Miguel Barba, the drug clerk, was the sole victim of the
excursion to Mesa last Sunday. His death was sudden and
terrible. At one instant he was laughing and animated by a
day which he had given up to pleasure. At the next he lay
crushed, bloody and senseless on the ground. Though his death
was witnessed by a dozen men no two agree upon the exact
manner of it.
The tragedy occurred three miles this side of Mesa about 5:45
o'clock. Barba was riding on the front platform of the first
coach, a combination passenger and baggage car. Barba had been
warned by persons on the platform of the nearness of telegraph
poles on the track. He had escaped several others and might
have escaped the one that killed him but for a suspected
accident which in itself would have thrown him from the train.
As to this nobody is certain. What happened, happened so quickly
and the end was so terrible that the immediately preceding
incidents were blurred. It is suspected, though that he had
seized a sunflower stalk which was so tough and strong and his
grasp was so firm that he was thrown from his balance and was
actually falling from the car when the momentum carried him
against the telegraph pole.
The body was brought to town and viewed by a coroner's jury
impaneled by Justice Johnston. The inquest was concluded
yesterday morning and a formal verdict described the manner in
which death had come to Barba.
The funeral took place yesterday afternoon at 4 o'clock from the
Catholic Church. Candles were lighted and a smoking censer was
swung over the coffin and a priest chanted in place above the
remains of a young man who less than twenty four hours before
was filled with strength and gayety. The hearse was preceded
to the grave by both the Pioneer and Capital City Bands and a
squad from Company BNGA. Beside it walked the pall bearers and
several young women bearing wreaths of flowers and there
followed a long procession of carriages.
There was an affected scene at the cemetery. The bands were
playing a dirge as the coffin was lowered into the grave. The
mother and a sister of the young man for the first time gave
way to demonstrate woe. His sweetheart crossed over to
comfort them and she, too, caught the infection of grief.
When it had all died away the military squad fired a salute
over the grave.
The deceased was 27 years old. He leaves a mother and two
sisters, one of whom is Mrs. Dan Sidel. He came from Tucson
to Phoenix a year ago where he had been court interpreter, a
member of the Philharmonic Band and a member of one of the two
military companies.
JOSEPH BEAUVAIS
May 28, 1897
The coroner's inquest in the case of Joseph Beauvais, the boy
drowned on Wednesday afternoon was concluded yesterday. The
verdict decided the drowning was accidental. The funeral took
place at 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon.
ERASTUS BERNARD
January 19, 1897
Erastus Bernard died yesterday morning at the Central Hotel
after an illness of nearly a year. He had lived in the country
four years and is supposed to have a brother in Kansas City. A
telegram was sent to the chief of Police of Kansas City yesterday
but no reply was received. In the absence of any advice the body
will be buried at ten o'clock this morning. The dead man was forty
five years old. His possessions consist of a small tract of land at
Gila Bend and a team of horses and a wagon.
FRANK BERRY
May 30, 1897
A man known as Frank Berry, though that was not his name, died
last night, a suicide. His death occurred at the Five Points
Corral. The cause of death was an overdose of morphine. Justice
Johnstone as coroner, took charge of the body, which will probably
be buried today and the inquest which was begun last night will
be concluded on Tuesday.
It was believed by his associates at the corral that Berry was
suffering from morphine poisoning early yesterday morning. They
sent for Dr. A.M. Tuttle, who administered strong antidotes
against the will of Berry. The doctor believed then that he would
survive. Berry said he had taken the poison the night before.
He had a one-eighth ounce bottle in which there remained about
ten grains. Some time after the doctor left him he began sinking
in spite of the strong restoratives that had been administered.
The doctor visited him frequently during the afternoon and when
he saw him last he seemed brighter, his pulse stronger and his
breathing more regular than it had been any time during the day.
His collapse, though, was very rapid and death was sudden.
Berry was a mystery. He came to Phoenix about three years ago.
He as of robust appearance notwithstanding he was suffering
from pulmonary and heart trouble for which he was sent to the
hospital. He was known as Big Frank and for months after he
came was called Frank. One of his friends one day happening to
remember that he had never heard his surname asked him what it
was. Berry hesitated and finally said, "Berry" but a moment
later added, "That is my Arizona name." He would never after
that speak of the past. When the doctor aroused him yesterday
morning, he told him that death was possible if not probable
and asked him if he wished to disclose his real name and his
relatives. He said he did not.
Asked the doctor, "Is it because of your misfortune or because
you have done something you ought not have done?"
Berry said he had done something he should not have done. He
refused to say whether he had any relatives living and all
further inquiries regarding his past were met by an impatient,
"I do not wish to discuss that."
When he was dead a letter was found in his bed. Both the address
and the signature was gone, but it was gathered from the contents
that the writer was his sister and she had not seen him for seven
years.
June 1, 1897
The funeral of Frank Berry, the suicide, took place yesterday
afternoon. The coroner's jury will render a verdict this morning.
Nothing more has been learned of Berry's real name of the
former place of living.
Dr. Mahoney says once while he was at the hospital, he told him
he had come from Missouri and that he had a sister, his only
relative living there. He told another man that his home was
in Kentucky. There is an impression, though no one can explain
how it was gained, that his sister lives at Stockton, Cal.
Berry's age was supposed to be about 26; that is based, though,
on a statement he made once that he was a baby at the time
of the Chicago fire.
June 2, 1897
The inquest upon the death of Frank Berry, the suicide was
concluded yesterday. The jury found that Berry, though that
was an assumed name, came to his death from morphine, self
administered with suicidal intent. He was about 30 years old
and his place of nativity was unknown. The following letter
from wihch both the address, date and signature had been torn
away was found in Berry's bed after his death.
"To our own dear brother--if at first you don't succeed, try,
try agian. Yes I will try again. Tonight I fell that I must
write to you. We have been thinking so much of you and wishing
so much to see you that I must write once more. If only to
tell you how much I love you. Ah, Frnak, do you think because
I have not seen you for seven years that I have forgotten how
much I love you. Sometimes it seems a hundred years and then
it seems but yesterday since you kissed me goodbye in the
and just think five more days and it will be two years we were
married. Two of the happiest years of my life. Oh, I wish I
could tell you what a dear, good husband I have. We are so
happy. We have our little cares and crosses to be sure, but no
quarrels or cross words. Our little home we built this fall;
it is small and neat and plain but we are so happy and Frank
there is room for you and you will not spoil our happiness,
only add to it. Dear brother, Paul wants you to come, only
say---.
W.A. BLACK
April 4, 1897
The will of W.A. Black was admitted to probate yesterday. His estate
consists of insurance policies. Black whose home was in Kentucky,
died here a month ago. His brother J.W. Black is here engaged in
the settlement of his affairs.
JAMES A. BRIGGS
January 22, 1897
James A. Briggs, a lawyer of New York, died in this city late on
Wednesday night. The direct cause of death was acute pneumonia,
complicated by disease of the heart. Mr. Briggs came here several
weeks ago on account of tubercular trouble. He was thirty four
years of age and had lately been admitted to junior partnership
in a prominent New York legal firm. He leaves a wife who was with
him.
