RECONNOITERING IN THE EASTERN SIERRA NEVADA & GREAT BASIN
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Law & Order
Life and Death
In the Great Basin – Inyo County, California

Historical News of Misdemeanor, Felony and Internment
Death and Near Misses by Natural Causes, Accidents and Human Hand

compiled from newspaper research
by David A. Wright


Newspaper List
Beatty Bullfrog Miner – Beatty, Nevada [was called the Bullfrog Miner during first two months of publication – not to be confused with the Bullfrog Miner, of Rhyolite, Nevada]
Inyo Independent
– Independence, California
Inyo Register – Bishop, California
Rhyolite Herald – Rhyolite, Nevada


All new additions to this page will be noted by this symbol --

Latest Additions: 08/05/2008


Inyo County, California
(Items in Which No Definite Township is Named or Locations Outside the Scope Covered on This Website that have a connection with areas within)



Note: Newspaper articles quoted will be formatted in Courier New font with white background to simulate newspaper formatting.


Newspaper Articles
1870
Inyo Independent
, September 19, 1870
"DETERMINED PURSUIT"
Summary: Horses were stolen from Inyo County Sheriff Elder. He dispatched his deputies to go on the southern road, but he himself started northward. He rode to Bishop Creek and lost his fugitives, so he returned to Big Pine. There he crossed the river and the Inyos and into Deep Springs Valley. He eventually tracked the horsethieves to Treasure City in the White Pine District in Nevada.

Inyo Independent, September 26, 1870
"RECOVERED"
“We are pleased to announce the almost complete recovery of our talented young friend, Mr. Fennel from his late indisposition, which at one time threatened information of the brain. He has resumed his duties at Swansea, slinging ink and balancing bullion accounts, at which, when in good health, Mr. Fennel has no superior.”


1871
Inyo Independent
, August 19, 1871
"DIED."
“A letter from the Resident Surgeon of the Insane asylum, addressed to Judge Hanson, contains the news of the death of John T. Ryan, recently sent there from this county. We believe the immediate cause was from an abscess in the liver, although his death from general debility was daily expected. The deceased had a sister residing in St. Louis, Mo. Poor Ryan was a brilliant but erratic genius, always in his little troubles, but possessed of an inexhaustible fund of humor. He was a brilliant imaginative writer, as a great many of his effusions now before us will testify - but through all was noticeable the little eccentricities which culminated in the dethronement of reason and final dissolution.”


1874
Inyo Independent
, December 9, 1874
“During the past week two children of Mr. McGee, the eldest about four years of age, died suddenly in Round Valley. The disease was something resembling scarlet fever.”


1884

Inyo Independent, August 9, 1884
Summary: Steven G. Gregg reimbursed $42.40 for his salary as Sheriff of Inyo County; as well as another $90 for his duties as jailer.

Inyo Independent, September 24, 1884
Summary: The body of a miner, who was from the Keynot Mine in the Inyo Range, was found near Coyote Holes in the Indian Wells Valley.


1899
Inyo Register
, January 12, 1899
"ROUGH EXPERIENCE."
Summary: John B. Clark met with a narrow escape from death, coming down with a load of ice from McGee Meadows. On nearing Birch Creek, the team could not hold back the wagon, the road being icy and steep. The wagon hit a boulder, throwing him out of the wagon, knocking him unconscious; the wagon stopped just before rolling over him. Nobody knows why the wagon stopped when it did, possibly because Mr. Clark either shouted at the team when he flew out of the wagon; or possibly it was that Luther Olds, who was behind him in another wagon, managed to stop them by shouting at the team.

Inyo Register, March 2, 1899
"RECORD OF DEATH"
Summary: O.K. Berry, of Oasis, California, is dead. He is a pioneer of the Fish Lake Valley, living there for more than a quarter century. His last request was to be buried on the N.T. Piper ranch.

Inyo Register, March 23, 1899
Summary: Death of Nathan Smith. He came to Inyo from Eureka, Nevada.


1905
Inyo Register
, January 19, 1905
"POCO LOCO."
“Sheriff Collins came into town the early part of the week. He reports all quiet further south. The chief care just now is the surveillance of Jaun [sic] Andrada, a Mexican who is believed to be somewhat unbalanced mentally. The man has been an inmate of the county hospital and has left there three times, once getting as far as George's Creek, once to Lone Pine, and once to Keeler, on foot. He is held pending examination.”

Inyo Register, January 26, 1905
"DIED."
“In San Jose, Cal., Jan. 20, 1905, D.E. Gish, father of D.W., A.E., E.E., T.U., and J.L. Gish, and of Mrs. M.H. Hughes, Mrs. Emma Herrick, and Mrs. Ida M. Brand, a native of Indiana, aged 75 years.”

Inyo Register, February 9, 1905
"DEATH OF E.D. SUITS."
“Elihu D. Suits, who was known to many here either personally or by reputation, died in Douglas, Arizona, January 18, of abscess of the liver. He, with his brothers, was at the El Tigre mine, of which he was a large owner, in Sonora, Mexico, when he was taken ill. He was taken thirty miles by team, then a long journey by rail before being able to have the needed care, but after his arrival at the hospital everything possible was done for him, but to no avail.
Mr. Suits married Miss Mary A Jones, daughter of the late Mr. and Mrs. John E. Jones, in Round Valley in 1882. Their home since has been in Santa Monica, where they have considerable property interests. For the last three years Mr. Suits has been looking after mining interests in Mexico. Recently the family moved to Palo Alto, the oldest son and daughter having entered Stanford University. Besides these, two younger children are also left, with their mother to mourn a father who, from all accounts, was one of the best of men.
Deceased was a native of Stockton, California, aged 49 years. His wife, mother, and other relatives were at his bedside at the time of death. The funeral occurred in Santa Monica, and was the largest ever witnessed in that city. The Masons, Odd Fellows, Knights of Pythias, Eastern Star and Royal Arcanum, to all of which orders he belonged, had places in the procession and services.
Those who knew Mr. Suits speak of him in the highest terms, as a man of exceptionally high character, and his home papers fully agree in this estimate as his worth as a citizen.”

