Deputy William Voice of Gil County and John Howell, son
of Judge A. J. Howell, of Tonto Basin arrived in the city
early yesterday morning with Verdunio Gonzales, the
murderer of Eugene Packard, a cattleman of Tonto Basin.
They captured Gonzales at Fort McDowell late on Saturday.
Though Gonzales says the killing was done in self defense,
it is generally believed that it was a cold blooded and
unprovoked murder and that Packard was shot from ambush.
Packard was a single man, of thirty five and was living
with his father and mother. He had about five hundred
head of cattle on the range and was looking after them
himself. Gonzales was a camp rustler for Longmore's
sheep outfit.
The killing took place fifteen miles east of Moore's
ranch about 6 o'clock on Thursday evening. The body
was not found until 8 o'clock on Friday morning and
the pursuit commenced at once. The pursuing party
consisted of Voice, Howell and Charley Edwards.
Longmore, who had given the first information of the
killing said that he had given Gonzales an order on
his brother near Mesa for some money. Edwards cut
across the country to Mesa and Voice and Howell
followed along the trail. They reached McDowell
in the middle of Saturday afternoon and found
Gonzales there drunk. He had arrived there the
night before.
He told his captors that he had intended to give himself
up at Mesa. He said the killing was done in self defense
and that he had not shot at Packard until after Packard
had fired at him. Packard was shot twice. The second
shot nearly cut off all the fingers of his right hand.
It is thought that when he was first shot he put his
hand to the wound and fell backward and that while he
was falling or after he had fallen the Mexican fired
again with deadly aim at the same spot. Two shots were
heard by two brothers named Webb. There were only two
shots and as Packard bore the marks of that many he
could not have fired at all. Beside, his rifle was
found in its scabbard on his horse near the body. A
man shot through the heart could not have put it there.
Packard is said to have been one of the most inoffensive
of men. He could not be forced into a quarrel and there
was no reason why he should have had a quarrel with
Gonzales. There is no special ill feeling between the
sheep men and the cattle men in that region now. The
sheep men are as anxious to get out of the country as
the cattle men are to have them get out, but they are
held in by the government which will not allow them to
cross the Black Mesa Reserve before June 15.
The killing was done with a Savage rifle .303. When
Gonzales was arrested he had no gun. He said he had
lost it before he reached McDowell. The officers had
a hard chase. They made a ride of one hundred and
ten miles in twenty four hours and in all that time
the longest stop was just as long as it took time
to remove a saddle from a jaded horse and put on a
fresh one.
Bullett that Killed Packard
June 10, 1902
Dr. S.B. Claypool and Undertaker F.L. Jones who went to
Reno to exhume the body of the late Eugene B. Packard and
recover the bullet which caused his death, returned home
last Friday afternoon. The six pieces of lead and the
metal jacket which had formed the deadly missile was
found embedded in the backbone and extracted by the
doctor. The base of the metal jacket in intact and
affords conclusive proof that it is part of a .303
Savage cartridge, the kind used by Gonzales, the
Mexican charged with the killing of Packard.
Messrs. Claypool and Jones also visited the spot where the
killing took place and were fortunate in finding the second
shell from Gonzales gun.
Gonzales has been indicted for the murder of Packard and
his trial is set for June 13th.
ROBERT PAUL
August 16, 1902
Robert J. Paul, son of ex-United States Marshall Paul,
died at St. Mary's hospital at Tucson Wednesday night.
The cause of death was an abscess on the lung from which
the young man had been suffering for time. Deceased was
thirty six years of age and has lived in Arizona from
boyhood. He was well known throughout the territory
and had many friends in this city.
VICTOR PAUL
Arizona Republican Newspaper
May 4, 1905
Victor Paul died yesterday morning at the Sister's hospital
of lung trouble. He was an exemplary young man of 22 and the
son of a prominent shoe pattern manufacturer in Cincinnati.
He came here last fall for his health but got wet in the
mountains some time ago and was taken worse, failing gradually
until the end. He was an acquaintance and a personal friend
of Frank T. Alkire of the Alkire Company and will be buried
here the funeral being held this afternoon about 3 o'clock at
the parlors of Mohn and Dorris. The body would probably be
taken east except for the unfortunate fact that the young man's
mother is very ill and his father cannot leave her to look after
the remains of his son.
RED PHILLIPS
August 9, 1902
Red Phillips died at the Gilbert house yesterday afternoon
at half past 1 o'clock after as courageous a fight for his
life as any man ever made. Everybody who knew him knew he
could not win but he thought until the last that he could.
The cause of death was consumption. He came here two years
ago afflicted with it and notwithstanding everything was done
for him that could be done, he constantly grew worse. Only
the day before his death he told a friend that he had the
disease overcome but that the struggle had nearly worn him
out.
The real name of "Red" Phillips was Hugh Scullin. He did
not change his name because he was ashamed of it, for he
had nothing to be ashamed of. He was an athlete and was
at one time a boxer of considerable reputation. Following
the custom of many men of that profession he became known
as Red Phillips. He was well liked by everybody who knew
him. He was the last survivor of three brothers born at
the same time and all of whom lived to manhood.
DR. HARLOW PHELPS
November 25, 1902
Dr. Harlow J. Phelps died about 2:30 o'clock yesterday
afternoon at his office on Adams Street of hemorrhage.
He had been ill for a long time with an affection of the
throat and lungs but never in a manner that aroused the
alarm of himself or relatives till a week ago last
Saturday when he was suddenly taken with the first
hemorrhage he ever had in his life and since then he
has been free from them but for a few hours at a time.
The physicians of the city held frequent consultations
but only temporary relief could be afforded. He was so
weakened by his first attack that it was impossible to
move him. No arrangements have yet been announced for
the funeral.
Dr. Phelps was 28 years old and was born in the city of
St. Louis. Some years ago he moved to California where
he graduated at Claremont College, shortly after
entering the Marion Simms medical college in St.
Louis. On completing his medical course he practiced
sometime in the St. Louis city hospital and later
began a general practice in that city, coming here a
little over a year ago in the hope that his own
health would be improved, which it seemed to be for a
time.
He opened an office here and became very popular with
his fellow parishioners. He was a estimable gentleman,
talented and cordial in his disposition, making many friends.
His father is dead but his mother and two sisters reside
here. One sister is Mrs. Frank T. Alkire and the other
is Miss Mabel Phelps, a teacher in the Central school.
Mr. Phelps' father is remembered by many older residents
of this city who formerly lived in the south, as a
leading cotton commission merchant of New Orleans.
E.W. Phillips
April 13, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper
The funeral of Elbert W. Phillips will be held at the
parlors of Mohn and Easterling this afternoon at 2:30
o'clock. Mr. Phillips was 32 years old and came here
about five years ago from Wisconsin. He was in poor
health and began ranching west of the city, in which
occupation he seemed to improve until recently when
he caught cold while irrigating and died after an
illness of some length. He leaves a wife and mother
here to mourn his death, beside a large number of
friends made since his residence in the valley.
