Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1876-09-12
MYSTERIOUS DISAPPEARANCE
OF A COAL.BURNER.
FOUL P1Ax
Arrest Of Suspected Parties.

William Ferguson, a man who vas
engaged burning coal upon a contract
for Woodruff e. Ennor, in Antelope
district, about -four miles north Of AL
pla, has recently disappeared in a
most mysterious manner, and sur
misses are numerous in regard to his
whereabouts and what has befallen
him. Two men, named VIM. Whalan
and John Kelly, were working with
him burning coal until about the first
instant, when they came into town, as
they allege, for the purpose of procur-
ing work in the mines, leaving Fer
guson on the ranch attending to tie
pits. On the third instant, Mr.. Nc.
killop, who wotks on an adjoining
| ranch, discovered four pits burning
with no u attending them, and the
fifth com leteiy burned up. To pre-
vent the Others from being de-
-troyed, Mr.. McKillop proceeded to
perform the necessary work to save
them. Nothing has beer seen or heard
of Ferguson since Whalan and Kelly
left him on the first instant, and there
~ nothing around the scene OF his la
bors by which any clue can be gathered
concerning the cause of his disappear
ance, or bis whereabouts. His cloth.
ing, tobacco. provisions, etc, were
found in his tent, nothing having APP
~parently been taken away except his
Inattrass and blankets, which were
found par iallv consumed close to the
burned pit. Not being aoie 10 obtain
work, after remaining in town " or
three days, Kelly returned TO the
ranch, where he found Mr.. Mckillip
attending to the pits, to whom he ex
pressed the greatest surprise at The
disappearance of Ferguson, but his
manner was so strange, and his stories
so conflicting, that Mr.. McKillip's sus-
picions were aroused, and other cir
cunIstances, which have since been
developed, point SO strongly towards
Ter, a friend OF the missing man,
yesterday filed a complaint in
Justice Beatty's court and a war
rant was issued for the arrest of the
two men. Kelly vas arrested by
officer Mckee yesterday afternoon and
lodged in Jail, and the probabilities are
that Whalan by this time shares his
confinement. Ferguson is represented
as n sober, industrious man. lie had
a considerable sum of money due hitn
for labor, was not in debt. and there is
no apparent cause for his voluntary |
disappearance. The pit which was
burned was fired in such a name as
would indicate that it was the inten-
ton Of the person firing it. instead OF
turning it into coal, to destroy it en-
tirely. As o as 1t has sufficiently
cooled the debris will be searched, in
which it is suspected will be found
traces OF the missing man. 1t is a
most mysterious affair, and it is to be
hoped It will he thoroughly invssti-
gated, and If any crime has been com
United that the guilty parties will be
discovered and punished.
TUE NEW CRoP.-This years crop
of pine-puts has been harvested, and
the stalwart form OF the noble Sho-
shone is again seen upon our streets;
likewise his wife and family. Pine
nuts of this years growth are now for
sale in the stores of the white man, in
which they are retsiled at a living
margin OF profit over Indian cost.
The nuts are the main dependence of
many of the Indians for winter food,
but the average Shosbone can not re-
sist the temptation to swap them for
over-ripe walerm.lons aud decayed
grapes. To him Sufficient unto the
day is the evil thereof" and he will
take the chances OH going hungry to
sleep in the lead OF winter, If by so
doing he can flop his lip 3 the white
man's fruit in the fall. If he reasons
at all, he argues, ''cu>s the difference;
we may all he dead before the snow
flies"