Inyo Register, February 9, 1905
"DIED"
“At Douglas, Arizona, Jan. 18, 1905, Elihu D. Suits, a native of California, aged 49 years.”

Inyo Register, February 16, 1905
"A RECORD OF ACCIDENTS."
“A Mr. White, who has been living at J.N. Newlon's place, had his arm broken a few days ago.
W. Glover Allen was brought into town Monday, suffering from a wound caused by an accidental blow of an ax. He was with the electric line survey party now working in the White mountains, and at the time of the accident was in the tree trimming it. A misdirected blow brought the ax down on his left kneecap, cutting it to an extent that it will necessitate his taking a two weeks vacation.
Geo. L. Albright met with a painful accident Thursday afternoon, threatening serious consequences to his eyesight. While trimming a timber at his mill in town, he chopped a knot with a hand-ax. The knot flew out and struck him squarely upon the left eyeball. To what extent the sight will be impaired cannot yet be determined; of course all hope that the permanent injury will be little if any.”

Inyo Register, March 16, 1905
"SHOULD BE TOLD TO MOVE ON"
“A Mexican man named Escattina committed a breech of the peace Tuesday night by a demonstration toward a young lady who was passing down the sidewalk between Underwood's and Mark & Cohn's place of business. Marshall Bradshaw was near at hand and promptly arrested him. Yesterday he pleaded guilty and was this morning was given a $50 or 50 day sentence. There was a general sentiment that he deserved the limit, but the sentence seems to have satisfied all but those most directly concerned. Escattina was a fellow who a year or two ago chopped a man with an axe in Saline Valley, which has been his headquarters until recently. For that offense he was tried and acquitted, though the impression is that the crime was a cold blooded one. More recently, he was convicted of furnishing liquor to the Indians here. Among his other offenses was flourishing a pistol in a saloon in town. Altogether, he is a man apparently capable of any crime that may become handy. It would simply be a wise measure of precaution when he is again at large to invite him to infest some other community.”

Inyo Register, March 16, 1905
"BIG PINE NEWS"
“W.G. Gothard perished in the storm March 12th while teaming from Saline to this place. A Chinaman who was with him brought the news last night. The body was brought in this morning.”

Inyo Register, March 23, 1905
“Marshal Bradshaw took Jesus Escattina to Independence Thursday night to be the county's guest for fifty days.”

Inyo Register, April 13, 1905
"DR. S.G. GEORGE DEAD"
“Dr. S.G. George, one of the earliest explorers of the mineral fields in this county died at Porterville April 2nd, after an illness of three weeks. He was the oldest brother of the late Dr. W.H. George of this place and cousin of S.G. Gregg of Big Pine, and one of a remarkably long lived family. His age at the time of death was a little over 91 years. Dr. George was born in Ohio in 1814. His father was a colonel of the Revolutionary war. At an early age, the burden of caring for the family fell upon young Samuel, who worked at different occupations until he was of age. He saved enough money to enter an Ohio medical college from which he graduated. He practiced in Cincinnati for two years when the Mexican War broke out and he entered the army as a surgeon. In 1850 he came to California, settled in Visailia in 1855, and in Porterville in 1871, making that his home since. In the spring of 1860, Dr. George and others accompanied Colonel Russ on an expedition into this region. April 20th 1860 they organized the Russ District, the first semblance of organized government on this side of the Sierras. He was elected secretary of the district, later when the movement to organize the county here was begun, Governor Lowell tendered Dr. George the position of judge, so he was stated to the writer, but the offer was declined.”


1906
Inyo Register
, March 29, 1906
Summary: Pat Keys dead. History of his life.

Inyo Register, June 28, 1906
Summary: Death of T. F. A. Conolly, who was one of the original 1861 Darwin French Party, and explored what is now Inyo County.

Inyo Independent, July 6, 1906
"Sheriff Collins and Tax Collector Shepherd got back last Monday from a trip through southern Inyo. They say that Emigrant Springs is bound to become a great camp. There is a wonderful showing of ore and there is plenty of capital enlisted to thoroughly develop the country. They returned by way of Little Lake and brought in the remains of the dead man found at Ninemile. From papers and a letter found in his clothing his identity is established as a Mexican who worked at the Soda works last winter. There is a hole in his skull that looks like bullet wound. As near as can be ascertained there were four in the party and this one met his death at the hands of the others, but the mystery will probably never be solved."

Inyo Register, July 12, 1906
Summary: Death of Inyo and Mono County pioneer, who formerly resided at Owensville and Montgomery City.

Inyo Independent, October 12, 1906
“Richard Godfrey, well known in the southern mining camps of this county, was found dead on a trail between Junction and Mountain Springs last Saturday by George Vornberg. Godfrey left Mountain Springs Thursday morning, October 4th, and his body was found on the following Saturday. The body was in an advanced state of decomposition and was buried near the place where found. Deceased was aged about 70 years.”

Beatty Bullfrog Miner, November 17, 1906
“MEXICAN SHOT.”
“At the Borax railroad grading camp in Amargosa canyon a white man shot a Mexican last week in a dispute. Justifiable shooting was the verdict, because the Mexican had drawn a knife.”

Inyo Register, November 29, 1906
"VICTIM OF THE STORM."
Summary: Death of man in the Inyo Range south of Cerro Gordo, on the Saline Valley trail.

Inyo Register, December 6, 1906
Summary: Article on the death of man reported the previous week, in the Inyo Range south of Cerro Gordo, on the Saline Valley trail. Updated with new evidence and conflicting accounts of those who were with him.

