Bisbee -- Asa T. Hoy, former business manager of the Bisbee
Review and William Bockholt, a Linotype operator were murdered
at 2:00 this morning in the machine room of the Review by
William Pfankuck, a printer from Douglas. The tragedy is the
culmination of a strike of three weeks ago by the members of
the local union against the Review.
The strike had its origin in a change by which Hoy surrendered
the position of business manager and took a place at one of the
machines. It was afterward decided that as a part owner of the
paper he had that right under the rules of the union.
Pfankuck entered the machine room unobserved and took a
position behind Bockholt and Hoy who were seated side by side
at the machines. He first shot Bockholt in the back and before
Hoy could defend himself he, too, was shot in the back, falling
from his chair dead. Bockholt sprang form his chair and
running to the business office, fell dead.
There were two other occupants of the room, Miguel Arabelo,
the make-up and a boy, Lee Hamilton, employed in setting heads.
The murderer fired at Arabelo who ran. Pfankuck took a shot at
the boy and then started in pursuit of Arabelo who escaped by
sliding down an elevator cable, though fired at as he was
descending.
The firing attracted the attention of Officer Wilmoth, who,
when he appeared, received a shot in the arm. This emptied
the revolver and Pfankuck surrendered to Officer Henry Odall
who by this time appeared on the scene.
The manner of Pfankuck was cool; he betrayed no excitement.
He assured the officer that he was not crazy, saying "This is
not a Harry Thaw case." He said he had killed Hoy and two or
three others; he had shot at everything he could see. Pfankuck
was hurried across the country to the county jail at Tombstone.
Hoy came to Bisbee about six years ago and had been connected
with the Review ever since. He was a gun man himself; had
killed a man in Texas but had been acquitted on the grounds
of self-defense.
Bockholt lived at Covington, Kentucky and had been in Bisbee
only three days. Not a great deal is known of the murderer.
He had been employed in the newspaper offices here but after
the trouble at the Review office he worked at Douglas. It is
reported that some years ago he killed a man at Fort Riley,
Kansas, was sentenced to the penitentiary for life, but not
long after was released by pardon. It was the opinion of
those who talked with him after the killing this morning that
he was insane. He is 27 years of age.
SAM BONE
November 6, 1909
Sam Bone, formerly and for many years a resident of Phoenix
died at Superior yesterday morning from typhoid fever, after
an illness of two weeks. The news of his death will come as a
great shock to his numerous friends in Phoenix and throughout
the territory. He probably had more good friends--more loyal
friends-more friends who would swear by him, than almost any
young man in Arizona. He was honest, straightforward and
conscientious, a man of exemplary habits, considerate of his
fellowmen and with never an ill word for anyone.
Mr. Bone was a son of Mr. and Mrs. T. Bone of this city and
was nearly 25 years old. He was born in Cleburne, Texas but
came to Arizona with his parents early in life. He graduated
from the Phoenix schools and held a number of positions of
trust with mining companies throughout the territory. He was
also for nearly two years in the employ of the local railroad
companies in the city traffic offices. On February 15, 1909
he was married to Miss Flora J. Lamson, a Phoenix girl and
immediately moved to Superior where he entered the employ of
the Superior and Arizona Mining Company. Two weeks ago his
parents received word that he was ill with typhoid and last
Saturday his condition became so serious that his mother and
Mrs. Lamson went to him. Since that time his condition grew
steadily worse, finally resulting in death.
Bone funeral
November 7, 1909
Mrs. T. Bone, Mrs. E.M. Lamson and Mrs. Sam Bone arrived here
yesterday from Superior escorting the body of Sam Bone who
died there Friday morning. The funeral will be held this
afternoon in the parlors of Easterling and Whitney at 3
o'clock and will be conducted by Rev. Robt. S. Fisher.
Interment will be made in Evergreen Cemetery.
