The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-27
THE NICHERSON'S.
Their Missouia Friends VIII BE Surprised
to Hear of Their IroubIe

A"e'' "ss"u'a Friends Will BE Surprised
to Hear of Their trouble
Missoula, March 26.-Many Missoula
people Will remember Jimmy Nicher-
son, who lived here from 1888 TO 1898.
during which time he was employed at
the Headquarters saloon. He owned a
ranch up the canyon, adjoining Tom
COOKS place, and was we'll known and
generally liked in town. He was a
! quiet, unassuming fellow, who never
mad any trouble with anybody, which
is saying a great deal when il is re-
membered how many Opportunities he
mad to fight in the Headquarters dur
ing the boom years His old acquaint-
ances here were all the more surprised
on this account to learn that Jim is in
trouble in California and that he and
his brother Tom are under arrest there
Tom was brought to Missoula from
Kingston, Ont. to learn the assaying
business and for some time worked in
DICK Marsh's assay office. He was as
quiet as his brother, and II seems in
credible that the two should have be-
come involved in such serious trouble.
The Examiner gives the following ac-
count of the affair:
y. j. Nicherson shot and killed
James Roop and Robert Conover about
noon Thursday at a point on the Cot
ton wood road, 80 miles east of Ban
ming, on the line between Riverside and
San Bernardino. The double killing
was the result of a disagreement be-
tween the partners in a mine. During
the quarrel over the matter Conover
and Roop attacked T. r. Nicherson, a
brother of the man who fired the fatal
shots. When the latter saw that his
brother was likely to be seriously hurt
he shot the two men.
Although the shooting was done be-
fore noon Thursday. IL was late yester-
a LAfA
carried to telegraph line and the Off
GERS notified. This was brought about
by the Nichersons coming to Banning,
the brother who shot the two men
bringing the other brother to Banning
for surgical treatment
THE four men, the two Nichersons,
Roop and Conover, were partners i'm a
mine which they had been working and
doing well. The claim is about six
miles southwest of Pinton mountain
and 22 miles from Twenty-Five Palms
A number of mining men who are in
from the desert are familiar with the
location, but there is no way of telling I
which county it is in until the survey |
shall be made.
THE four men had been working to-
gether during the winter. but recently
dissension arose and j. j. Nicherson
had already announced that he would
withdraw and leave the claim. on
Thursday T. r. Nicherson, Conover
and Roop engaged in controversy, re-
sulting In quarrel and Roop, picking
up a Winchester. fired at T. r. Nicher-
son. the shot taking effect i'm the arm.
At the same time Conover attacked him
with pick handle. striking him a blow
over the back of the head.
u. j. Nicherson was not far away
and he rushed in to rescue his brother
when Conover struck at him with the
nick handle Nfphargo,,
his tent. secured his own Winchester,
and shot both Conover and Roop.
This is the story of the tragedy as
told by j. ]. Nicherson to Sheriff Hol-
comb at Banning last night. The Mich
arson who was shot in the arm was
intensely, and the two broth
ers started at once to drive to Ban
ning 80 miles away. They arrived late
asst night and IL was 1915 o'clock when
Sheriff Holcomb got word of the affair {
He drove to Cotton and took passage !
IN a freight train for Banning, where !
ne arrived during the night. Riverside {
'fficers were also summoned and a con- {
resulted in the conclusion {
hat the battle ground was i'm Riverside {
county, and Sheriff Holcomb returned {
his morning, leaving the Riverside Of '
icers i'm charge. [
Both of the men killed were mar
led. their wives being at Twenty-Five f
'alms. Word was sent to them and h
hey arrived at Banning to-day, bring V
ng the bodies of the dead. Later this {
fternoon NJ. ID. Warren arrived from \
he vicinity, coming into Banning with C
he bodies of Roop and Conover. War r
en- reports that the first man to reach O
he scene after the Nichersons left was n
latham CARAT, and that Conover was
till alive when found, but could not 1,
peak and died a little later. No one Z,
'itnessed the tragedy except those par u
cipating in it," ~
Nicherson was brave as a lion and y
ould not hesitate to defend his broth -
: against overwhelming odds. His T.
lends here are of the opinion that he -
as certainly justified in his act. He =.
as the sympathy of a large number of :.
lends. !"