Inyo Register, December 20, 1906
“The Independent relates that R.N. of Los Angeles perished on the trail between Mount Whitney Station and the summit of the Inyo Range while on his way to the Beveridge Mines on Sunday of last week.”


1907
Inyo Register
, January 24, 1907
Summary: George Payson, of Deep Springs Valley, was found dead near Westgard Pass, face down in the snow. His cane was found still standing upright in the snow.

Inyo Independent, May 10, 1907
“George Maus brought James Wood, an insane man, in from Wild Rose Canyon yesterday."

Inyo Register, August 27, 1907
Summary: Death of Frank Conn, Saline Valley borax miner.


1908
Inyo Register
, May 21, 1908
"GOOD CITIZENS GONE: JOHN SHEPPARD AND CHARLES CLARK TAKEN HENCE."
Summary: Deaths of John Sheppard, of George's Creek, and Charles Clark. Clark was an Inyo County Sheriff's deputy.

Inyo Register, May 28, 1908
"APPALLING FOREST FIRE: MANY LIVES DESTROYED - INYO FOREST AFLAME - RANGERS UNABLE TO PREVENT DEVATSTATION - PROMOTOR OF FORESTRY CANNOT BE FOUND - WHERE WAS LIPPENCOT? - SWIRLING SMOKE SHOOTS SKYWARD - LOSS OF LIVES ESTIMATED IN THOUSANDS - DEATH VALLEY PROSPECTORS SUSPECTED - BLOOD HOUNDS MAY BE SENT FOR - MILLIONS OF ACRES SPARED - GOVERNMENT EXPERTS CAN'T ESTIMATE LOSSES - WARNING TO PEREGRINATING PROSPECTORS."
Summary: Sarcastic, scathing and biting editorial, pointing to suspected collusion between the City of Los Angeles and the United States Department of the Interior in what amounts to a land grab in the Owens Valley. Article claims that "casualties amounted to two thousand ants, butterflies and wood ticks."

Inyo Register, June 11, 1908
Summary: Two year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. C.A. Hilton burned in a rubbish fire in Round Valley.

Inyo Register, June 11, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO."
From Inyo Independent issue of June, 1872
Summary: Sheriff Mulkey returns after chasing horse thieves for six weeks. Captured thieves and in doing so found his own horses among horses that were in possession of the thieves. Sucess in the capture was bittersweet - though he found his own horses, he lost his pocket book containing $500.

Inyo Register, June 11, 1908
"RECAPTURED"
Summary: Bud Williams captured on the Deep Springs-Big Pine toll road.

Inyo Independent, June 12, 1908
"NOTICE TO CREDITORS"
Summary: Estate of Burgess T. Robinson.

Inyo Register, June 18, 1908
"SEVERAL ACCIDENTS."
Summary: Dr. Doyal called to the Nevada Power Company camp at Middle Lake on Bishop Creek to attend to a man whose leg had been crushed.

Inyo Register, June 25, 1908
"RESULT OF A FALL."
Summary: Man named Smith falls in one of the Nevada-California Power Company's power plants, receiving multiple fractures.

Inyo Register, June 25, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO."
From the Inyo Independent, June 28, 1872
Summary: Four deserters from Camp Independence captured at Bishop Creek.

Inyo Register, June 25, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO."
From the Inyo Independent, June 28, 1872
Summary: Sheriff Mukley back from Kern County, where he was engaged in the chase of a horse thief named Sepulveda, who had stolen a horse from the Bishop Creek area.

Inyo Register, June 25, 1908
"CAME OUT SECOND BEST."
Summary: Charley Summers gets clobbered by a falling board at the Goodale Brothers Stable.

Inyo Register, July 9, 1908
Summary: James A. Crocker, of Big Pine, dies at Deep Springs.

THE INYO MAGAZINE, July 15, 1908
"TA HAH THE ANCIENT PAIUTE SQUAW"
Summary: She was said to be 125 years old when she died.

Inyo Register, July 16, 1908
“The Virginia Enterprise notes the death of a Mr. Wogan, who, it says, was born at Wogan City, Inyo County, forty years ago, locality unknown.”

Inyo Register, July 30, 1908
"LEGALLY DEAD."
Summary: A young Connecticut man lost his life in the Sierra Nevada. A Connecticut court has declared him legally dead.

Inyo Register, July 30, 1908
"NOTICE TO CREDITORS"
Summary: Estates of Robert M. Chrysler (of Big Pine) and Frank Shaw.

Inyo Register, August 20, 1908
Summary: Legal notice of Will L. Smith vs Black Canyon Gold Mining Company. Judgment against company. List of properties seized.

Inyo Register, August 27, 1908
Summary: Otto Duenweg, of Colorado Springs, has died from ptomaine poisoning. He was in charge of mines owned by the Southern Belle (extreme northern Inyo County near Chalfant Valley). He was 40 years old.

Inyo Register, September 3, 1908
"WATER SUIT OVER HAIWAI CREEK."
Summary: Dr. Merritt, of the Roosevelt Oil Company, brings suit against the city of Los Angeles over the waters of Haiwee Creek. Merritt claims that he made location on the flow of water in 1906.

Inyo Register, September 17, 1908
Summary: Legal notice of death of Pierre Joseph Giraud, who owned numerous Inyo County properties and claims, including one third interest in the Ella B. and the Forgot mines in the Coso Mining District.

Inyo Register, September 17, 1908
Summary: Thomas Higgins was serving a 125 day sentence in the town jail in Bishop. He got a hold of a saw and he cut his way out to freedom. Officers chased him across the White Mountains east of town, but returned without him. Mr. Higgins has a long criminal record, now is wanted for jail breaking.

