Tombstone -- Alfred J. Bean, a native of Canada shot and
killed himself at 5 o'clock Sunday evening. He brought a
large carriage and blacksmith establishment a few months
ago and was doing a very profitable business. At present
no cause can be assigned for the act.
BLACK JACK
August 15, 1894
The petrified body of an Indian woman, known as "Black Jack"
was found yesterday afternoon on the tract of ground just
this side of the river. The discovery was made by a Mexican
who hurried back to town and notified the authorities.
Justice Kincaid impaneled a jury and went to the place where
the body had been found. It lay less than twenty feet from
the road, but was so securely concealed by bushes that its
discovery would have been accidental. As thorough an
investigation as possible was made by Dr. Dameron who
will report at the inquest at Justice Kincaid's office
at 9 o'clock this morning. The dead wagon from Randall
and Davis had been taken along to bring the body back
but the coroner decided on account of its state of
decay it was decided to bury it where it lay.
The body was identified as Black Jack, a Pima woman seen on
the streets almost daily during the last six years. She was
in town on Saturday and is also said to have been seen here
late on Sunday. Suspicions of foul play are based on the
appearance of the fracture of the skull and a rumor of a
quarrel between a Yaqui and his wife on Monday. It is said
that the woman accused her husband of having been seen with
Black Jack. The story is being investigated.
August 16, 1894
The inquest upon the death of Kowkeossa or Black Jack, the
Indian woman whose body was found on the farm on Tuesday
afternoon was resumed yesterday morning. The members of
the jury are J.C.C.H. Boone, J.W. Davenport, Frank Alley,
J.H. Newton, J.W. Bell, S.D. Lound, Dan Cannon, W.P. Lawson
and John Linahan.
Nine witnesses were examined but the testimony served only
to increase interest in the mystery.
There is little doubt that the woman was murdered. Dr.
Dameron who examined the body testified that whatever
wounds may have caused her death were inflicted on the head.
C.H. Davis, owner of the Mesa Fruit Store, testified that
Black Jack was at his store on Sunday afternoon and bought
a melon. Other witnesses saw her along the road. Manuel
Sesnia at whose house Black Jack often stopped said she was
there on Saturday morning. Another witness, a Mexican
woman, told a sensational story of an event which
occurred at her house a week ago last Sunday. On that
day Black Jack and another Indian woman stopped at her
house. In a short time an Indian was seen coming toward
the house and Black Jack hid saying she was afraid of him.
August 17, 1894
The coroner's jury yesterday decided that Black Jack came to
her death in an unknown manner. The finding was
unsatisfactory but the only one that could be obtained
under the circumstances.
George D. Beckers who lives near the place where the body
was found, testified that a Yaqui named Pedro passed his house
on Sunday evening going toward the reservation. There was an
Indian woman with him but she was not Black Jack. Pedro stopped
to talk and the woman went on and had time to go half a
miles before Pedro started to overtake her. She would
then have been a considerable distance beyond where the
body was found.
W.D. Black who lives this side of Becker's house saw a
woman in the vicinity who he was sure was Black Jack.
Woh Lee, the Chinaman, testified that he saw Pedro that evening
but denied the rest of the story.
BOHEMIA
August 25, 1894
The Journal Miner of Wednesday gives the following account
of a horrible murder near Jerome the day before.
A frightful tragedy was enacted yesterday afternoon ten
miles form Jerome on the new railroad in which Bob
Parsons cut the throat of Bohemia, a Mexican prostitute,
with whom he had until a few days ago been living. The
particulars are very meager, but enough was learned
previous to the departure of the stage to show that the
crime was one of the most fiendish and cowardly. The
victim a few days ago discarded Parsons and stealing
upon her as she slept in a tent, almost severed her head
from her body.
Parsons name will be recalled by many in Prescott who knew him
only as a drunkard and good for nothing man who has slumbered
in jail half a dozen times on as many charges for his
quarrelsome disposition.
Deputy sheriff Roberts immediately arrested the murderer and
has him in custody at Jerome awaiting the arrival of Deputy
Merritt who left this evening.
The deceased woman was but 23 years old and had been in
Jerome for some years.
THOMPSON BRANAGH
March 9, 1894
Thompson Branagh, a former employee of The Republican, died
last Tuesday at Yuma of pneumonia. The deceased was a most
exemplary young man and his death is regretted by a large
circle of friends in Phoenix.
JIMMIE BRIDGER
March 20, 1894
Little Jimmie Bridger, aged three, a son of Mr. and Mrs. James
Bridger, living one and one fourth miles northeast of the city
died early on Sunday morning of hydrophobia.
The little boy was bitten by a greyhound nearly two months
ago. The dog was one which had been left in the care of
C.F. Ainsworth. It suddenly disappeared and was not heard
from until word of its attack on the little boy reached town.
After leaving the Bridger place it killed chickens at several
ranches and was finally killed two miles farther out the road.
Dr. Helm, who was called to attend the little boy, found him
suffering from a laceration over the right eye, and a large
section of skin torn away. The wound was dressed and two
days later the little patient turned blind and his arms
swelled to extraordinary size. During this period he kept
moaning "poor doggie blind too."
Later he recovered his usual health and nothing apparently
remained of the painful incident but an unsightly scar.
In the meantime the history of the dog had been investigated
and from all that could be learned it was believed that the
dog was not suffering from rabies and the parents of the
little boy no longer felt uneasiness as to the result of
his misadventure.
Last Saturday morning he was seized with convulsions which
increased in intensity with the day. Toward night other signs
of hydrophobia became manifest, aversion to water, frothing at
the mouth, etc. His apparent suffering was indescribable until
early the next morning when death released him.
The funeral took place yesterday morning. This is the second
victim of hydrophobia within a year, both small children.
J.S. BRYAN
July 29, 1894
Early yesterday morning a wagon containing three men passed
the Five Points. One of the occupants lay on a cot of straw
and clothing moaning in pain. Suddenly the sick man cried
"Stop" as he had cried a hundred times during the long night
journey. The men in the front of the wagon looked around.
Their sick companion was gasping horribly and a moment
later the wagon contained two living men and a corpse.
The dead man was J.S. Bryan, who arrived from Republic,
Missouri. A few days ago he arrived at the house of a
Mr. Crouch, one and one half miles southwest of Mesa.
He was in extreme ill health and began taking treatment
of a local physician. He soon became discouraged and
desired to be taken to the county hospital. At 10
o'clock on Friday night two farmers named Vance and
Stevenson set out with him for the hospital. A wagon was
arranged in the most comfortable manner but the progress
was slow, as every unevenness in the road produced groans
from the sick man. The terrible journey lasted seven
hours and ended with the night and the life of the
patient.
A coroner's jury consisting of H.C. McDonald, A.R. Foushee,
J.S. Byers, H.R. Leonard, Sr., J.D. Tipton, George Mintz,
A.S. Mills and P. Minor was impaneled. The deceased was
apparently about 33 years old.
Upon his person was found a letter from his brother, W.H.
Bryan, at Nevada, Mo. The letter was dated July 10 before
the deceased left home. From it is learned that he had some
property and was in urgent need to money which the brother
offered to raise by mortgaging property of his own if
necessary. There was also a receipt for $21 from Dr.
Brack but whether the money was paid for professional
services or deposited with the doctor was not stated.
Messrs. Randal and Davis have telegraphed to the brother
for instructions concerning the disposition of the body.
