Lyon County times. [volume] (Silver City, Nev.) 1874-1907, 1875-09-05
A STRANGE DEATH.
A Dead Body Discovered in an
Old Shaft, Nude and
Decaying.
IL Il Murder or suicIde7

several days ago, MIR. John Briggs,
Superintendent of the Excelsior
mill, and Mr.. Samuel Tangye, Su-
perintendent of the mine, discovered
q nauseating stencil arising from an
old shaft sunk in the tunnel which
runs through the William Penn mine
into the upper prospecting works OF
the Vivian. At the time they were
in a hurry and gave but little
thought to the matter, but on coming
to town and relating the incident, q
reporter of the TIMES was at once
sent to investigate the affair. Ac-
compsnied by Mr.. Tangye and Mr..
Bergman, and provided with
CANDLES AND A ROPE,
The party proceeded to the tunnel.
This aperture runs into the hill for q
space Of perhaps eighty feet, at
which distance shaft has been sunk
some forty feet. Taking notice OF
everything as he went, our reporter
found partly filed box Of matches
and a piece of candle at the mouth
of the tunnel, and, few feet inside
well-worn miners hat. Proceed,
ing along in the tunnel
THE STENCIL BECAME sIcKENING
And almost uncomfortable, but the
shaft was finally reached and the in
vestigation commenced. Lowering
q lighted candle by means OF 8
string, O dark form was discerned
lying at the bottom of the shaft, but
the incline of the shaft and the
Pickering OF the candle made 1t i'm
possible to distinguish more. Ac-
cordingly Mr.. Bergman volun-
teered and was lowered into the
noisome depths to determine the
character of the object, and soon
halloed up that it was
DEAD BODY PERFECTLY NUDE
And in an advanced stage of decom-
position. The body was lying on Its
back, its legs spread wide apart and
the face and head fearfully battered
and cut, placing identity beyond
possibility. Not stitch Of clothes
were found in the shaft or in the
tunnel, except the hat, which laid
few feet from the entrance. A four
by four scantling had been placed
across the shaft and piece OF bed
cord some twelve feet in length was
found near by, but unknotted and
detached from the beam. From the
ircumstances-the rope, nude body
and deserted mine-it would seem
that the victim either went there
! with the intent of committing sui
eide or has been
MURDERED AND HID AWAY
By his inhuman slayers. Altogether,
it is one of the most mysterious af-
fairs that we have been called upon
to chronicle. and we hope no stone
will be left unturned by the authori-
ties until it is unravelled. If it is a
murder, the criminals should meet
the just punishment of tho law,
| though il should take the county's
treasury to ferret it out: aud ii \
suicide, the fact should become
known. The body will probably be
brought to town to day, and every
effort made to identify it. What
desperation of mind and what
agony of soul must overwhelm a
poor creature that thus courts death
and an unknown grave in the
midst of wealth and a hospitable
people. Surely, none know the load
of misery that is daily borne about
our streets by
THE POOR UNFORTUNATE
Who seeks oblivion behind the dark
and icy shutters of the tomb. Poor
fellow! whoever he may be, with all
his pains to elude the shame of
suicides death, decayIng nature has
revealed his treasured secret to the
world. No doubt the body will be
identified to-day and the mystery
solved.
LATER.-The body is supposed to
be that of an impecunious wanderer
named William G. Dat, who came
here in early days, and left a large
family almost destitute on Table
Mountain, and though visiting them
at intervals, has continually wan
dered from home, and had the repu
tation of being a sneak thief. He
was dissipated, and provided moth
ing but abuse for his wife and chill
dren, who have lived for years by
their own exertions.
GOLD Billy"
AS he was Familiarity called, was last
seen about six weeks ago, and it is
supposed that in his attempt to
plumber the lunch buckets of the
miners at the Vivian he missed his
footing aud fell head foremost into
l. :
again Overtaken crime.
To HOUsEKEEPERs.-M j. Corn