Arizona republican., 1896-05-21
FOULLY MURDERED.
An Old Time Arizonan Found Dead On
 the Desert

the Desert
 Lordsburg Liberal: Frank A. Dav- enport was found last week Wednes- dayl about two miles from his ranch, south of Separ, dead, having been mur- dered.
 George Sublet, formerly of Gold Hill, had been working for Davenport. He returned to the ranch Monday after an absence of several days. The place looked as though it had been deserted for several days, but it was not in ths shape in which Davenport generally left it when he intended to be gone for some days. The wagon and team were gone.
 Sublet's suspicious were aroused and he decided to investigate He followed the wagon trail and about two miles from the ranch found the team stalled and half starved, the wagon was loaded with wood. "A few yards behind the wagon, alongside the track, he found Davenport''s dead body.
 He took the body, aided by H. E. Jackson, to Deming, where it was found that he had been shot, the bullet going a little to the left of the center of the breast and passing clear through the body, probably causing instant death. The doctors thought the man had been dead six or seven days, which would make the date of the murder about April 30 or May l. On the body WaS found his SiXShooter, watch and $2O, showing conclusively that the ob- ject of the murder was not robbery.
 Frank Davenport was a man about 50 years old, most of which years had been spent on the frontier. His only known relatives are two sisters living in Massachusetts. He had accumu- lated comfortable property, being the owner of several hundred head of cattle. Living so much by himself he had, Ike many other men similarly situated, become somewhat eccentric. He was a good citizen and was uni versaliy respected and liked by all who knew him and did business with him. It is not known that he han an enemy in the world, but he claimed he had. However, the men he thought were his enemies were not the ones who killed him, for they are not in the country.
 Some two years ago young Hodgdon of DemiDg and Mexican boy, who were working for Davenport, were found murdered on the range. Daven- port always thought they were mur- dered by COW thieves whom the boys had accidentally caught while brand ing. Three men were accused of the murders, but not enough evidence could be got to hold them. One of these men is dead, ,:the other two are in Texas
 Davenport has often told his friends that this same gang of rustlers would get him. He always was on the watch bor them and constantly went armed He bought a shotgun this spring, to use if his house was attacked
 Judging from what has been since learned it is very probable that young Hodgdon and the Mexican boy were killed by the Kid. A horse owned by the Diamond A, which has been stolen several times, with a horse from Car retas, was left near the company ranch on Deer creek, and two horses, one Of which had been staked out and the other hoEEb.ed, were stolen. This was few days before the boys were killed. A few days later these horses were found at Hudson's ranch, which is not far from this place where they were killed. A day or so later two horses were stolen from Holmig brothers ranch. About week later the Kid killed man on Eagle creek. One Of the Holmigs' horses was afterwards found on Eagle creek. Taking this combination of circum stances into consideration it is very probable thai the Kid was in the vicinity of the murder about the time it was commit ted. A squaw was af erward cap tured from the Kid, and in relating her ad- ventures, told about the Kid killing a white boy and a Mexican near the Hachitas at about the time these boys were killed. Undoubtedly this double murder, which has long been charged to COW thieves, was really the work of the Kid.