Inyo Register, September 24, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO."
From the Inyo Independent, September 21, 1872
Summary: Corn stalks are growing 18 feet high at Ike Clanton's place in Inyo County, California. After paragraph, in parenthesis, an update is stated that the Clanton family moved to Arizona, where they became notorious in the Clanton - Erp feud.

Inyo Register, October 1, 1908
Summary: Notice of Real Estate. Estate of the late Pierre Joseph Giraud.

Inyo Register, October 1, 1908
Summary: Death of Henry Jackson, an Inyo County old timer.

Rhyolite Herald, October 28, 1908
PERISHED ON DESERT.”
“According to a Los Angeles dispatch, B.T. Pratt has perished on the desert in the Argus mountain range.
G.W. Lewis and S.E. Shankland, who have just returned from a prospecting trip in the Argus mountains, Inyo county, tell of the discovery of the dead body of a man approximately 60 years old, who had perished in the desert on account of a lack of food and water.
B.T. Pratt was the name of the man found and a note book taken from a vest pocket by Mr. Lewis gave the date the man started out to cross the desert. He had been dead nearly two months.
The scribbling in the book gives no clew [sic] as to how the man happened to be over thirty miles from any habitation. The fact that he was without prospecting tools, blankets or canteen would tend to show he was not prospecting. The note book tells a story of a fierce struggle and suffering before the wandered perished. The last entry reads:
“I left Grape Vine, Inyo county, California, July 28. Tom Spratt told me I would perish. I thought I could make it, but got lost, so guess I will have to give in. I have no water, nothing to eat and can't walk.
“I have brothers, C.H. Pratt, at Banner Springs, Wyandotte county, Kansas; E.B. Pratt in St. Louis and W.R. Pratt, Custer county, Wyoming.”

Inyo Register, October 29, 1908
Summary: Death of B.T. Pratt in the Argus Range.

Inyo Register, November 26, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
From the Inyo Independent, November 23, 1872
Summary: The sheriff has returned after chasing horse thieves for three weeks. Four head of stock belonging to Colonel Stevens, of Cerro Gordo, were stolen. The thieves had taken off in the direction of Belmont, Nevada.

Inyo Register, December 3, 1908
"LEG BROKEN BY A HORSE'S KICK"
Summary: H.M. Gibson brought to Big Pine from the Waucoba Road suffering from a badly broken leg. He was riding on a wagon without a front board, his feet hanging down. He kicked one of the horses to stimulate them, and they immediately kicked back, breaking both bones of one leg below the knee. The accident occurred near McMurry Springs. W.P. Teel was nearby and brought the injured man to the valley.

Inyo Register, December 10, 1908
"COTTONWOOD SHOOTING SETTLED BY A $300 FINE."
Summary: John Ward, laborer on the under construction Los Angeles aqueduct, shot the construction camp cook at Cottonwood. Ward escaped. Incident took place prior to Thanksgiving. The cook, a Mr. Cummings, and Ward had quarreled. Cummings chased Ward out of the mess tent with a knife. The next morning Ward approached and called for Cummings to come out. Cummings came with knife in hand. Ward warned that if he came near he'd be shot, to which Cummings ignored the warning. Ward shot him in the calf and the leg. Ward escaped to Bakersfield where he was captured by Sheriff Naylor and Undersheriff McDonald. Ward was arraigned, pleaded guilty, and fined $300.

Inyo Register, December 10, 1908
Summary: F.A. Hyde, who had fraudulent land dealings in Inyo County as well as many other locations, has been sentenced to pay a fine of $10,000 and serve two years in a West Virginia penitentiary for land fraud.

Inyo Register, December 10, 1908
"DEATHS REPORTED."
Summary: James Ryan, 62 years old, died at the County Farm at Big Pine. Mr. Ryan had been in southern Inyo County for the last ten years. Another deatj was that of M. Marks, who was a traveling salesman - "a cigar drummer for 35 years in the Inyo County area." Died in San Francisco. Universally respected by all who knew him. Aged about 70 years. And a letter from a Mrs. J.S. Brown, formerly of Bishop, now of Moose Lake, Quebec, sent a letter to her old acquaintances from Inyo County, saying that her adopted daughter Pearl is dead. The young woman was 22 years old, a full sister of Mrs. Ed M. Chamberlain and John Tibbets of Bishop.

Inyo Register, December 24, 1908
Summary: A man named Garten awaits trial on a charge for Grand Larceny. It is alleged that he tore down the old Eclipse Mill, located southeast of Independence, and shipped the iron to Reno. Mr. Garten profited $1100 for his efforts. The owner of the mill was in Randsburg at the time of Mr. Garten's removal operation.


1909
Inyo Register
, January 7, 1909
"RIBS BROKEN."
Summary: A man from Big Pine, California brought in from the Deep Springs area. He was on a fence trying to reach a tree limb to cut off and the board he was standing on broke and he fell across the board below. He broke two ribs.

Inyo Register, January 21, 1909
"DAVID OLDS IS NO MORE"
Summary: David Olds, resident of Round Valley since 1866, is dead at age 85 years, three months, 22 days. Native of New York. Well known in region from Mono County to Owens Lake. He first arrived in California in 1850, then settled for years in Nevada Territory in Carson Valley.

Inyo Register, January 28, 1909
Summary: Almrain B. Paul, a former Inyo County resident, is dead in San Francisco. He is known from his tenure at the Kearsarge Mines, near Independence.

Inyo Register, January 28, 1909
“J.S. MCGEE’S LIFE ENDED: RESPECTED PIONEER DIED SUDDENLY AT HIS HOME.”
Summary: John Simpson McGee. Born in Texas August 23, 1846. Lived at Aurora, Nevada, during its boom period. He and his brothers came to Owens Valley in the earliest days. Participated in the Indian wars during that time. Elected Inyo County Sheriff in 1884 and served one two-year term. Afterward, he left Pleasant Valley and moved to San Mateo, California, where he lived the remainder of his life.

