Arizona weekly citizen., 1884-07-05
MURDER.
A Horrible Affair on the Sonoita
 River.
Fred KeIster Twice Stabbed and Then Shot to Death by an Un-
 known Assassin.

A horrible tragedy was enacted at Con Ryan's ranch, located about half way between the Flux mine and the Flux spur at the railroad on the Sonoita river, last Tuesday night, which resulted in the instant death of Fred KeIster, a partner of Con Ryan in the store and ranch at that place.
 At the time of the tragedy there were four men at the ranch-Keister, the keeper of the place; Douglass, a sick miner from the Flux mine: Kelly, also a sick prospector, who was resting a few weeks; and teamster who made daily trips between the mine and the railroad.
 Kelly and the teamster bad made their beds on the ground under q tree at one end of the adobe building, anl were just about to retire for the night, 1t being nearly nine o'clock. Keister and Douglass were standing in door leading from Keister's sleeping room into the center room of the building, which was used for store room. Each held candle, and they were ccpversing. Within two feet from them was a rear door leading to a corral. frg m which still another door opened towards where Kelly and the teamster had their beds. The assassin, who IS described as quite large mau, wearing a drab hat and having a black mask on Lis face, sud denly appeared from the corral door and with his right hand grasped Doug lass by the left shoulder, present. ing pistol with his left hand
 Douglass wTenched himself from tn assgiiaLt and ran through the store room into the bar-room and thence cut the front door. At the time Douglass fled ksister must have attempted to pass the RssailRnt and escape by the back door into the corral, and in passing he received q severe wound from a knife ID the left arm near the shoulder. He was again badly GU. Tn his back and then shot, the ball passing through from the back and coming out of the abdomen. keister at thIs time yelled, "Oh, I'm desdi I'm deadi I'm deadi" The corral wall near the outside gate was thickly bespattered with blood and shreds of flesh, and it was here he pro- bably received the shot. He staggered through the corral gate in the direction of th9 beds. Of Kelly and the teamster, but before reaching them he staggered aud fell among some logs.
 Not knowing what caused the trouble, and fear ng to make any Investigation Tn the dark. the teaTnster and Kelly ran towards the railroad for help and Dou- glass made for the FluX mine for the same purpose. It was about three o'clock the next morning when the par ties returned, when il was found that Keisier had been dead for some hours. No trace of the perpetra.or of the deed could be found, and as nothing about the premises had been molested It was 2 mystery indeed.
 The facts were telegraphed to Sheriff Paul, who proceeded tO the scene. He pursued come Mexicsns and railroad section hand who had been present the afternoon of the murder and who had been driven away by Keister for bcister- Ous conduct and drunkenness. He could find nothing suspicious about them, and in fact they easily proved that they were not near the ranch after and besides they had neither knIves nor pistols. The Sheriff Is at loss to find motive for the crime and can fCrm DO idea who the guilty party Is.