Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1895-12-01
Double Murder.

Beyond doubt, q horrible double
murder was committed in Humboldt
county, near the Washoe county line,
last Thursday. Wednesdays Gazette
gives the following particulars oh.
tanned from a resident Of Wadsworth:
An Indian and a Spaniard known as
Spanish Frank have been employed
on the Cowles ranch, in Limbo noun.
tains. about 10 miles north Of Wads.
worth, in Humboldt county. Thurs.
day morning they went up in the
mountains for wood, the Indian riding
in the wagon and the Spaniard on
horseback. They did not return to
the ranch that night, which created
some anxiety for their safety. Next
morning jas. Ewing, another ranch
employe, started out in search Of the
missing @ On the road leading
from the mountains he came upon the
body OF Spanish Frank, lying face
downward with a stick thrust through
his back. \ short distance further
ON he found the dead Indian with his
feet tangled in a lariat. The indica
tons were that the Indian had been
dragged for some little distance, rs
signs to that effect we're plainly seen
on the ground. Ewing thought hat
the horses hitched to the wood wagon
had run away, throwing both men out
and killing them. lie had No way OF
removing the bodies and he covered
them with stones to prevent coyotes
from eating them and started for
Wadsworth, where he arrived Sunday
morning and informed the officials OF
the tragedy.
Shortly after Ewing arrived in
Wadsworth, a Spaniard named Echi
vera made his appearance in the
town. He told Il friendo OF the tragedy
but said it was not an accident that
resulted IN the death OF the two men,
but that Ewing had killed them.
This was the first intimation that a
most horrible crime had been commit.
ted, and as Echiverra seemed to know
so much about it, the officers conclud-
ed to arrest him and hold him for
further investigation.
Ewing and Il number Of others
started from WadswOrth Sunday to
bring i'll the bodies, returning with
them yesterday afternoon.
An investigation showed that both
had been shot, the Indian through
the throat and the Spaniard through
the back. The supposition is that the
murderer crept up behind the Span.
lard and shot him while the latter was
riding along on his horse. The Indi-
an who was probably but a short dis
lance ahead, heard the shot and
turned around to sec what the occa.
sion was and the assassin shot him
through the throat.
There Is no credence placed in
Echiverra's story about Ewing being
the murderer, for If he had been he
would have allowed the coyotes to
pick the meat from the bodies OF the
murdered men and thereby cover all
traces OF the cause Of death, and make
the first belief that they had been
killed i'll an accident all the stronger.
Indians who went out to the scene
of the tragedy have found tracks in
the neighborhood closely resembling
those made by Echiverra, ind they
expect to track him from Limbo
mountains to Wadsworth. At any
rate the suspected man will be held
i'll custody until the matter is entirely
cleared up.
An inquest was held to-day, but
what the result was could not be
learned. The murderer, it is sup.
posed, thrust the stick through the
Spaniard's back and wrapped the rope
about the Indians feet TO make il an.
pear that an accident had certainly
happened. Sheriff Iiadley OF Hum.
boldt county is working on the case.