Eureka daily sentinel. [volume] (Eureka, Nev.) 1871-1887, 1883-01-03
A DEATH.
George p. McCOnkey Found Shot
Dead in His Office.

George p. McCOnkey Found Shot
Dead in His Office.
Yesterday morning the community of
Eureka was shocked by the announcement
that George P. McConkey of Hamilton was
found dead in his place of business at 3
o'clock A. M. A number Of dispatches
were received during the day, none of
which contained any satisfactory state
ment of the circumstances beyond this,
that the body was discovered lying be-
tween the safes of Wells, Fargo & Co. and
White Pine County. The deceased was
agent of Wells, Fargo & Co., and the pre-
sumption is, had not yet turned over the
moneys Of the county, of which he was the
retiring Treasurer. He was also agent Of
Gilmer & S%alisbury's stage line at Hamil-
ton. He kept his Office, in which he at
tended to business in all these capacities,
in the store of the Mathswson Bros. 1t
was in this apartment that the body was
found.
THE PISTOL.
A pistol, recognized as the one kept on
his desk by the deceased, was lying some
eight feet from the body, with II cham
Der containing only the shell of an ex-
ploded cartridge. The evident cause of
death was a shot that passed through the
heart. The county safe was open, and
Wells, Fargo & Co. safe had the keys in
the door with the combination on. This
is about all that could be learned. The
smaller details of the affair are not in our
possession those little circumstance
which make up a case of probability. The
Coroner's Jury was in session all day.
VERDICT OF THE JURY.
At 8 o'clock last night they returned a
verdict, as we learn by special dispatch
from r. Sadler, to the effect that deceased
came to his death by unknown hands, the
superstition prevailing that he had been
murdered. The dispatch from Mr.. Sad.
Ter stated, also, that the affairs of Nc
Conkey's office, up to 8 O'Clock P. NJ, had
not been examined. The cause of his
death, without further knowledge of the
surrounding circumstances, can be a sub
ject Of the purest speculation only.
HANDS.
It is presumed, however, that the jury
of inquest had possession Of more facts
than have come to light in Eureka, and
that their conclusion is the correct one
"He came to his death by some unknown
hands" For the same reason the prevail
ing opinion in Hamilton, that he was MUIR
dered, is more to be relied upon than any
conjecture in Eureka, however plausible.
On the supposition that a murder was
committed, the deed was most dastardly
done. 1t appears that the deceased was
shot but once, and that the bullet came
from his own pistol. If he were killed in
this way by some one who attacked him,
there was certainly a deep laid and wonder
fully well executed plan of murder. So
far, no circumstance has come to light
which warrants the supposition of any
motive for such an atrocious deed. There
was none in the character or life of the
victim. His accounts have not been ex-
amined since October, at which time they
were all right; and it is consequently not
known whether he was robbed. One dis
patch says there were some $40 in coin
been part of a cunningly devised scheme
to ward off suspicion and make the death
like suicide? Possibly.
HOW IT LOOKS.
AT first flush, seeing the pistol with one
chamber empty, McConkey lying dead,
killed by a single bullet, and money
Though a small amount) scattered around,
the inference you'd be that he had taken
his W life. The verdict of the jury of
inquest is not to the contrary. May not
the unknown hands, be his own? Those
who are familiar with the deceased and
in what condition his affairs were do
not believe there is any reason to suspect
that he committed suicide. He was a man
of u~nblemished reputation and doing a
good business-making regularly q good
deal of money-and he had, also, powerful
friends, in a financial sense, Jack Gilmer
and Jot Travis, for example, who would
have come to his relief with plenty of
money in any emergency.
NO CAUSE FOR SUICIDE.
He was at no known expense that would
have caused him to become embarrassed
or that would have tempted him to use
funds. We are told that he used to
dabble considerably in stocks, but that
last July he has dealt in no stocks,
but the Star at Cherry Creek, a number of
shares Of which he held. These have been
no expense to him, as the recent Two
bit assessment is the first for a long
This is what those who knew the
best say about him and his affairs.
The condition of his accounts will be like
ly to show something Of a motive for sui
eide, II there was anyi it they are all
straight, as they are confidently expected
by his friends to be, then it would seem
assured that he was murdered, I'M
less some now unthought Of motive for
self-destruction should be discovered. De-
in the case are awaited with
interest.
SKETCH OF DECEASED.
George P. McGonkey was a man very
generally known in Eastern Nevada. He
was possessed of a fine business character.
He had many friends, and few, if any,
enemies. He was about the middle age,
in the prime Of life. He leaves a wife and
two children, a daughter about ten years
old and a son about s years. His tragic
death has brought more sadness upon this
in which he had many old
acquaintance and friends, than has
been felt here for q long time.