Coroner's Findings
April 21, 1905
The inquest in the case of Lou Reynolds who was found dead
in bed Wednesday afternoon, was concluded yesterday finding
that death was the result of natural causes. The only
witness examined was William Hopkins, the last man who saw
Reynolds alive. Mr. Hopkins said that Reynolds called at
the hotel about 8 o'clock on Tuesday morning as he had
often done before and asked for a room saying that he was
tired and sleepy. He looked as if he had been up all
night but was not so far as the witness could observe
under the influence of liquor. As he started upstairs
he said, "I guess I won't leave any call; I'll wake up
sometime." About 11 o'clock he came downstairs and the
witness remarked to him that he could not have slept
much. He replied that he had not but that he would go
to bed again. He took a drink of whiskey, rolled a
cigarette and asking for matches he went upstairs again.
He was not seen again until he was found dead by Charles
Rupprecht who has charge of the rooms in the Central. It
is thought that he died almost immediately after lying
down for when he was found the body was stiff and cold
indicating that death had occurred four or five hours previous.
The nature of the fatal ailment has not been discovered.
The father of Reynolds was in the city yesterday though he
was not present at the inquest. He told the coroner
though that his son had never been troubled with heart
disease. On occasions however his body was horribly
contorted by attacks of cramping.
RICHARD RHODES
December 17, 1905
Richard Rhodes, who has been teaching in one of the
Indian schools across the river, died last Thursday.
His remains will be taken back to his former home in
Atchison County Mo. by Mrs. Rhodes who will return to
the territory and resume teaching. Mr. Rhodes was
about thirty five years of age and had been engaged
in teaching here about two years.
S.L. Riley
October 1, 1905
Arizona Republican Newspaper
S.L. Riley of Douglas was murdered in Sonora, Mexico between
Montezuma and Sahuaripa. His body was identified by effects
found in his clothes, though the body was badly decomposed.
He leaves a widow and two sons in Douglas. His purpose in
going to Mexico was to secure an option on a mine. The
dead man was a member of the Prescott Lodge A.O.U.W. which
order will have charge of his funeral when the body is
brought to Douglas.
SARAH ANN ROBSON
December 2, 1905
Mrs. Sarah Ann Robson, the wife of the late President
Charles I. Robson, who was the president of the Maricopa
stake previous to his death and was succeeded by President
Collins R. Hakes, died Tuesday evening about 5 p.m. at the
home of her daughter, Mary Rogers. Mrs. Robson was in her
eighty-seventh year and had been quite sick for the past
two years. For the past year she has suffered terribly at
times from chronic and inflammatory rheumatism which
complicated with heart trouble and carried her off.
She was born in Posey County Indiana in 1829. In the
early days she came to Utah with her first husband, Eli
Curtis. She had two children as the result of her first
marriage. Later, she married Charles I. Robson, with whom
she came to Arizona in 1878.
She, up to the time that she took sick, was a worker in
the ward and stake relief society, acting as councilor
to Mrs. Mabel Ann Hakes, in the presidency of that
organization for a number of years. She was beloved
by all of the people here. She leaves a daughter and
grand-daughter, Mrs. Mary Rogers, with whom she has
lived for a number of years, Inez Williams, Eli
Curtis and Jane Thompson, who now reside at Mill
Creek Utah. Her funeral was held in the tabernacle
Wednesday at 10 a.m.
MRS. MAGGIE ROOT
Arizona Republican Newspaper
May 10, 1905
Mrs. Maggie Root died last evening at 6 o'clock at the
residence of her son, Charles Root near the Cartwright
school house west of Phoenix. She had been ill for two
or three months of a dropsical affection. The funeral
will be held at the house at 11 o'clock this morning.
Mrs. Root leaves besides her beloved husband, two sons
here, Charles and Ralph and another son, Robert who lives
in Nebraska. She was the mother also of Mrs. D.D. Crabb
who died a year or two ago. Mrs. Root was something over
sixty years of age and was held in high esteem by all her
neighbors and acquaintances. The family has lived in this
valley for the last twelve years and is well known. There
are many who will sympathize with the bereaved ones in their
affliction.
