"The
body of Mr. Spencer was found in his cabin on Willow Creek on the last day of March.
He had not been seen since the 7th of February. His death appeared to have
resulted from an accidental gunshot wound. The remains were in a very advanced
state of decomposition but were carefully and decently buried on the 14th of
April. A brother of the deceased is supposed to be living in the vicinity of
Walla Walla. W.H. Spencer was an old settler of
Alturas County, Having resided here most of the time since 1863.He was a
blacksmith by trade but in the earlier times worked at placer mining. A few years
ago, he served as Assessor of the county, and one time, acted as Deputy
Sheriff. He was a member of Alturas Lodge No.12, A.F & A.M. and was a very
industrious man, a good neighbor, and a faithful friend. He was an upright and
honorable Mason and his loss will be deeply deplored by his many friends in the
county."
Note:
Tri-Weekly Statesman April 22, 1880(William H. Spencer)
About
ten o'clock yesterday morning William Fox sought the sheriff and gave himself
up, saying that he had killed Charles Fleck, of Soldier on Skeleton creek, a
tributary of the South Boise River in Alturas County.
The
killing occurred last Friday, the day immediately preceding Fleck went to
Skeleton creek, where Fox kept his flock of sheep, assisted by a herder. Fleck
said he should bring his sheep there the next day. Fox replied that being there
with his sheep, Fleck should go elsewhere with his.
The next day, Friday, Fleck brought his sheep to Skeleton creek and drove them
in among Fox's. The latter remonstrated, when Fleck began driving the two bands
of sheep, indiscriminately Fox objected, tried to pick his sheep out from the
Fleck herd, and the latter shot at him with a rifle, but missed him. Fox there
upon discharged a rifle shot killing Fleck. Leaving his herder in charge Fox
rode to Soldier, where he left word to have Flecks brother informed of what he
had done. He then came to Hailey to give himself up. Fox is a native of
Illinois, about 56 years old. He came to this coast 45 years ago, in 1848, has
followed mining camps ever since, lived in California, Utah, in Boise and
elsewhere in Idaho, worked at the Ram shorn Mine, and so forth, and only quit
mining and bought a band of sheep with his savings, when getting to old to
work. He has never had any trouble of any kind before. The case seems one of
self defense and clear, and he ought to be turned out at once. Coroner Brown
and Sheriff Jackson went out to Smokey yesterday to view the remains. They have
not returned.
Note:
Sept 6 1893
Charles
Fleck was Killed by William Fox about two miles from
Soldier. The Trouble was over sheep range
which both of them claimed.
Note:
Wood River Times Sept 16 1893
A
couple of bachelors named Owens and Adams lived up Soldier Creek about 8 miles.
They quarreled and Adams locked Owens out of the cabin while he was away. When
he returned and asked Adams for the Key, Adams refused and drew his rifle.
Owens shot him five times with a revolver.
Note:
Wood River Times Sept 5 1894.The men’s full names were: W.W. Owens and
S.S. Adams. John Minear, the justice of the peace
quitted Owens as being justified in the killing of Adams
Joseph
Reedy of Smokey and Lena McCann of Soldier were married yesterday.
Note:
Wod River Times July 20 1897
Mrs.
McGowan, wife of James McGowan, who formerly worked in the mines at Broadford, died at her home ranch near corral night before
last.
Note:
Wood River Times Sept 1 1897
A
man by the name of Carter was killed by falling off a load of lumber on the
west end of Camas Prairie.
Note:
Wood River Times Nov 1897
A
man by the name of Kessler of Soldier killed a sheep herder by the name of McDevit by hitting him with his fists. McDevit
was drunk and abusive.
Note:
Wood River Times Aug 12 1898
Captain
Bledsoe arrived today from Boise. He came by way of Corral where his son Relf, was married yesterday to miss
Mary Edna, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Geo. H. Abbot. Rev. I. T. Osborn performed
the ceremony.
Note:
Wood River Times June 12 1900
Mrs.
Lulah Turnbull had to come home from Albion Normal
School before the end of the term on account of the dangerous illness of her
father, the Hon. Ira A. Waring.
Note:
Wood River Times Jan 5 1900
Mr.
D. P. Higgs of Soldier took the examination for a teacher’s certificate.
Note:
Wood River Times Nov 22 1900
Mrs.
Bert Phillips' funeral last Wednesday was according to the ritual of the Mormon
Church. It was the first Mormon funeral that took place on Camas Prairie. The
corpse was interred in the Soldier cemetery.(Her
Maiden name was Sarah Severe)
Note:
Wood River Times Dec 10 1900
Ben
Higgs of Soldier was arrested Nov 11, 1911 for the killing of Joe Jones of the
same place. He was found guilty of voluntary manslaughter and sentenced to not
less then four and not more than 10 years. He served a year.
A
Camas Prairie rancher instantly killed within sight of home. About dark last
evening Con Ryan, about 40 years was murdered by some one concealed in the
willows of John Ryan's ranch on Spring Creek, about ten miles southeast of
Soldier and within 1.5 miles of his home. He was coming from the mountains with
a load of cord wood, and death must have been instantaneous as the team arrived
with the corpse on the load of wood. No one saw the deed, but suspicion points
to a neighbor with whom the deceased had some trouble. John Ryan, brother of
the deceased, died about six weeks ago, and was buried in the Hailey cemetery.
It is not believed that the murder was the result of family troubles. The
murdered man was married and the father of seven children, all living, and the
eldest 12 years old. He had lived on the prairie for 12 or 13 years.
Note:
Oct 30 1907
County
Attorney Harry Ensign, Coroner H.D. Jones and Deputy Sheriff William Drake
arrived from Camas prairie, about eight o'clock last evening. Thomas Marron, the man suspected of the murder of Cornelius Ryan
came with them, he being in the custody of the sheriff and he was lodged in
jail. No charge is made against him and none will be until after the inquest.
Coroner Jones began his inquisition yesterday and examined Mrs. Cornelius Ryan.
She did not know anything about the crime. Further proceedings were then
postponed until Friday of next week; the 8th, when 14 or 15 witnesses are to be
examined before the coroner’s jury. Again the evidence is said to be
altogether circumstantial. No one say Marron do the
killing, yet the belief
that he did it is very general
Note:
Nov 1 1907
The
feeling on the prairie is very bitter against Thomas Marron,
not only because he is believed to have deliberately murdered Cornelius Ryan,
but because he has been accused of stealing or shooting the livestock of his
neighbors, and of being a bad neighbor.
The
coroner's jury consists of H.L. Childs, Lester Stott, L.W. Johnson, Phillip
Ballard, Arthur Montrose, William McCann, Lewis D. Johnson, E. Wheeler and W.T.
Harness and after hearing some 15 witnesses it returned a verdict that Ryan died
from a gunshot wound inflicted by a weapon in the hands of Thomas Marron. An attendant at the inquest says that had Marron been there, he would have been lynched. That
furthermore, it will be best for him never to be seen on the prairie.