Mrs. H.I. Latham died yesterday morning a little after
nine o'clock at the family residence on Central Avenue.
Her early death had been expected since Sunday but about
the middle of the week there was an improvement of her
condition and her friends were given reason to hope that
her life might be spared a little longer. On Thursday
night there was another relapse from which she never
rallied.
Mrs. Latham had been an invalid for many years. Her
ailment was a pulmonary affection on account of which
her husband brought her to this valley about five years
ago. There was an improvement of her condition but her
disease was too firmly seated to be eradicated by a
climatic change. Her last years were made easier through
and until last Sunday she was able to drive about the city.
She has left, beside her sorrowing husband and her two
little sons, Clayson W. and John F., the former six and
the latter four years of age, two brothers and two
sisters. The brothers are E.L. and George O. Von
Suessmilch of Delavan, Wis. Mrs. William Richardson,
a sister resides at the same place. Miss Lottie Von
Suessmilch was with Mrs. Latham at the time of her death.
Mrs. Latham was Miss Henrietta Von Suessmilch. She was
born at Delavan Wisconsin, twenty eight years ago, the
daughter of a prominent physician of that place. After
her marriage to Mr. Latham she went to Chicago where
she resided until she was driven by ill health to
Phoenix. She was a good Christian woman and was
loved by a large circle of acquaintances. The
funeral services will be held at the Episcopal
church this afternoon at 4 o'clock conducted by
the pastor, Rev. E.A. Penick. The pallbearers
will be L.H. Landis, Phelps A. Gilmore, J.Elliott
Walker, Oliver P. Morton, L.H. Chalmers and W.W.
Jones. The remains will be taken to Delavan for interment.
MANUEL T. LENEIQUE
September 14, 1902
Prescott--A badly decomposed body, supposed by letters
to be that of Manuel T. Leneique was found three miles
south of Seligman. The man was apparently forty years
of age and a traveler. In his right hand he still
clutched tightly a thirty eight caliber revolver, his
left hand resting under his head. One empty chamber in
the revolver and a wound near the heart told the sad
story of a suicide. By the side of the body was found
a small gold watch and $292 in gold. No relatives are
known. The body was buried at Seligman.
LIGE LETSFORD
September 27, 1902
George Wells was brought in from the Harqua Hala country
yesterday morning suffering from a gunshot wound in the
forehead and another in the left side of the body in the
region of the heart. The shooting had occurred in a
drunken affray with a man by the name of Lige Letsford,
near Harrisburg, in Yuma County. The suffering which
Wells was undergoing gave his story of the affair an
incoherency which is not very satisfying.
He said that he and Letsford, who had been good friends,
were in a saloon and had been engaged in a game of cards
in which there had been no quarrel. After the game they
were standing at the bar when Letsford pushed a rusty six
shooter toward him and told him to defend himself.
That is the old western way of laying the foundation for
a plea of self defense. Wells told Letsford that there
was no need for either of them to shoot the other, but
while he was remonstrating, Letsford fired. The bullet
struck Wells squarely in the forehead and he was
partially blinded by the stream of blood which shot
from the wound. Letsford fired again and missed but
his third shot took effect in Wells' side but instead
of penetrating the body, plowed its way underneath the
skin around it.
Wells then fired his first shot and Letsford fell
mortally wounded, the ball cutting through the
intestines. Wells tried to fire afterward at his
prostrate foe, but could not discharge the weapon.
He tried to get another but by-standers prevented him.
A local physician said that Letsford could not live.
Wells came across the country to Congress Junction and
caught the Phoenix bound train yesterday morning.
Conductor McGrath telegraphed ahead for a physician,
who met him at the train and took him to the Sisters
hospital. Before going to the hospital he was able to
sit at a lunch counter and eat a hearty meal. An
operation for removal of the bullets was performed
yesterday afternoon. The bullet in the forehead had
penetrated to some depth below the skull.
TOM LEWIS
August 10, 1902
Tom Lewis was stabbed by Billy Miles at 4 o'clock this
afternoon at the Burke Hotel. Both were drunk and
quarreling over the election. Lewis is not expected
to live till morning. Miles tried to escape after
stabbing Lewis but was captured before he had gone
five blocks.
CHARLES LIVINGSTON
May 3, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper
Benson -- James Shepard shot Charles Livingston today at
4 p.m. Shepard had been drinking and Livingston, in
trying to put him to bed, accidentally scratched Shepard's
face with his thumb nail. Shepard thought it was done
intentionally and ran behind the bar, got a revolver and
shot Livingston over the heart. Livingston walked across
the room twice and fell. He was taken to his room, where
he died at 7:30. The remains will be sent to Kansas.
When Shepard was arrested he was still under the
influence of liquor. The two men had been good
friends until the shooting occurred.
Livingston had for several years been a resident of
the Salt River Valley. The first story of the
shooting came in a telegram to R.F. Doll, from Charles
Morath, his fast friend, late in the afternoon. It
contained the bare fact of the shooting and the
statement that Livingston could not live. The
dead man had many friends in the city and all over
the valley and the news of his death was received
with general regret. He came here from Kansas
almost ten years ago and engaged in farming. He
was at one time the proprietor of the Enterprise
Dairy. He owned a farm west of the city and
other property in the valley.
About three months ago he went to Benson in company
with Mr. Morath and a young man named Fletcher. He
was doing well and frequent reports of his prosperity
were received by his acquaintances here with gratification.
Of the man who killed him nothing is known but he is
supposed to be a gambler who came from Brownwood Texas
where he had trouble a half dozen years ago.
Livingston was about thirty one years of age and
was a native of Iowa. He had a married sister
living here but she is now residing somewhere in
California.
May 4, 1902
J.J. Cottrell returned yesterday morning from Benson.
He saw Charles Livingston killed there on Friday
afternoon by James Shephard. Mr. Cottrell was
standing within a few feet of the murderer when he
fired the fatal shot. It was the most horrible
tragedy he ever witnessed. Shephard had been drunk
for three weeks. Livingston had been taking care of
him and as stated in the special telegram to the
Republican yesterday morning, was trying to put him
to bed when Shephard killed him.
Livingston's Estate
May 10, 1902
Frank Livingston, of Oberlin, Kansas, a brother of
Charles Livingston, who was murdered at Benson a week
ago yesterday by James Shephard, arrived in town
yesterday to arrange the affairs of his brother in
this territory. While the greater part of Livingston's
estate lies in this county, he claimed Cochise County
as his home, so that the settlement of the estate will
be transferred to that county. The estate here is
worth about $3000 consisting of $600 in the bank and
some real estate. Livingston also owned a house and
lot in Benson.
The members of his family are his father, Horace
Livingston, residing at Oberlin, Kansas, his mother
Bridget Livingston, who lives in Chicago, his brother
Frank who lives in Oberlin and a sister Emma
Livingston of Pasadena Cal., a former resident of
Phoenix.
There are several half brothers and sisters, Stephen
Ryan of Fayette, Ia., Maggie Williams, of St. Paul,
Minn., and John and William Ryan whose residences
are unknown. The sudden and bloody manner of his
death inflicted a great shock upon his relatives.