Inyo Register, January 28, 1909
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
From Inyo Independent, January 25, 1872
Summary: Enterprising horse thieves, having recently stolen Inyo County horses, have transferred their operations to Nevada. They were captured near Belmont, Nevada, but made their escape from the Nye County jail. A thieve named Morecio was supposed to be making his way back home to Montana, however decided to come back to Inyo County and resume his horse-thieving operations, stealing two more lots of loose horses. He is once again being pursued.

Inyo Register, February 4, 1909
"NOT A SERIOUS AS REPORTED"
Summary: Mrs. Alney L. McGee was severely injured in a fall at her home in Berkeley. A letter from McGee to her sister, Mrs. J.S. McGee of Bishop, says accounts were greatly exaggerated; although she did suffer painful injuries.

Inyo Register, February 4, 1909
Summary: H.A. Jones, the Keeler man who died of Bright's Disease, is the second son of Mr. and Mrs. T.E. Jones, of Round Valley, Inyo County.

Inyo Register, February 4, 1909
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
From the February 1, 1872 Inyo Independent.
Summary: An "epizootic" is threatening the motive power of every freight and farm wagon as well as the plow. An epizootic is a widespread epidemic of disease among animals, and the region's horses are falling victim.

Inyo Register, February 11, 1909
"ALLEGED EMBEZZLER IN DURANCE."
Summary: Man named Stanton, in charge of running the Monster Mine, is charged with embezzlement. He is associated with Charles M. Schwab. Schwab alleges that Stanton misappropriated money toward his own use. Fearing arrest, Stanton fled from Big Pine with his wife and son, taking the toll road over the mountains toward Goldfield. The White Mountains were covered with snow, so he sent his wife and son northwards to Mina and struck across the mountains on horseback with a guide. He has many men working at the Monster Mine, taking out ore and shipping it to the smelter at Keeler, keeping the returns and neglecting to pay his bills. Reprint from the Goldfield Chronicle.

Inyo Register, February 11, 1909
"BLACK JACK TABOOED"
Summary: Inyo County authorities believe they know the best for mankind and say that the "seductive game" of Black Jack must cease in the county.

Inyo Register, February 11, 1909
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
From the Inyo Independent, February 8, 1872
Summary: Inyo County Sheriff Mulkey delivered to their rightful owner twelve head of stock stolen by horse thief Moracio.

Inyo Register, February 18, 1909
"STANTON RELEASED."
Summary: Update of Stanton, who fled Big Pine. Worked for Charles M. Schwab, at the Monster Mine. He was arrested in Goldfield. A telegraph was sent from Big Pine, that he was wanted there on a charge of embezzlement. He is a free man in the state of Nevada. Governor Gillette of California refusing to issue extradition papers for his removal to California. Reprint from the Goldfield Chronicle.

Inyo Register, February 18, 1909
"FOUR VICTIMS OF THE DEADLY WEED: TWO LIVES LOST, TWO OTHERS IN DANGER FROM EATING PLANT COMMONLY TERMED WILD PARSNIP"
Summary: Two people have died at the Owens River Canal camp after eating wild parsnip. (Note: The camp is that of the City of Los Angeles Department of Water & Power - who were then constructing the aqueduct from the Owens River to Los Angeles).

Inyo Register, February 18, 1909
"MOST POISONOUS OF NATIVE PLANTS"
Summary: Wild parsnip dangers. The young son of J.H. Jackson, of Round Valley, died from eating wild parsnip. A boy named William Birchim, of Round Valley, nearly died after eating wild parsnip given to him by an Indian boy, with whom he was playing. A Paiute man lost his wife and killed himself by eating wild parsnip. In a suicide attempt, four Indian girls all ate of the plant.

Inyo Register, February 18, 1909
"WILD PARSNIP QUESTIONED"
Summary: One of the people recently poisoned by wild parsnip is out of the hospital and back on the street. Another person recently poisoned is still hospitalized with pneumonia.

Inyo Register, March 18, 1909
"THROWN FROM A RUNAWAY HORSE"
Summary: Rhys Jones, the fifteen year old son of a John E. Jones of Round Valley, California, sustained severe injuries after being thrown from a runaway horse. He struck a pile of rocks, badly fracturing his left wrist and dislocating his right wrist. Telephone and auto served to bring him to medical attendance.

Inyo Register, March 18, 1909
"DEATH OF MRS. J.D. McLEOD"
Summary: The deceased was formerly Mrs. Thomas Williams, of Round Valley. Ironically, the same issue brought news that the current wife of Thomas Williams gave birth to a son.

Inyo Register, March 18, 1909
"NOTICE TO CREDITORS"
Summary: Estate sale of J.F. Sanders.

Inyo Register, March 25, 1909
"SONNY JONES REPORTED DEAD"
Summary: S.J. Jones has died in Denver, Colorado. He is remembered by many in Inyo County as an employee of the Nevada-California Power Company.

Inyo Register, March 25, 1909
"NOTICE TO CREDITORS"
Summary: Estate sale of Rachael Hilton.

Inyo Register, April 1, 1909
"ACTION APPROVED"
Summary: The State Commission approved the course of Deputy Commissioner Ober in releasing the Indian on suspended sentence after a conviction of killing a mountain sheep in southern Inyo.

Inyo Register, April 15, 1909
"NOTICE TO CREDITORS"
Summary: Estate of J.S. McGee, deceased.