ROBERT BOWEN
May 20, 1909
The funeral services over the remains of Robert Bowen will be
held at Tempe this morning at 10 o'clock, after which burial
will take place in the Mesa Cemetery.
Robert Bowen is one of the very best known of the old time
residents of this section of the valley. He was recognized
as industrious, conscientious and an upright citizen. He was
61 years of age and was a native of England. He came to the
United States when 18 and at once drifted westward. He landed
in Arizona in 1872 and for the next fifteen years was at Silver
King. The mine was then in its best days and Mr. Bowen was
superintendent of it for many years. While in that capacity
he also engaged in the cattle business and after severing his
connection with the Silver King he followed the cattle business
exclusively. For nearly thirty years he was a well known cattle
man on the south side.
He is survived by his wife, two sons and a daughter. The sons
are 17 and 19 and the girl, seven years of age. He also has a
brother in Globe, a brother and sister in Utah and another
sister in California, Mrs. W.T. Brown, formerly of this place.
Mr. Bowen's death is the direct result of an injury sustained
over two years ago. While engaged in the repair of a barn, he
fell quite a distance and received an injury to his neck. He
never fully recovered though he was treated by prominent
physicians both here and in California. The injury eventually
affected his mind and he spent some little time in the insane
asylum.
JOHN C. BOYKIN
February 4, 1909
James Neal, colored, was arrested yesterday on the charge of
murdering John C. Boykin, colored, last Friday night at Mrs.
Thomacit Lewis' lodging house, 29 West Van Buren Street. The
warrant for his arrest which had been under contemplation ever
since the morning following the killing of Boykin, was issued
out of Justice Johnstone's court.
Though Mrs. Thomacit Lewis claimed to have killed Boykin (in
defense of her honor) the authorities are inclined to believe
that a cold blooded murder was committed and that if Mrs. Lewis
committed it she was not alone; that as a matter of fact she
did not kill Boykin. One thing that aroused suspicion at first
was the apparently studied preparations when the officer arrived
in response to a telephone message on the night of the killing
which she said had taken place just before. Officer Sullivan
who was there within two minutes found that the blood on
Boykin's forehead was partially encrusted. The body was in a
position into which it would have hardly fallen and the chairs
which had been thrown about appear to have been done so with
precision.
The story told by Mrs. Lewis that night was not entirely
satisfactory. She described how she had been dragged about
the room by Boykin, holding her with one hand while she was
pouring four shots into him. The officers were sure that a
powerful man like Boykin would never have left the revolver
hand of a small and rather frail woman like Mrs. Lewis free.
Some of her statements were not easily recognized with
possibilities and those of Neal at the inquest the next day
described events which were manifestly impossible.
A great deal was soon learned of the relations which had existed
between the woman and Boykin and the subsequent relations
between Neal and her. It was also learned that on the evening
or late afternoon before the killing, Boykin had a roll of
bills among which was one of $50. No money was found on his
body nor can it be learned that he deposited it anywhere.
Mrs. Lewis was very cool and collected on the night of the
killing and at no time since her confinement has she shown any
symptoms of uneasiness. She has spent the greater part of the
time in bed, not because she was ill, but she preferred to be
lying around.
Mrs. Lewis held on the murder of Boykin
Feb. 5, 1909
The examination of Mrs. Tomacita Lewis, charged with the murder
of John C. Boykin, was held yesterday afternoon and she was
held to answer to the grand jury under a bond of $2000. The
bond was furnished by Captain J.L. B. Alexander and Captain
George D. Christy, the former being the counsel for the accused
and the latter, Captain Alexander, partner in the practice of
law.
Among the witnesses examined yesterday were the defendant and
Neal, who is also in jail charged with the murder. John Johnson,
who, it is claimed was in bed with his wife in the same house,
when the tragedy occurred and his wife Mrs. Johnson were also
examined along with Dr. Level, a colored chiropodist, who also
claims to have been asleep in his room at the time of the crime.
