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

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Lida, Nevada

Newspaper Articles

1905

Inyo Register, March 23, 1905
“REPORTED KILLING AT LIDA.”
Wm. A. Sanger, of Big Pine, received a letter from George Naylor, dated at Lida March 19th saying that Claude Logan had been killed that morning by a young man named Ursher, formerly of Bishop. No other particulars have been obtained. The supposition is that the young man mentioned is John Ursher, a former resident, who passed through here last summer from Bakersfield on his way to the desert camps. Logan was a young man without relatives in the region, so far as known.

Inyo Register, March 30, 1905
"KILLING AT LIDA"
“A man whose name is believed to be Geo. A. Logan was murdered at Lida last Sunday night, and there is much mystery connected with the crime. Logan and his companion named Usher had been playing poker in Duval’s saloon at Lida. Logan lost what money he had (his week’s wages), borrowed money from other players and pawned his watch for $30, all of which he lost. After leaving the saloon he borrowed a revolver and returning forced the man who had his watch to give it back. He then in company with Usher and others visited Scott’s saloon, and after drinking there went with Usher to an Indian camp a short distance from Lida, where he had an altercation with a squaw, who ran from her wigwam. Logan went to sleep in the wigwam, and Usher returned to Lida. Some shots were heard about four o’clock in the morning, and later Logan was found dead, having been shot in the back of the neck. About six o’clock in the morning Usher returned to the Indian camp saying he was looking for his partner Logan, but one of the squaws pointed to him and said he was the murderer. He was promptly placed under arrest, and investigation showed that two chambers of his revolver were empty. Logan’s was caused by two pistol shots.
Usher is believed by many people at Lida to be innocent. Logan had some trouble with an Indian recently and many believe the crime was committed by an Indian.
Justice Bell of Goldfield and two officers left for Lida on Thursday morning to hold an inquest and preliminary examination.” – Goldfield News.

Inyo Register, April 6, 1905
"TABOOSE"
An examination into the Lida killing resulted in the holding of Ursher, the accused man, without bail. His name is given by the Goldfield Review as William Ursher; by other papers as Fred.

1906

Beatty Bullfrog Miner, October 20, 1906
“JUSTICE COURT”
Judge Johnson of Beatty acting for the absent justice in Rhyolite, recently bound over M. South and S.P. Bidwell for connection with the cattle stolen near Lida, part of which were butchered at Rhyolite. A man named Gilbert, said to be interested in the case, has not been arrested.
Jack Maher, who shot and killed T.J. Malone at Rhyolite recently will have a hearing today.

1907

Inyo Register, October 10, 1907
Summary: Several people wounded at Lida in gunfight.

1908

Inyo Register, July 30, 1908
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
From Inyo Independent, July 27, 1872
A man who had been wounded in a shooting scrape at Lida, July 3th [13th?] died at Camp Independence, after amputation of his arm.

1909

Inyo Register, May 6, 1909
"THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO"
Inyo Independent, May 3, 1873.
Summary: Duncan Campbell Jr. of Lida has been laying dangerously ill. His parents rode to Lida in night from Big Pine. Mr. Campbell Sr. then rode 60-miles further to Columbus for a doctor.

Inyo Register, May 27, 1909
“THIRTY-SIX YEARS AGO”
Inyo Independent, May 24, 1873.
Summary: On May 12, a shooting affray occurred at Lida, in which two inoffensive citizens and a gambling house rough were killed. A gambler named George Chiles turned on W.B. Harbin without provocation and drew a revolver. Harbin floored Chiles with his fist. As Chiles rose, he fired at Hugh Scott, inflicting a fatal wound, and shot Scott again as he fell. Chiles fired again, the bullet striking John Duffey, a bystander, severing the femoral artery and causing his bleeding to death. Several persons had a hold of Chiles by this time and during the struggle another shot was fired by someone unidentified, killing Chiles almost instantly. He had been in Cerro Gordo and Lone Pine previous to going to Lida, had a bad reputation. And he was considered a cowardly, would-be badman.

1932

Inyo Register, October 20, 1932
“TALES OF THE PIONEERS – LIDA.”
A gambler named George Chiles went on a causeless rampage May 12, 1873, in a Lida saloon, interfering with a quiet card game in progress until W.B. Harbin, a bystander, tried to quiet him, whereas Chiles drew a revolver. Harbin knocked him down, and Chiles came up shooting. Two inoffensive bystanders were hit and fatally wounded before others grabbed the desperado. In the struggle Chiles was shot and died almost instantly.
This affair seems to have been Lida’s bloodiest affray, though an affair something like it happened there as late as 1907. A man named Wiseman was refused the privilege of sitting in a poker game, whereupon he drew a pistol and declared war. He emptied his gun, following which the proprietor of the place began shooting at Wiseman. The latter and four other men were wounded.

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