Inyo Register, April 29, 1909
“GAME LAW VIOLATIONS”
“Deputy Fish Commissioners Ober and Goodale took a trip along the river Sunday, Mr. Ober arming himself with a fishing rod and making casts as he sauntered along. Meanwhile he kept a weather eye open for others who might be making similar motions, but more in earnest, and was thus enabled to come on a group of three boys just as one of them pulled out a fine trout. One of the culprits recognized him, and a suspicious sound indicated that a string of fish had gone back into the river. To secure the evidence, Mr. Ober took the fish from the hook, whereupon the fisherman alleged an intention of throwing it back, as he was fishing for catfish. The allegation seemed fishy, yet it might have served as a sufficient ground for jury uncertainty; and as the offender is a young man of otherwise good character who would have had to serve an imprisonment term in the case of conviction, Justice Shannon deemed it best to allow him to go with a reprimand. This was the first arrest in this part of the valley for such an offense. Probably the next will not be so lightly treated; anyway it is not advaisable to experiment.
Mr. Ober says that there has been close observance of the fish and game laws, and that violations have been very few indeed.”

Inyo Register, April 29, 1909
"NO PETTIFOGGING."
“Any person other than a regularly licensed attorney who advertises himself as entitled to practice law in any court of justice is guilty of a misdemeanor.”

Inyo Register, May 6, 1909
"BIG PINE ITEMS."
Summary: Death of Lew Payson May 4th. Early Inyo pioneer. Resident of Antelope Springs in Deep Springs Valley. Lew Payson died at the residence of Fred Crocker in Big Pine. He had just passed his 80th birthday. His remains were laid away in Big Pine Cemetery.

Inyo Register, May 13, 1909
“DISAPPEARANCE CASES.”
Summary: A.M. Chene, recently arrived in Bishop. Mr. Chene borrowed a team of mules to drive as far as Lone Pine, he being on his way to Mexico with his family. At George’s Creek he sold the mules, wagon and the whole outfit, pocketed the proceeds and disappeared. No trace has been found. It is felt that he is probably in Mexico by this time. The mules and wagon were restored to their owner, leaving the purchaser at George’s Creek the looser.

Inyo Register, May 20, 1909
“TABOOSE”
Summary: Jasper Shipley brought in from Round Valley suffering from a dislocated shoulder.

Inyo Register, June 3, 1909
“BURGLARY AT PINE MOUNTAIN.”
Summary: Letter from S.P. Roberts, of Pine Mountain (White Mountains). His house broken into, an antique gun and cartridges stolen. Nothing else molested. The gun was given to Roberts by Billy Irwin, of Bodie, in 1878.

Inyo Register, June 3, 1909
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
(From Inyo Independent, May 31, 1873)
Summary: Tom Boyce, an old resident, mysteriously disappeared last Sunday evening. As far as the public is aware, it is a genuine, mysterious disappearance.

Inyo Register, June 10, 1909
“WARM CLIMATE.”
“Engineers Strong and Leffingwell have lately been out in the Eureka Valley country, far eastwards from Big Pine, Mr. Strong having some mining patent surveys on hand. They say that region is about the jumping off place, and that the sinner who dies while acclimated to Eureka Valley will certainly make a plea for blankets in the lower regions.”

Inyo Register, June 10, 1909
“DEATH OF TOM PRICE”
Summary: Thomas Price, resident of Mono and Inyo County for years, received injuries near Lundy Monday of last week, which resulted in his death the following morning. As far as learned from the Bodie Miner, he started to his mine with the company of a John R. Gray. The trail was covered in snow and he had to cut steps on the way up. After a short stay he started to return, he being in the lead. He lost his footing and rolled to the foot of the hill about 300 or 400 feet below. Gray secured assistance and carried the injured man to Lundy, where he died the next morning. Several of his ribs and arms were broken, and he was internally injured. Further information obtained from the Bridgeport Chronicle-Union adds that Price fell about a distance of about ten feet, then over another bluff about twelve feet. where he caught a large rock, which then gave away, then he rolled down the hill about 200 feet.

Inyo Register, July 15, 1909
“THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO.”
(From Inyo Independent, July 12, 1873)
Summary: William Callahan, a farmer from George’s Creek, aged 29, was killed in Mazourka Canyon due to a kick from his horse.

Inyo Register, July 29, 1909
“THE PROSPECTOR'S REVENGE”
“The conversation drifting to Indian warfare, the Fat Citizen contributed this tale:
“Did you know Joaquin, the Indian sage of Saline Valley? He and I were great friends during a summer which I spent there, and he used to tell me many things about the natives. One evening, after he had been supplied with the makings for a smoke, he gave me the Indian version of an affair that happened in southern Nevada in '63. Before I tell that part, you had better have the history of it from the white man's side.
“Saline and the country around there used to be the headquarters for Indian renegades. It was not uncommon for them to waylay lone prospectors in those days, killing them and taking all they had.
“At the time I mention, four men left Silver Peak to prospect out southerly. They had crossed the Red mountain summit. One of the party left his comrades and went up on a hillside, and while he was there a party of Indians came on and three on the trail. The man above saw them all killed, and as he had nothing to gain by making his appearance he kept hidden. When the coast was clear he went back to the Peak, and told his story. The miners there were anxious to set out on the trail at once, but he stopped them. 'No,' he said, 'I have a scheme that beats that. Give me a supply of canned peaches, a horse and outfit, a gun, and some strychnine, and I'll even things up.'
“In those days canned fruit was a novelty to the Indians, and what they had taken from their victims made them anxious for more. This man was supplied as he asked, and started out alone. He got to a hot spring on the east side of Saline Valley, and made camp. The canned fruit had been doctored before he started, by punching holes in the tops, putting in some strychnine and soldering the cans again.
“The man opened his box of fruit and scattered it around; picked out a good place for a bed and made it up, with a log covered over with a blanket. When everything was ready for departure, he set up a big camp fire, and lit out.
“The Indians were camped at a cold spring on the west side of the valley. Seeing the big fire, they scented a prospector and more supplies, and made a bee-line for the place. The log under the blanket answered to make them come up cautiously – and get fooled, by which time the prospector was miles away. The canned fruit was eagerly taken. Being a luxury, it was reserved for the warriors in the camp.
“Now comes in Joaquin's story:
“Long time go, I little boy, so big, my father big chief. Bad Injun here then, rob um, kill um, any time. One time they kill um one man over there, hetchum heap hogadie. Great Spirit he mad – no likum. Forty Injuns he die!”

