Tombstone weekly epitaph., 1882-07-22
DEATH OF JOHN RINGO.
His Body Found in MOrse's Canyon.-
 Probable Suicice.

this city of the finding of the dead body o
 John Ringo near the mouth of Morse'
 canyon in the Chiricahua mountains or
 Friday afternoon. There was few men 1T COchise county, or Southeastern Arlzon,
 better known. He was recognized b,
 friends and foes, as recklessly brave man
 who would go any distance, or undergo
 any hardship to serve friend or punish
 an enemy. While undoubtedly reckless
 he was for from being desperado, and we
 know of no murder being laid to his
 charge. Friends and foes are unanimous
 in the opinion that he was strictly hon
 orable man in all his dealings, and that | his word was as good as his bond. Many people who were intimately acquainted
 with hlm Tn life, have serious doubts that he took his own life, while an equally
 large number say that he frequently threat.
 ened to commit suicide, and that event was
 expected at any time. The circumstances
 Of the case hardly leave any room for doubt
 as to his self destruction. He was about 200
 feet from water, and was acquainted with
 every inch ofthe country, so that it was al-
 most impossible for him to lose himself. He was found in the midst of clump of oaks, springing from the same stem,
 but diverging outward so as to leave an
 open space in the centre. On top of the
 main stem and between the spreading
 boughs, was large stone, and on this
 pedestal he was found sitting, with his
 body leaning backward and resting against
 tree. He was found by man named
 John Yost, who was acquainted with him
 for years, both in this Territory and Texas.
 Yost is working for Sorgum Smith, and
 was employed hauling wood. He was
 driving team along the road, and mo-
 ticed man in the midst of the clumb of
 trees, apparently asleep. He passed on
 without further investigation, but on lcok-
 ing back, saw his dog smelling of the
 mans face and snorting. This excited curiosity, and he stopped the team, alight. ed, and proceeded to investigate. He found the lfeless body of John Rngo.
 with a hole large enough to admit two fin. gers about half way between the right eve and ear, and hole correspondingly large on top of his head, doubtless the outlet of the fatal bullet. The revolver was firmly clenched in hls hand, which is almost con- elusive evidence that death was instan- taneous. His rife rested against tree and one of his cartridge belts was turned upside down. Yost immediately gave the alarm, and in about fifteen minutes eleven men were on the spot. The subioined statement was made by the eye witnesses to Coroner Matthews:
 TURKEY OR MoRsE's MILL CREEK.
 Statement for the information of the Coroner ard Sheriff of Cochise county, Arizona: There was found by the under. signed, John Yoast, the body of man in a clump ot oak trees, about twenty yards | north from the road leading to MOrse's l mill, and about quarter of mile west of | the house of B. F. Smith. The undersigned | viewed the body and found it in sitting posture, facing west, the head inclined to the right. There was bullet hole on the top of the head on the left side. There is, a part of the scalp gone, in. cluding small portion of the forehead and part of the hair This looks as if cut out by knife. These are the only marks of violence visible on the body. Several ot the undersigned identify the body as that of John Ringo well known in Tomb stone. He was dressed in light hat, blue shirt, vest, pants and drawers. On his feet were a pair Of hose and an undershirt torn up so as to protect his feet He had evidently travelled but short distance in this foot gear. His revolver he grasped In his right hand, his rifle resting against the tree close .o li1.. lie had Ou two Cart. ridge belts the belt for revolver cartridges being buckled on unside down. The under. noted property was found with him and on his person; l Colts revolver, calibre 45, No. 222, containing five cartridges; Win. chester rifle octagon barrel, calibre 45. model 1876, No. 21, ,S96, containing car ridge in the breech and ten In the maga- ,ine; cartridge belt, containing rifle 1 cartridge belt, containing evolver cartridges; 1 silver watch of American Watch company, No. 9339, with liver chain attached two dollars and six. y cents ($2 60) Tn money; pistol car ridges in pocket; shirt studs: 1 small pocket knife; 1 tobacco pipe; comb; 1 ,lock matches 1 small piece tobacco. Ihere is also a portion of letter from lessrs Hereford & Zabriskie, attorneys. tlaw, Tucson, 10 the deceased, John tingo. The above property is left in the ossession of Frederick Ward, teamster etween Morse's mill and Tombstone.
 The body of deceased was buried close 3 where it was found.
 When found deceased mad been dead bout twenty-four hours Thomas White, Ghn Blake, John W. Bradfeld, B. F. mith, A. E. Lewis, A. $. Neighbors, ames Morgan, Robert Bolter, Frank lcKtnney, w. J. Dowell, J. c. McGray, Ohn YOast, Fred Ward.
 From Fred Ward, who arrived in the ity on Sunday evening, an EPIrApH re- orter learned that the general impression revailing among people Tn the Chirica- uas is that his horse wandered off some 'here, and he started off on foot to search ,r him; that hls boots began to hurt him, nd he pulled them off and made mocca- ms of his undershirt. He could not have cen suffering for water, as he was within % feet of 1t, and not more than 700 ,et from Smiths house. Mrs. Morse and lrs. Young passed by where he was lying thursday afternoon, but supposed it was ome man asleep, and took no further no- ce of him. The inmates of Smiths house card a shot about three o'clock Thursday Vening, and it is more than likely that lat is the time the rash deed was done. Ie was on an extended jamhoree the last me he was in this city, and only left here ,n days ago. He had dinner at Dial's in le South Pass of the Dragons one week go last Sunday, and went from there to aleyville, where he kept on drinking , eavllY. We have not heard of his where bouts after leaving Galeyville, but it IS lore than likely that he went to Morse's inyon. He was subject to frequent fits of lelancholy and had an abnormal fear of eing killed. Two weeks ago last Sunday conversing with the writer he said he as as certain of being killed, as he was