Arizona republican., 1895-05-28
Did Boston COrbitt Die
in Arizona?
a Letter Received From
a Kansas Man.
Concerning a Rumor of Sui
eide by the Nations Avenger.
The Inquiry Leads to the Subject OF
Notorious Persons Who Have
Lived Long After Death.

Did Boston Corbett the slayer of
John Wilkes Booth and a nations
avenger die in Arizona?
Judge Street yesterday received a let
ter from gentleman at Topeka, Kane,
inquiring if Boston Corbett had COM
mitted suicide in Arizona. A rumor
had in some way reached Kansas that
the celebrated sergeant had wandered
to southwestern Kansas from his home
in Cloud county, was heard from at
various points in Texas and New Mex
leo and had at last found a home in q
mining camp in the southeastern part
of the territory where he had ended his
eventful life.
Several gentlemen were in the city
from that part of Arizona but none
had heard of Corbett's death or the
recent suicide of anyone not we'll
known in the locality in which he
died.
The writer of the letter of inquiry
referred to en- event in the life III the
man who has now become al Incidental
figure in American history. After the
war he moved to Kansas and exhibited
eccentricitiesi which became so pro-
nounced that they fell little short OF
actual evidences OF violent insanity.
He settled in Cloud county and for &
| long time 60 little had been heard of
him in the outside world that many
thought he was dead.
He was elected sergeant at arms Of
branch of the legislature and for
sometime performed his duties in the
usual manner. One day however he
suddenly adjourned the house with two
revolvers and ran a muck in the streets
OF Topeka. He was finally secured by
the police and was subsequently tried
and committed for insanity. He was
afterward discharged from the asylum
and nothing more was heard from him
until couple of months ago specisl
dispatch was sent out from somewhere
in Kansas that he had died a suicide.
The letter received yesterday by
Judge Street indicates that this could
not have been true since it had NOT
been heard OF at the capital of the
state where he had become such well
known figure.
/ The letter waa read in the hearing I'D
several gentlemen citing in the Com
mercial corridor and the subject natur.
ally led to Cor belts notorious victim
Booth, and the many rumors of his
existence. A correspondent had in fac,
announced that he had seen him within
the present year in South American
city. Speaking of the morbid human
tendency to rebabilitate with skin and
flesh and blood, the skeletons OF well
known or notorious characters whose
deaths had occurred in obscure places
or under ob.curing circumstances, one
rilla chief, Quartrell, had been seen in
2 half dozen places elnce his death in
Kentucky IN 1865. and at one time was
reported to be living in southern Cali
fornia. At the mention of the name oil
Quantrell, man came up, a stranger
who had not overheard any other part
of the conversation.
"You wouldn't believe me gentle.
men," SAID he, ''if were to tell you
that Quantrell at one time since the
war lived at Tempe"
"We certainly would not" said
Collector G. M. Shannon, "Quantrell
was never further west than central
Kansas"
But" said the stranger, ''I can
prove that he lived in Tempe, l have i;
from man who served under him,
knew him we'll and frequently saw him
in Tempe"
THAT man 1s Mistaken" replied
Mr.. Shannon, happened to live in
the neiehborhood and at the time when
Quantrell was killed am acquainted
with all the circumstances f his death
concerning which there can be no poe.
sible doubt"
| Another gentleman mentioned that
Capt. Dave Poole living near Phoenix
was one of the guerrilla chiefs most
active and trusted lieutenants, had been
with him from almost the beginning to
end of his bloody career and that Poole
himself who had every opportunity to
know had said that Quantren died al
the time and in precisely the same
manner as described by reports OF his
death