Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1865-07-28
Murders near Fort Bridger.
FoRT BRIDoER, U. T.,
.July 9Th 1888

Ed. VEDETrE: Another is added to
the catalogue of foul murders that have
come under our notice in this vicinity the
present summer. Yesterday it was re-
ported to me that the bodies of two men,
chained together, were lying on a sand
bar, in Blacks Fork, o few miles below
Millersville, the first mail station east of
this place.
A Mexican, called "Joe," who was re-
siding near the station, seeing o dark
body, partly concealed by the water,
which he supposed to be a dead horse,
and wishing to get the name and tail for
making ~lariats, went into the water and
approached the object, when, to his horror,
he discovered the mutilated bodies Of two
men chained together. Being much
frightened, he Immediately fastened to
report the circumstance.
This morning / sent r. II. Hamilton
and L. B. Scott to investigate the matter.
They have just returned, and report the
statement of the Mexican correct.
They, in company with a number Of
others camping along the road, dragged
the bodies ashore and examined them as
infinitely as their condition would admit.
They were fastened together with ropes
and then with q log-chain, the head Of the
one being in the direction of the feet of
the other. They had apparently been in
the water some four or five days as the
hair had partly slipped from their heads.
The faces were much swollen, and the
sculls horribly mangled as if done with a
club or axe.
One of the men was about five feet
seven inches high, weighed some one
hundred and fifty pounds, had light hair,
sandy whiskers and mustache; was dress
ed in black sa'inett over-coat, lighttweed
sack under-coat, purple mixed cashmere
pants, white ribbed drawers, striped WOOL
len shirt, heavy brogan boots, much worn
nothing was found in his pockets except
an india rubber pocket comb, two red silk
handkerchiefs and a printed mail road di.
rectory. A watch chain with key at.
tached was around his neck.
The other was about Ave feet ten inches
high, weight about one hundred and forty
pounds, had brown hair very light, thin
whiskers, and was apparently a young
man. He was dressed in q blue imitation
soldiers overcoat, dark brown jeans un-
dercoat, blue jeans vest, cotton check I'M
dershirt, and grey flannel overshirt, white
cotton drawers, yellow jeans pants and
heavy brogan shoes, much worn. Had
in his pockets a brown wool hat, q pair of
heavy wool mitts, two handkerchiefs, one
a red silk and the other q white linen, a
pocket knife and pipe, and a circular pat
emit cap-box, on which was scratched Nv.
G.. Steele, Jackson county, Mo-" The
pockets Of both were filled with cobble-
stones, as if for the purpose Of sinking the
bodies in the water. No papers Of any
kind were found on their persons which
might lead to their Identification, nor
could the spot where they were murdered
be found. the recent rain having obliter-
ated all traces. It is conjectured that they
belonged to some train, had been dis
charged on arriving at Salt Lake City.
were returning home and were murdered
by their companions for their money.
The deed was bold and inhuman, and
perpetrated on a portion Of the road which
is thickly settled with traders and con-
stauty thronged with immigrants. l
shall make every effort to detect the MUIR
derers, and trust that any person who
may see this notice and can furnish me
with any information that might aid me,
will do so. Your obi servant.
W. A. CARRIER.