The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1897-01-07
JOHN W. PROCTOR DEAD
NOTED SCOUT AND MINER SLIPPED
ON A STEEP BLUFF.
His Fall Caused II Landslide, and He
Went Down Two Hundred
Feet.

The picturesque figure or "Death-on-
the-Traip' will nevermore adorn the
streets of Spokane. and the good-natured,
wholesouled adventurer in buckskin,
known among his friends as John W.
Proctor, will not again be seen in the
mining camps of the northwest. He is
| dead Information to this effect came to
| Spokane last night from Hope Idaho, in
a telegram as follows:
Hope, Idaho, Jan. 1.-'Death- on-the-
Trail Proctor, was instantly killed today
by falling over a steep bluff and starting
| slide. He and two Spokane prospec-
tors were locating claims near Mineral
Point, 10 miles from Hope, when the acci-
| dent occurred. Proctor's head was'crush-
| ed. He went with the rock slide about
200 feet"
Proctor's EARLY Life.
| Il have been acquainted with John w.
Proctor, better known as 'Death-on-the-
Trail, for about 16 or II years." Deputy
| County Sheriff Leroy Waller said to a
representative of this newspaper. He
was born and raised in Indiana. and re-
moved to Michigan. There he enlisted in
the Union army and served through the
war of the rebellion. After the close of
the war he came to Dakota, and was the
original locator of the town of Bismarck
At one time he was estimated to be worth
over s15O,000. Hard times came on, his
fortune shrank considerably and he dis
posed of all his interests there. He served
as scout during the time of the excite
ment in the Black Hills, and was also
a scout for General Custer in his last
campaign against the warlike Indians In
that country. He secuted from Standing
Rock all the way through the Bad Lands
and had the reputation of being one of
the most successful men in that branch
| of the service
Proctor was a good-natured man. One
of his weaknesses was his generosity.
have known him, during the hard times
of 1874 and 1875, to keep as many as 25
and 30 persons, who were out of employ
ment, giving them the freedom of his
house, as If they were members of his
family. He never tired of lending as
sistance to people in distress. He was
noted also for his sincere friendship. If
he pretended friendship it was of that
kind you could rely upon. Proctor was al
most teetotaler, seldom taking drink.
His untimely death will be klmented by
| all who knew him as 1 did"
Death-on-t Trail has been conspicu-
Gus in and about Spokane for the past
nine years. He prospected in the Pend
d'Oreille, Occur d'Alene and Yahk dis
tricts, with considerable success, and &C.
casionally piloted tourists and prospectors
over the country. He claimed to know
every trail in the northwest.
11,s oaox,4a1 ; . =,
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~ 49, -, -, ~ %
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pS''s0' nc, s'''l amy Al
e. t., ~ '',s. re 70 a'Ss'1. .ne VI
=, ~ .e'.le'. VI '"o Low
pio9peo'eu ia' Summer vi me
=, 90 III iuf'io' III Tue iesion "nere
'S III p'' - "sS io's, anu o<'nie ptcA
~ 'poA1"e III 'iie IAN ne ialu III VIII
supply VI P'oNiSioiis lot niiiseil anu
'er ." al 0'iiels' aiiu ieeuii'eu 10 uiie mis-
" men III SPOKANE Frocpor resided al
mouse Oh ms own IN Feaceiul valley, down
VI lie iiNer Aiont' hno"n as PROCTOR nan
ne owned several small houses In mat
vicinity Whlch ne rented at moderate
rates, and his tenants cared for the half
III ms absence. one OF ms pecullarl1es
was to search for persons in need. If ne
found a man in public place asleep he
would inquire into his circumstances and
If satisfied that it was case deserving
of charity he would invite the man to his
house and give him to understand that he
was cordially welcome to remain there
and share his humble fare as long as it
might be necessary-always however. by
his own example giving out the impression
that it was necessary to hustle"
Mr.. Proctor and his wife separated sew
eral wears ago. She is a onarter Chinnau,a
woman from Wisconsin. They have two
children. who are with their mothar al
Clark's Fork Idaho Thev ara IrIo,., -
Years old. and Charley &
About three weeks ago Mr. Proctor +oia
Mr.. Waller that he was COMING ova,. 70
the court house to have him annoin,al
guardian of the children SAVING he ,,,os
liable to meet with an accident in Tho
hills. This purnose was navar oarr,oS
out. but Mr.. waller intends oors,,it,,sss
the Judge of probate on the snhioot 80
Proctor had mining claims scatterad 81
over the country. in addition m h,s It,.
property. which in time NAV becoroo ,,o1,,