Bert Hillier died at 9 o'clock last night, after an illness
lasting less than a week. He was taken to the hospital last
Wednesday and most of the time thereafter he was unconscious.
There was never at any time a strong hope of his recovery,
though on Friday night he seemed to show some little
improvement and it was thought that he might get well.
But whatever he had gained was lost by the next morning,
so that the only question was how long he would live. His
ailment was an affection of the brain. Arrangements for
his funeral will be made today. He was 43 years old and
was a native of New York. He came here about twelve years
ago, following his brother, E.H. Hillier, then cashier of
the Hartford Banking Company. The brother is now at
Juneau, Alaska, and word was sent him as soon as it
became evident that his brother's life was in danger
but it will be more than a week before a reply can be
expected. There is a sister living in Rochester, N.Y.
and she was advised early of her brother's illness.
Mrs. E.T. HOWES
February 5, 1901
Arizona Republican Newspaper
Mrs. E.T. Howes died yesterday morning at 8:30 o'clock
at the family residence in the northern part of the
city. Mr. Howes came to Phoenix first about three
years ago from Bradford, Pa., where he was engaged
in a manufacturing business till overwork brought
on ill health. He spent a considerable part of the
time here since then. Last fall he returned
bringing with him his wife and two daughters and
two sisters. Mrs. Howes was seemingly enjoying
the best of health and came for the companionship
of her husband. Sunday morning she was stricken
with apoplexy and she sank gradually till the end.
She was a most excellent woman and during her
short residence here made many friends who
sincerely sympathize with the stricken family. The remains
will be sent to Bradford, Pa.
JOHN HOWLETT
July 21, 1901
The funeral of John Howlett was held last evening about
6:30 o'clock at the undertaking parlors of Mohn and
Easterling. Interment was made in the A.O.U.W. Cemetery.
Mr. Howlett was a pioneer in this valley, and a man
against whom nothing disparaging could be said. He
was well known and all who had the pleasure of his
acquaintance were proud to own him as a friend.
LOUIS HUMMEREICH
February 28, 1901
Prescott Journal Miner
Louis Hummereich, a former well known resident of this
county, committed suicide at Morenci a few days ago.
This information was conveyed in a private letter
inquiring about some property he was supposed to own
here, and no particulars were given. Mr. Hummereich
was formerly interested in mining in this section,
being interested with Fred Reif in some mining
properties and he held the position of mechanical
engineer at a number of mining camps. He finally
located in Prescott and with Mr. Williams started
the Prescott Machine shops. After leaving Prescott
he went to Morenci where he located a mining claim
and afterwards sold it for $7000 when he took a trip
to his native land, Germany, and his friends in Prescott
supposed that he was still there until word of his
suicide was received this morning. The letter also
speaks of his wife, which is a matter of surprise to
his Prescott friends, as he was supposed to be a single
man when here, though he may have married during his
recent visit to Germany.
PAUL HUNTINGTON
June 20, 1901
Paul Huntington died yesterday in Prescott. He was never
very strong and between three and four months ago was taken
sick with an affection of the lungs and since then he grew
constantly worse to the end. About three weeks ago he
went to Wickenburg, where he stayed a couple of weeks and
then went to Prescott where he was taken to a hospital.
Though it was known he was very sick, his friends here
were not aware of how close he was to death's door.
Paul was born in San Diego and was but nineteen years of
age and came to Phoenix fourteen years ago. He began
selling newspapers on the streets soon after and in course
of time came to be known by almost every resident and many
others who visited the city frequently. He was a good-
natured boy and was well liked. He leaves a mother, Mrs.
S. Huntington and two brothers and three sisters to mourn
his untimely death.
The remains were brought down from Prescott on this
morning's train and the funeral will be held this morning
at 10 o'clock at the Catholic Church.
MRS. ROBIN ICKE
April 15, 1901
Mrs. Robin Icke died at her home near the Indian School on
Saturday night of typhoid fever. The death is surrounded by
sad incidents. The husband of Mrs. Icke was arrested on
Saturday night, charged with insanity. The complaint
against him had been made by one of his neighbors who
said that his presence at home was calculated to retard,
if not prevent, the recovery of his wife. It was said
that he had threatened her life and the danger seemed to
be further increased by the circumstance that Icke was
adjudged of insanity last fall and was confined to the
asylum for a short time.
The report of the death of Mrs. Icke was accompanied by
a report that it might have been hastened by the violence
of her husband and an investigation was demanded. Justice
Burnett summoned a jury and viewed the remains yesterday
morning. The examination developed no indications of
violence or any other fact that death had come from other
than natural causes.
They had kept unguarded about their house, jewelry and
precious stones of unknown value, amounting anyhow to
certainly many thousands of dollars. The coroner brought
back a lot of silverware and a large leather covered casket
which contained the most varied assortment of works of the
jewelers art ever brought to Phoenix. There were yards of
pearl necklaces, some of the pearls as large as the marbles
which boys play with. There were sapphires, garnets and
all manner of precious stones. There were rings of curious
designs, the workmanship of jewelers of South Africa, Egypt
and India. Some bore large diamonds and one of them bore
such large ones and so many that a lady said Mrs. Icke
told her it had cost $450.00. There were bracelets of
solid gold and silver, bangles and whatever else delights
the feminine heart. There were large gold lockets
containing the portraits of good looking people, and
there was in a small jewel case a small faded portrait
of a very old woman. In the bottom of the lower tray,
among all this wealth, were locks of brown hair, a cheap
lead pencil with the point broken off. It had been made
in London. And there was a folded coarse paper on which
a child had drawn the rough outline of a horse and wagon.
Later in the day, a lady who knew Mrs. Icke, brought in
another installment of riches. More baskets of solid
silver and another which was locked and without a key.
There was also a small clock of solid gold said to be worth
$1000. She said the clothing of the woman was as rich as
her jewelry and comprised of silks and sealskins in great
number. There was also a missing brooch of great value.
The dying woman and her little daughter had described it.
The child had been sent to put it away and no one had seen
it since. This is a layout which would have made the
burglars of Phoenix rich, if they had known how easily it
might have been obtained, in an isolated country house by a
dying woman and two little children.
It became evident on Saturday that Mrs. Icke could not
live and a friend who knew she had a sister living at
Birmingham England, the wife of a coal operator sent her
a cablegram. A reply was received yesterday, "If she died,
have body embalmed and hold, regardless of expense. Money
no object. Coming."
A message was sent yesterday morning informing the sister
that death had occurred but no reply had been received
last night.
The husband was sane yesterday morning when the news of
his wife's death was told to him. His grief was pitiful
and strange that it did not drive him into another paroxysm
of insanity.
Though Icke and his family have lived in the valley for
eight years, very little has been known of them. After
traveling over a considerable part of the world, they
stopped in Minneapolis where Josiah T. Harbert, who had
started an ostrich farm here, heard of Mr. Icke as an
expert handler of ostriches, a knowledge acquired in
South Africa. Mr. Harbert sent for him and he came to
Phoenix. He has since been in charge of the ostriches
until about three weeks ago when he had a disagreement
with Mr. Pearson, the present owner of the ostrich farm.
Two children mourn the loss of their mother, Winifred, a
girl of 10 and Jack, aged 13.