Inyo Register, July 29, 1909
“NOTICE TO CREDITORS”
“Estate of Timothy J. Sullivan, deceased.
Notice is hereby given by the undersigned, J.D. Lewis, administrator of the estate of Timothy J. Sullivan, deceased, to the creditors of, and all persons having claims against the said deceased, to exhibit th esame with the necessary vouchers, within four months after the first publication of this notice, to the said J.D. Lewis, administrator, at the law office of Ben H. Yandell in Independence, California, the same being his place for the transaction of the business of the said estate in the county of Inyo, State of California.
J.D. LEWIS,
Administrator of the Estate of Timothy J. Sullivan, deceased.
Dated at Independence, Cal., July 21, 1909. W.A. Lamar and Ben H. Yandell, Attorneys for the Administrator.”

Inyo Register, July 29, 1909
“Don Hudgins and his wife propose to bring suit against the Tuolumne man who had them arrested lately for alleged horsestealing, unless he makes satisfactory settlement. They have placed their case in the hands of an attorney.”


1918
Inyo Register
, January 3, 1918
“At Riverside Wednesday of last week, Mrs. S.A. Densmore, one of the earliest settlers of Inyo county, aged 87 years.”


1920
Inyo Register
, September 2, 1920
Summary: Death of George Albright.

Inyo Register, September 2, 1920
Summary: Notice to Creditors in the estate of William Lyle Hunter.

Inyo Register, September 9, 1920
"WHAT WAS SAID IN '71"
From the Inyo Independent, September 2, 1871
“The Visailia stage robbery mentioned last week was done by a gang including Tiburcio Vasquez.”


1952
Inyo Register
, January 3, 1952
“DYERS UNINJURED IN CRASH OF CARS.”
“LONE PINE – Dr. Douglass Dyer, dentist and president of the local chamber of commerce, and his wife, Florence, escaped possible serious injury Sunday about 1 a.m. When their car skidded on a grade near Tinnemaha [sic] and rammed into a parked car.
With others stalled on the icy grade, Beryl Bodenham, of Bishop, was at the side of the road putting chains on his car. Dyer started down the grade, coming south, through a heavy snow storm. He said he saw the car in time, but discovered his brakes were ineffective on the ice. He slid into the Bodenham car at slow speed, but hit hard enough to cause considerable damage to the front end of his car. Bodenham was slightly injured, but required no medical attention. Neither Dr. nor Mrs. Dyer was injured.”

Inyo Register, January 3, 1952
“VALLEY RESIDENT OF 57 YEARS DIES IN SOUTHLAND.”
“INDEPENDENCE – Mrs. Georgia Mae Jones, an Owens Valley resident the past 57 years, died Monday, Dec. 31 at the home of her daughter, Mrs. Maude A. Kemp, in Van Nuys. She was 77 years of age.
Funeral services for Mrs. Jones were conducted Thursday afternoon from Pioneer Memorial church of the Rev. Francis Baldwin officiating. Burial was at Independence cemetery. Pallbearers were Dave Ward, W.I. Bay, Ben and Frank Lawrence, Ed Austin and C.H. Walters. Vocal numbers were given by William R. Ray, with Mary V. Phillips accompanying.
Mrs. Jones was a member of the 1874, at Chicago, the daughter of George D. and Mary A. Calvert. As a baby she came to Virginia City, Nev., with her parents. She spent most of her life in Nevada and the Inyo-Mono area. In 1894 she was married to John I. Jones. There were six children, two of them preceding her in death.
She is survived by her daughter in Van Nuys, another daughter, Olive M. Reynolds, of Independence; two sons, William, of Chico, and John, of Mojave; her husband, and five grandchildren. Mr. Jones is a resident of Corona.
Mrs. Jones was a member of the Sheba Rebekah lodge 35, of Winnewood, Indian Territory, Okla., and the Sierra chapter, Order of the Eastern Star, Big Pine.
For some time during the family's early residence in this area, Mrs. Jones' father carried mail by horseback and snowshoe from Mammoth to Bodie. They lived at Pine City, north of Mammoth.”

Inyo Register, January 3, 1952
“DERRICK OPERATOR KNOCKED FROM HOIST DURING EARTHQUAKE.”
“A derrick operator at the Owens Valley Gorge project suffered little more than burises last Thursday evening at 6:50 when a boulder, jarred loose by the sharp earthquake, rolled into the hoist he was operating and knocked him to the ground.
The quake occurred throughout the valley at 6:50 p.m. It was felt in the Fresno area approximately one minute later. The tremblor was recorded on the seismograph at Fresno state and at the University of California at Berkeley. It was reported to have centered here in the valley.
No damage was reported.”

Inyo Register, January 10, 1952
“MRS. ANNIE JONES, EARLY PIONEER, DIES IN WOODLANDS.”
“Mrs. Annie Jones, daughter of early pioneer settlers in this area, passed away at her home in Woodlands, it was learned this week.
Mrs. Jones, wife of John E. Jones who operated one of the first flour mills in the valley, is survived by her widower, son Rhys and other nephews and nieces.
She was born at Ft. Independence Sept. 27, 1869 and was married Feb. 23, 1893 at Independence. They lived near Pine Creek where they operated the flour mill until the early 30s when they sold their property to the city of Los Angeles and moved to Woodlands.
The mill had previously been operated by Jones' father.”

