Last Friday night Tomas Relles loaded up with firewater,
shouldered his trusty gun and went in search of Dutch
Keppler. He found him, says the Morenci Standard, and
the coroner's jury says he came to his death from wounds
caused by stopping eleven buckshot. Keppler was exonerated
on the ground of self defense.
Their trouble was of long standing. Keppler once arrested
Relles on a complaint sworn out by his wife. He was sent
to jail for fifty days. When released he again lived with
his wife until a short time ago, when she left him,
believing that he would kill her. She rented a house
close to Keppler's and left her children there, but
went to Keppler's to sleep for security, being a friend
of the latter's wife.
Friday night Dutch was engaged at court and was warned
that Relles was laying for him. He went home and was
told that Relles had been calling for him outside.
Soon Relles called again from some distance away from
the house. Dutch armed himself with the shotgun, gave
a revolver to a boy and went out. It was dark and he
could see nothing, but heard Relles on the bank above
and called to him to come down. The latter called out
that he was coming down and sent a shot as a foreruner.
Kepler was afraid to fire for fear of doing other
damage. Finally Relles started to run and Keppler
headed him off and told him to give up. He refused
and began to shoot. Keppler couldn't see him, but
fired in the direction of the flashes, striking him
in the hip and side with eleven buckshot. He was
taken to the hospital where he died at 3 o'clock the
next day and was buried Sunday.
MILTON ROY RICE
May 18, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper
One of the saddest incidents that can ever take place
occurred last evening about 7:15 o'clock at Phoenix Park,
when Milton Roy Rice, the twelve year old son of Mr. and
Mrs. L.J. Rice was accidentally shot in the head and so
seriously that he died two hours later.
Mr. and Mrs. Rice live in a house at the east end of the
car line and Mr. and Mrs. Bunce and their son, thirteen
years old, live in a house just inside the park, Mr.
Bunce having a general supervision of affairs there and
keeping a refreshment stand at the park entrance.
Mr. Bunce has been ill for a day or two and about 7
o'clock last evening Mr. and Mrs. Rice went to call
on him leaving their son Roy at home. It transpired
that he followed them as far as the park gate, for a
few minutes later, Mr. Rice heard a shot and running
out of the Bunce residence he found his son lying
with his feet against the refreshment stand and his
head away from it. The lad was unconscious from the
moment the gun was fired. He was placed on a cot and
taken home, a distance of only a few hundred feet.
Dr. Swetnam and Dr. Stroud were summoned. The former
was the first to reach the bedside of the dying boy.
Dr. Stroud was not in his office and Dr. Craig
answered his call, arriving a few minutes later.
But there was nothing he could do for it was apparent
from the dilated pupils, swollen eyes and the course
of the bullet that human skill could avail nothing.
The bullet was from a 22 rifle and entered the top of
the head at the left median line, just above the
forehead and about an inch back in the hair.
Just how the accident occurred will probably never be
known. The only eye witness was Frank Bunce, the
playmate and bosom friend of the dead boy. They had
had no quarrel and Frank was so excited over the
incident that if he really knew how it happened he
could not tell last night. He said last night that
as soon as he saw Roy fall he ran to him and spoke
but there was no answer and then putting his hands
over his face, he ran weeping toward the house where
he met Mr. Rice running out. There were conflicting
stories last night, each one largely a supposition of
the relater as to how it might have happened.
It is supposed that Frank was behind the counter and
Roy in front of it. He said the weapon was in no ones
hands and that it was leaning against the wall with
the safety catch applied that it fell down and was in
some manner discharged. Whether it was sitting on the
counter or down on the ground could not be learned.
In any event Roy must have been leaning toward the gun,
else the bullet could not have penetrated the top of his
head. But however it happened, Frank is exonerated
from blame as it is said by those who were first on
the scene that he did not have the gun in his hands and
that there was no quarrel between the two boys. Frank
is suffering anguish over the loss of his favorite
playmate.
Roy Rice is spoken of by all who know him as a most
exemplary boy and as he was well known he had a host
of friends in the city, both old and young. His grief
stricken parents will of course have the sincere
sympathy of all, as well as the members of the Bunce
family, who while blameless in the matter, are
necessarily unpleasantly connected to the distressing
occurrence.
