Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1877-04-15
MURDER WILL OUT.
A STRANGE BUT TRUE STORY.
4 Horrible Fate In n Amelting
Furmace-RenOrse and Death.

AOhi A<DhOhoy otIo II tht
midst of a desolate and forbiddine
country, there i a tumble-down
shanty, evidently built by some coal
burners; but as the hills have been
denuded OF their sparse growth Of
timber and utilized for fuel, and, as
as there are no mines in the vicinity
very few people yer visit that section
of country. Some four months ago, a
man in search of stray stock happened
to look into the shanty and was horri.
fled to fiEd the body of a man lying
dead in a rude bunk against the side
Of the cabin. A cursory examination
satisfied him that he had been de-
ceased for some weeks, as the body
was in an advanced state of decompo.
sition. He informed a couple of lis
fellow.herders of his discovery, and
the next day they returned and gave
the body a rude burial. An examina-
ton Of the contents of the house re.
vealed no clue to the identity OF the
unfortunate stranger, and after relat-
ing the circumstances to their en-
ployer, who, by-the-way, sharply re-
proved them for not reporting the case
to the Coroner, it ceased to be a SUBJ
ject of interest and would probably
never have been thought of again If
some further discoveries had not re.
vived the interest.
THE DISCOVERY.
One week ago, James Thornton,
while out hunting in the same vicinity,
happened to espy the shanty, and, az
it was during the heat of the day,
sought shelter under its roof for a noon
day slesta. Curiosity led him to examine
the old house, but it was entirely bare
OF furniture with the exception of
the bunk. CHANGING over this his eye
caught sight of the edge of a book pro-
trading from between the board form
ing the side OF the bed and the logs of
the cabin. Pulling it from its hiding
place he opened it and from a mere
glance at it his interest awoke, and he
soon became absorbed in the contents.
After finishing it he carefully placed it
in his bosom, and on his return to town
sought us and submitted it to us for
opinion. We Immediately made
inquiries and found that what was
written was corroborated as far as the
statements affect persons or events in
this vicinity. The statement which
follows below is merely a synopsis of
the narrative, and promising it by say
ing that 1t was written in a clear, leg
lille hand, we give it 10 the reader in
its own words.
H STATEMENT.
November II, 1876.
After four years wandering here /
am back in the cabin that l helped
build six years ago. Surely that six
years OF hell ought to go a little way
toward the final reckoning, but it can't
be any worse in the other world, than
ii is here and l will give 1t a trial any
way. Perhaps | may meet John there
and hs will take the curse off of me.
l wonder if any one will ever read
this or whether it will lay and rot
along side of me. 1t makes little diff
ference, but it seems as il | could lay
down easier If | conld once write down
what l have not dared whisper since |
done it. My name is Lee Singleton.
| was born in Litchfield county, Mary
land, in 1871. lived there until the
breaking out OF the war, when l en-
listed in the Southern army aud served
until the close of the wal l was
wounded twice, ono at Yorktown,
and again at the siege of Petersburg.
Both my parents died, and afler the
war was over l came West and fol-
lowed the Union Pacific Railroad un-
Ill it was completed. l then went to
White Pine, and in 1871 to Eureka,
where | ven to work as a feeder at
the - furnace. My companion, John
Murphy, was very Overbearing and
insulted me on several occasions, but
as he was a much stronger man than
myself ] took no notice of it until n
day he struck me. He did not know
that he signed his death warrant with
that blow, but he did. / never for
gave him for it, although | did not re-
talia,e at that time, but kept on work
ing my shift as though nothing had
happened. Murphy often tainted me
with being a coward, and it was with
the greatest difficulty that i could re-
strain myself from striking him down
with my shovel, but l kept my tenn
per and consoled myself with the
thought of the terrible revenge that l
would wreak on him.
THE FOUL DEED.
While feeding the furnace the
thought often anne to me that it
would be an easy matter to stun him
with a blow and throw him into the
stack, and / knew that if it was once
accomplished that no one could ver
detect any traces of the crime. The
principal difficulty was the continued
presence of the ore wheelers, but as
they worked ten hours and quit at six
o'clock, there was an interval of an
hour during which me and Murphy
were alone, save the occasional visit of
the night boss. l had to wait nearly two
weeks before the shifts changed so that
we came on at the same time. When
the opportunity finally presented it.
self 1 stepped behind him and
struck him a blow on the head
with my shovel as he was stoop-
ing to get a scoopful of char
coal. To drag him to the feed-hole
and throw him on the charge, was but
a moments work. l do not know
whether he was dead or only stunned.