Inyo Register, January 10, 1952
“WOMAN DIES OF ACCIDENT INJURIES.”
“INDEPENDENCE – Florence Lillian Pulliam, 41, of Los Angeles, died Jan. 2 at Ridgecrest hospital as a result of injuries received in a highway accident Dec. 30, on 6-395, one and a half miles north of the Kern county line, it has been reported by the highway patrol.
According to the patrol report, a station wagon being driven south at slow speed by Mrs. Pulliam was rammed from the rear by a tank truck and trailer being operated by John F. Tuttle, of San Fernando. Tuttle told officers he was driving behind another truck and failed to see Mrs. Pulliam as the front truck pulled around her. He said she apparently was just parking at the side of the road or was pulling onto the highway as the first truck swung around her car. Tuttle said he was unable to stop or swerve around the station wagon. The car did not turn over but came to a stop 102 feet off the west side of the highway. The truck overturned. Tuttle was treated at Ridgecrest hospital for slight injuries and released.”


Miscellaneous Documentation

Laws Railroad Museum, Laws, California
“HISTORY OF THE MCGEE FAMILY.”
(File folder, typewritten copy)
by Eva L. Yaney
“The McGees were first identification of the histories of Inyo and Mono Counties in the spring of 1861 when the father, mother, three sons and Taylor McGee, a cousin of the boys, gathered a herd in beef cattle in Tulare County, and started to Owensville in Inyo County, near the present site of Laws, via Walker’s Pass. The Indians were unfriendly but caused no trouble outside of threatening to stampede the cattle. The party estimated that there were at least 1,000 Indians in the valley at the time. Other stockmen began coming into the valley about this time with their herds. As the fall of 1861 approached, several of these families decided to remain in the valley for the winter. Among these were the McGee’s and as late as the first week in November, Alney and Bart brought in about 1,500 head of cattle. On November 12, 1961 [1861] when they arrived in Lone Pine, about four inches of snow fell. They drove on to George’s Creek, now Manzanar, and decided to winter there. This was the beginning of the wettest winter ever recorded in Inyo County. Bart went on to Aurora, a mining camp near Bodie, for supplies and reported eight feet of snow there at the time. He also reported finding white settlements on Little Pine, now Independence, Bishop Creek and at Round Valley. Upon returning to Lone Pine, they put up a cabin for the winter. I am informed that remains of this cabin are still standing. On Christmas Eve, the winter set in in earnest. In Bart’s records, he said there was not a day in the next 54 days that it did not rain or snow sometime in the 24-hours, sometimes snowing to a depth of two or more feet and then raining it off. Owens River was one-fourth to one mile in width and Owens Lake raised twelve feet. Before spring, the settlers at Lone Pine had nothing but beef to eat, and sometime with no salt.
The McGee Brothers participated in the Indian Was [sic] which is recorded in Chalfant’s history of Inyo, and into which I will not go into detail. One fight I would like to mention. On the old road between Bishop and Big Pine, many of you will remember a very large, oval shaped rock of granite on the south side of the road. The Indians were behind this boulder, the white’s drove the Indians out, and a white man’s scalp was found lying on top of the boulder after the battle. In Paril [April] 1862, most of the white settlers, including the McGees, left the valley to the Indians. They had been defeated in several battles, and little support from the government. The whites took with them about 4,000 head of cattle, and 2,500 head of xheep [sic]. A fort had been established by the government at Fort Independence and a force of soldiers had been left there. The next year, the whites began drifting back into the valley, although the Indians were still hostile. The McGee family continued to conduct their market in Aurora, bringing their cattle from Tulare.”
[subheading] "CHARLIE'S BUTTE"
On March 1963 [1863] Mr. and Mrs. Jesse Summers, Alney McGee, his mother, a small niece, and a Negro, ‘Charley' Tyler, camped at Owenville near the present site of Laws, on their way from Aurora to Visailia. The family was traveling in a wagon and Charley was on horseback rining [sic] a band of saddle and work horses. On March 7, they came across the body of a white man who had been killed by the Indians and stripped of his clothing.
Signal fires were seen near Fish Springs and the party hurried on. Just before getting into the black rock country below the present Tinemaha Dam on Owens River, their way was blocked by approximately 100 Indians. The party turned from the road and attempted to cross the river near a small, black, butte. Their horses were unable to haul the wagon out of the river, so the men cut them loose from the wagon, and mounting the horses started for Fort Independence, several miles away. Negro Charley gave them his horse and told them to get the women out of danger, and he would catch another one out of the band and follow them. They never saw him again. Years later a pistol was found and identified as Charlie’s. It’s empty chamber a mute reminder of the valient fight. My father rode behind his mother on one of the horses until they had outdistanced the Indians on their inferior ponies. Then, as the horses began to tire, he dismounted and ran behind the horse. His boots were filled with water when in the river, and the weight caused them to fall off his feet when on the horse with no stirrups, so he was practically barefoot and had to run through the lava rocks and tussock grass which had recently been burned over.
They reached the fort that night, with a reception of the Captain was not to his credit, according where the reception by the Captain was not to his credit, according to Mr. Chalfant. However, the party remained at the fort. They asked for military escort to take them back to Aurora. This was refused by the officer in charge. A strong party of citicixens [sic] was formed and the McGee party joined them and made the trip back without trouble.
The Summers-McGee party lost 22 head of horses in this attack, besides their wagon, and all their personal belongings and several hundred dollars in cash from the Aurora Market.

Laws Railroad Museum, Laws, California
“HISTORY OF THE MCGEE FAMILY.”
by Eva L. Yaney
(File folder, copy of publication "SUMMERS FAMILY OF CALIFORNIA")
Eva L. Yaney
Born June 1, 1891 at Bishop, California
Died September 9, 1963 near Hermisillo, Mexico. Buried in Bishop, California.
Mother: Elizabeth Nevada Gunter. Father: Alney L. McGee


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