Funeral
May 20, 1902
The funeral of Milton Curtis Rice, the twelve year old
son of Mr. and Mrs. L.J. Rice, who died last Saturday
night from an accidental gun shot wound, took place at
10:30 yesterday morning in the lecture room of the
Presbyterian Church. In the absence of the pastor of
the church, Dr. McAfee, the services were conducted by
Rev. H.B. Mayo, assisted by Rev. Geo. F. Sevier. Not
only the lecture room of the church but the auditorium
was well filled, for the dead boy was greatly loved and
the manner of his death had made it seem the more
sorrowful. The addresses of the pastors were touching
and instructive. A quartette composed of Dr. J.C.
Norton, L.W. Coggins. Miss Utley and Mrs. Embree sang.
The most touching incident of the services was the tribute
paid the memory of the dead boy by his schoolmates. As
they passed the coffin to look upon the face which
seemed to be rather that of one sleeping than of one
dead, each dropped flowers beside the bier. They were
afterward gathered up in great armfuls.
Dr. W.D. RICE
January 28, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper
The many friends of the Rev. Dr. W.D. Rice, late pastor
of the First Christian Church of Phoenix will learn with
sorrow and regret of his death, which occurred at the old
home in Nicholasville, Kentucky on Saturday last, at
5 p.m. Dr. Rice assumed the pastorate of the church
in Phoenix in October 1900 and remained till the
following August, when failing health compelled him
to cease preaching and seek a rest. He had been
suffering from a complication of disorders for some
years past, and came to Phoenix hoping that a milder
climate might benefit him but his ailment was not such
as could be affected by climate and his decline
continued.
Dr. Rice was a man of education and refinement and was
considered one of the ablest men in his church, having
held several of the largest pastorates in the central
states before his health failed. The sympathy of the
entire community will go out to Mrs. Rice and son
William who are left to mourn the death of a devoted
husband and kind father.
CHARLES RIDGEWAY
Arizona Republican Newspaper
July 4, 1902
Charles Ridgeway died yesterday, July 3 at his rooms in
this city of consumption after a long illness. He was
born January 15, 1853 in the Island of St. Thomas, Danish
West Indies. His brother arrived here yesterday morning
from the east and will leave for Chicago on tonight's M & P
train escorting the remains. Interment will be made at
Graceland Cemetery.
J.T. RILEY
February 9, 1902
Arizona Republican Newspaper
Another of those deplorable tragedies for which Clifton is
becoming notorious occurred at the Richelieu Saloon Monday
night which terminated in the death of J.T. Riley, a
traveling photographer, who had been residing in north
Clifton for the past two months, says the Copper Era.
From the best information obtainable it seems that Riley
was drinking heavily and while in the Richelieu made some
remark to Mrs. J.O. McIntosh who runs a crap game in the
house to which her husband took exception. Words followed,
when McIntosh knocked Riley down, then jumped on him with
both feet and also kicked him in the stomach. Parties
present caught McIntosh and forced him to desist when a
scuffle ensued, and it is said that more trouble of a
serious nature as prevented by the timely interference
of the proprietor of the house. Riley was found to be
unconscious and was taken to the hospital where he died
yesterday afternoon.
At the time it was not thought that the injuries would
prove fatal. Tuesday morning, however, Constable Hamilton
swore out a warrant for the arrest of McIntosh who had gone
to Morenci to look after some gambling games in which he
was interested. The constable followed him to Morenci but
found that he had voluntarily surrendered to Deputy Sheriffs
Hobson and Keppler who brought him to Clifton Wednesday
morning.
McIntosh waived his preliminary examination and was remanded
to jail without bail.
McIntosh and his wife arrived in Clifton about a year ago.
They are professional gamblers and have been very
successful, being interested in several games in town
and also in some of the games in Morenci. McIntosh is a
native of Arizona and is one of the most widely known
gamblers in the territory. But little is known of
Riley. He was originally from San Francisco but has
been in the territory some years.
