The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1897-12-01
THE HANCOCK MURDERS.
Looking For The Bodies of Victims.

fred Myers concerning the killing of
two men a year ago last June by one
John Hancock, has been forwarded
here from Los Angeles. Cal. The
statement contained diagram Of
the road travelled, which is so plain
ly given that Sheriff Prudential,
as soon as he saw it, concluded from
his knowledge of the country that
the murders occurred at or near
Summit Springs in this county.
These springs lie on the road to the
southwest, and about so miles out
on the road to Groom District from
Pahranagat.
Sheriff Prudential left on Sun
day evening and proposed to reach
the Springs on Tuesday.
The woman relates how Engelke,
a Veterinary Surgeon, whose parents
live at Ogden, and one Joe, a cana
dian, who acted as driver, were at
Pahrump. in Nys county, in June of
last year on their way north Mrs.
Myers and Hancock had been stop
ping at Pahrump several weeks on
their way north also. She had a boy
with her, seven years old. The two
| parties left Pahrump together and
the third day out Hancock proposed
to Mrs. Myers that he would kill
their travelling companions If he
could get them separated as they
had good outfit and his own was
poor and he believed also they had
money.
She then relates how they camped
that night and went to sleep in beds
placed about 16 feet apart. About
O'Clock in the morning. she was
awakened by two pistol shots and
found Hancock had shot both the
men while asleep, He had first
struck each over the head with an
ak and after shooting them struck
them again with the ak He made the
woman assist in placing the bodies
in quilts. after searching the remains
for valuables he took the bodies off
in his own wagon quarter of q
mile, no afterwards told her, and
piled rocks on them.
He kept busy from then till 8
O'clock in the morning, changing the
outfits. His own wagon and all soil
ed articles, also trunk. he burned;
threw away from the road casket OF
medicine and some surgical instru-
ments, etc. One Of his horses he left
at the camp.
That afternoon at 2 o'clock they
reached ranch at Pahranagat
believed to be Eisenmann's
where she speaks of Hancock
trading off to the man in charge
some articles, and sellinga bull dog.
One of Engeleks horses was race
animal, which she says Hancock
traded for team of heavy animals
at their first stopping place, some
springs, over the Utah line. This
proves to be Panaca and the animal
is now held by O. Rice there.
The confession was made for the
reason that Hancock had frequently
threatened to kill her if she divulged
his secret, aud be was arrested on a
charge of assault, which brought her
in contact with tho officers and she
used the occasion to confess the
whole horrible affair.
Sheriff Prudential felt confident
of finding the place where the muir
ders are said to have occurred and
hoped to return to DeLamar by to.
morrow.
It's eighteen months since the
occurrence but plenty of evidence
ought to still exist in the shape of
bnrned portions of the wagon, trunk,
etc. and also of the remains. The
California officers found the woman g
statements confirmed there, by iden-
tifying Engelke and his companion,
and ascertaining about when, and
where they started this way, on q
desert trip, the persons said, who
knew of the departure.
If the present search reveals what
is expected Hancock will be brought
here at once for trial and it would
look as though but one conclusion
could be reached and that sometime
next spring Lincoln County will
witness its first legal execution.
LATER.
Sheriff Prudential returned this
morning, having made the trip
quicker than expected. He left De-
Lamar in company With Sheriff
elect, Jake johnson, ct noon on
Monday. At noon on Tuesday, 20
miles beyond Rahranagat Valley, on
the road to Summit Springs they
found the place where the murders
were committed. The zinc sheeting
Of the burned trunk lay close to the
roadside. II had been regarded as
| burned sheetiron stove by passers-
by, the officers were afterwards told.
The parties had made dry camp as
there are no springs or other water
thereabouts.
background at that place 10 rocky