Lexington weekly intelligencer. (Lexington, Mo.) 1871-1887, 1881-02-19
SAD FATE.
M. II, Rupc Perishes, from Cold
and Hunger I'm Ia Mountain
OF Humboldt-A Battle for
Life against the Raging
Elements.

u 4ClolLN /
Indictment weather. following the re-
OF a beloved n to their last
place.
death are inexpressibly sad. On the day
preceding New Years he lett his nome
at Petrolia, in Humboldt county In com
pany with. his son o., for Shelter Cove,
where the doctor owned a large ranch.
Alter their arrival at Cove a violent
storm came up, and subsequently VI.
started tor home, with q message to MS
mother that the doctor would remain al
the rauch until the storm abated. On the
18th inst, the doctor concluded to 60
home, although 1t was Still storming.
The distance to his ranch from tetrolla
WA some So miles. He proceeded about
ton miles that day, and reached the home
of a rancher, where he tarried and had
dinner. The rancher tried to persuade
hin, to remain until the weather cleared
M, but the doctor, beng an adventur-
ous man who had braved many dan
gers and had become accustomed to dis
regard the elements, concluded to pros
-seats his journey and reach the home o
anosher m%ountaineer, about four miles
-Eahsr on, with whom he vas intimate
IN acquainted. Accordingly he struck
ont. and that was the last seen OF him
alive. To reach the house he started Tor.
It was necessary to ferry an Intervening
river, and the ferryman says the untortu-
nate man did not cross the river. Inc
doctsr had missed his way in the storm,
which ragged necessarily. and as the
oountry thareabeuts IS sparsely settled,
he became completely lost In the wlids
Of de mountains. Although has devo-
tad wife had no reason to anticipate thai
he had started for home, she was uneasy
concerning his welfare, as she knew his
disposition was such that q storm never
SdS6Rtsa him She sought to console
herself that he was still safely e~nsconceo
in the ranch, and there was nothing to
warrant a-sssrch being Instituted. sun
day, 10th, the ranchman for whose nome
the doctor had started, went out to !ook
after the condition OF his stock, D d.
rected his course to the summit OF a
ri6fs ohly Two miles from his home, the
highest peint in the neighborhood, with
er he. went to examine the condition Of
his line fence, liable to have been pros
tr615deby the storm which had ragged. but
3haa now abated. As he. approached the
mountain top he discovered a saddied
horse, Browsing on the low bushes. he
then Instituted q search and was soon
rewarded by finding the remains OF his
friend, DR.. Rupe. The body was rest
ing on its back, with hat and gloves
near by, and life was extinct.
The Mortified man sought assistance
and left watchers with the remains
while he proceeded 70 notify the family
and officials. The intelligence OF tn.
fdoot0rTs untimely and fearful death com
pletely prostrated his wife, who had ir
the meantime become quite unnervet
by her %forebodings for his safety. 4
large number of friends, accompanied
by the officials. departed post haste 10
the scene OF death. where an inquest wa
held. Among the effects OF the decease'
was q memorandum book, in which IN
doctor had penciled, under date Of sat
urday, 10th, four days and nights aite
being out. the following note to III
wife;
Jan. l5.-Margaret-I am lost an
am very weak. I think l will perish.
SAM. H. RUPE.
Further on in the book, written IN
nervous hand, was another message, a
ioliows:
am dying. Why don't you find me
RUPE.
: latter could plainly be d%eciphered, al
thought written with much apparent Ell
2 fort, and the handwriting was recogniz
ed as the Doctors. The %coroner's jur
returned q verdict that deceased ha
come to his death from cold and hunger
consequent upon beng lost in the noun
tains while q violent storm ragged. Th
tact that deceased's horse was still
the vicinity OF the body when it wa
found, and the reins being over the an:
mails neck, although not secured to tn
pommsl of the saddle, and the furthe
TACT that the doctors hat and gloves wer
lying. convenient to the body, where b
had evidently placed them, led to th
reasonable conclusion that the unfortr
nate man had not long been dead.
10 further supposed by Mr.. Ross.a frien
OF the Doctors, who accompanied tt
remains here, that the doctor, after 10
ing his waY.in the mountains. had r.
NAMED in the timber, for protection
until Saturday evening; when. tt
storm having abated, the poor ms
Cllu1U0us W inc uiSucSt ueiSuooIi
peek; hoping to sight a:famillar. LAM
mari, sas q last desperate resolve to re
cue himself or die in the attempt. B
his strength had failed him, by long e.
posture to bitter cold and the absence
food and there, on that bleak mountai
after long suffering and heroic endea
or, the Angel of Death came as a MT
ssnger OF relief, and he knew that tn
and there, in that lonely place, remov
from those who were near and dear
him, his struggle TOR life must pro
unAvsiling-that he was doomed to d
But he did not die without commune,
ing a last message to her he loved
we'll, and for whom he 80 much want
to live; and IN that last hour of his 81
tering and agony, he still found strene
to note a inal and a fata.. message-tf
should tell. the tale his cold lips cou
not utter.
So violent had been the storm that
the streams were swollen, and fall
. sag sG.ul aalipPpssss ysseg@g!Q%Iaatksslv 44 t fsd Sd
two days. and numerous hardships.
remove the body to the village of I
trolia. Mrs. Rupe was completely pr
trated with grief, which rendered |
bedfast. Her son, in company with \
Ross and another friend, after the
mann had been Theoretically seal
conveyed them to this place for int
ment at Shiloh, under the auspices
the masonic lodge OF Healdsburg,
which the doctor had been a member
DR.. Rupe was born in Missouri, n
10. 1928. and would have been SO We
old at his mex birthday. He came
California in 1850, locating in N,
county, where he began the practice
medicine in 1851. He came to Sono
in 1852 and practiced medicine in
county up to a few years since, when
removed to Humboldt county, where
had bought a sheep ranch. He first
Gated IN Heaidsburg in 1862. He
married in Petaluma. in 1858, to 4
Margaret Seawell. a sister of Mrs. j
Wood, of Santa Rosa. and Henry S
well, of Salt Point. His wife bore
three children, only one of whom, "
A.. Is living. the only daughter, A
Maggie, having died in Healdsbul
lew years since, after budding
womanhood. DIR. Rupe leaves a br
or. D. G Rupe, of Santa Rosa. and
sisters. living in Missouri. Deces
was q man OF generous impulses, !
almost t o a fault to a friend; alw
ready and willing to aid those in dist
In a professional or other manner,
never ALTERING to breast a storm "
duty called him. His peculiarly
and untimely death will u mourne,
all who knew him and by hosts who
abundant cause to love him.