phoenix was only a
village of two houses and this has been his home
continuously since that time. For a year or so he was
engaged in prospecting in the Four Peaks country and on
one expedition while alone in camp he was attacked by
six Apache Indians whom he repulsed though he sustained
a severe wound in one leg. He was taken to the hospital
at Fort McDowell where he was confined by his injury for
nearly five months.
In 1872 he bought of the original settler and filed with
the land office the tract of land where he later built
his home and where he resided till his death. In 1877 he
bought another tract immediately north which now forms the
Capitol addition to the city of Phoenix. His business
since coming into the possession of this real estate has
been that of farming which he has followed successfully,
having acquired a competence for his later years. He was
not married and his only relatives here are a nephew, M.D.
Novinger and the wife and children of the latter who have
resided on the farm with him for many years. Mr. Novinger
was always a stalwart democrat, a progressive citizen and
was honored and respected by all who knew him. He was one
of the men to whose early efforts is due the transformation
of this valley from a wilderness to a garden spot, the
abiding place of a happy and prosperous people.
Mr. Novinger was of French descent on his father's side,
his grandfather having been a large land owner in
Pennsylvania in the revolutionary days and a gentleman
of leisure but a strong advocate of colonial independence.
His father was a wheelwright and later a bridge contractor,
the father of eight children, of whom six were boys. One of
them died in Mexico during the Mexican War while serving
his country. Three other, one a captain served in the
union army, one of them dying in the service and another
brother is now farming in Kansas.
Simon Novinger while a young man, traveled extensively in
the east and in 1863 started across the plains to Nevada
but changed his course to Virginia City, Montana by reason
of a gold excitement there. He spent sometime there, then
visited Nevada, Idaho, Oregon and British Columbia settling
in 1868 in Stockton California. From there he went to
Visalla and from that section he came to Phoenix.
STEPHEN OCHOA
Arizona Republican Newspaper
July 10, 1904
A tragedy was enacted on South Meyer Street, Tucson, on
Sunday evening. Steve Ochoa, one of Tucson's most prominent
citizens, was shot down in cold blood by Emmanuel Borquez,
one of his employees. The citizen thus describes the incident:
The shooting occurred in Manzo & Ochoa's Store about 6
o'clock. The shot took effect in Mr. Ochoa's left leg,
just above the knee. The wound was pronounced most
serious at the time and possibly fatal. There was just
one person, other than the principals in the store when
the fatal shot was fired. R.D. LePine, Manager of the
store, was present and came to Mr. Ochoa's assistance
immediately. He saw at a glance that the wound was
serious and leaping into a buggy he made a mad dash
down Stone Avenue for medical aid. Five physicians,
Drs. Burton, Purcell, Whitmore, Olcott and Lennox
responded quickly to the call.
After a hasty examination the doctors pronounced the
wound as most serious and declared that the limb would
have to be amputated above the knee. The ball entered
the leg just above the joint, shattered the kneecap and
took a downward course through the marrow of the bone,
splitting it as it went. The bone was shattered almost
from the knee to the ankle. The bullet finally lodged
in the foot.
Mr. Ochoa has been doing a big contracting business
here lately and had been employing a large number of
Mexican laborers. Steve had been in the habit of
paying his employees whenever they desired and the
men usually drew their money every evening. It appears
that Borquez had been on a spree the previous evening
and ran out of money. He went around to the store on
Sunday afternoon for the purpose of making a draw. He
did not find Steve on the first visit so he returned
toward evening. Mr. Ochoa seeing that the man was
under the influence of liquor, evidently refused to
comply with his request. The refusal seemed to fill
Borquez with rage and he entered the saloon in the
rear of the store, where he told some of his friends
that he was going to kill Steve Ochoa. With this
end in view Borquez went over to his little shack
on South Main Street and returned with an old style
45-90 rifle of the Springfield pattern. The assassin
passed through the saloon unnoticed by those present
and entered the store. He leveled the gun at the
two men behind the desk. Mr. Ochoa took in the
situation and rushed from behind the counter in a
vain attempt to frustrate the avowed purpose of his
assailant. He seized the barrel of the rifle, but
instead of throwing it upward or sideways he passed
it downward and as the muzzle reached his knee Borquez
fired. The man, then leisurely left the place.
Constable Pacheco and Deputy Antonio Bravo happened to be
in the neighborhood and hearing the shot hurried to the
scene. They followed the assassin to his home on South
Main Street and arrived just in time to prevent his
flight. Borquez had a horse all saddled and was about
to quit the country when intercepted by the officers.
He was locked up in the county jail but was too intoxicated
last evening to realize the awfulness of his crime.
Borquez is about twenty four years old and had been in
the employ of Mr. Ochoa for several years.
Mr. Ochoa expired about 11 o'clock last evening surrounded
by his family and a few friends.