COLONEL JASPER M. ROUNTREE
Arizona Republican Newspaper
March 25, 1905
Colonel J.M. Rountree died at the Sisters Hospital yesterday
morning. He was brought to the institution few days ago
from his ranch between Tempe and Mesa where he had resided the
greater part of the time since he came to the valley nearly
thirty years ago. He had been suffering of a disease of the
heart which might have been overcome but for his advanced
age. He was seventy four. The funeral will take place
tomorrow afternoon at 3:30 from Merryman's. The services
will be conducted by Rev. Lapsley A. McAfee of the
Presbyterian Church.
Colonel Rountree was never married. He came here from
California where he emigrated from Missouri. He was the
pioneer in the business of introducing blooded horses
into the valley and until his death he was interested in
the breeding of them. He had the respect of all his neighbors
and he had lived here so long that all the people in the
valley were regarded as his neighbors.
His will was filed in probate court yesterday. The
petition accompanying the will shows that his estate
consisted of real estate of the value of $6800.00, notes
and mortgages to the amount of $6500, cash in the bank of
$483.50. The will was executed several years ago. It
provided in the first place that his whole estate should
be kept intact during the lifetime of William Ruff, an
inmate of the asylum, the husband of a niece of the testator
and the proceeds should be devoted to his maintenance. At
his death there was to be a division, the estate to be
equally shared by Albert E. Ruff and Perry C. Rountree, a
brother of the testator residing in Texas. To Frances J.
Bradley, a niece residing in California, $1000 was
bequeathed. Since the execution of the will Perry C.
Rountree has died. Marcus Jacobs was made executor of
the will.
March 27, 1905
Colonel Jasper M. Rountree, one of nature's noblemen and
frontiersman for the past fifty years, died at the Sisters'
Hospital Thursday at 3:30 p.m., March 23, 1905. Mr. Rountree
has been unwell for the past year and at times quite seriously
sick, but each time his sturdy constitution inured to stand
hardship was the master, and he recovered. But about two
months ago he had an attack of the heart and what developed
into kidney trouble from which he never recovered.
Following the first attack he was afflicted with an abscess
in the left ear from which he suffered terribly for about
three weeks, recovering somewhat. He, last Thursday, just
one week previous to his death took another severe attack
complicating stomach, heart and kidney trouble. From the
time of the last attack he seemed to know that he had his
last sickness, and although he fought death with his old
time vigor he gradually succumbed. Tuesday last, Dr.
Hawley who was waiting on him declared that he must be
taken where he could receive the very best care so he was
carefully placed on a spring cot and driven to the train
and from the train to the Sisters Hospital and placed in
the care of Dr. Thomas and a trained nurse. He stood the
trip well and his many friends were in hope that with the
careful attendance he would recover but he gradually grew
worse and died at 3:30 Thursday afternoon after suffering
terribly.
MR. RUTHERFORD
Shorty
M.C. Murray
December 22, 1905
Details of the murder of two Americans and the wounding of
two others near Diaz, Chihuahua, arrived today in a letter
from Mrs. Rutherford, wife of one of the victims. She says
the murder occurred at the home of L.H. Finstad, the Los
Angeles man and that the robbers surrounded it and knocked
at the door while the occupants were at supper. Finstad
opened the door and was struck with a rifle. He ran and
hid in a hay stack. Rutherford was shot through the
heart, M.C. Murray through the head and an unknown cow
puncher "Shorty" was wounded in the head.
The robbers stayed around until 2 o'clock in the morning
trying to open the safe or find Finstad to open it.
Both objects failed and they got no money. The two
bodies and "Shorty" were taken to Santa Rosalla. The
bodies are being embalmed and will probably reach El
Paso tomorrow. Governor Creel has sent the commander
of the rulales to pursue the robbers.
"Shorty" says he recognized the leader. Finstad is
said to be a rich miner whose home is in Los Angeles.
Murray was his brother in law and his manager. Rutherford
was a neighboring ranchman and was spending the night
with Finstad.
December 23, 1905
Dick Newton, collector for the telephone company, who came
to this city from Philadelphia, where his parents make their
home, was well acquainted with Bob Rutherford, who was
killed by desperadoes in Mexico south of El Paso, several
days ago. At one time they attended the Penn Charter
school in Philadelphia at the same time and have since
kept up the acquaintance. Mr. Newton had a letter
from Rutherford inviting him to visit him at his ranch
in Mexico this winter and Mr. Newton thought very
seriously of accepting but other matters coming up
made it impossible. The man who met death according
to Mr. Newton, was a very intelligent young man and
with his wife was very popular in the section of
Philadelphia where they made their home.
