The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1898-04-21
ROY MURFIN'S DEATH.
Later Account Makes 1t Tent
Accident.

Later Account Makes 1t A Tent
Accident.
The Sleepy Eye Dispatch of last
Friday has two accounts of the death
of Roy Murfin of Sleepy Eye, while
making for the Alaskan gold regions.
One account is in line with the report
published by The GAZETTE last week,
and the other, which seems to be
correct, is different. The first is in the
shape of special to the Dispatch from
the Tacoma Ledger, aud is as follows:
Steamer Noyo which arrived from
Copper River brings an account of the
death of L. R. Murfin of Sleepy Eye,
Mimi, who was accidentally killed by
the discharge of big revolver The
same steamer brings the news Of the
death of MR. pdahl, of Marshall, Mimi,
who died suddenly from over exertion
while packing across thesglacier. Two
graves carved out of solid ice mark
the last resting places of the two men
who were the first to die through the
terrible trip across the glacier. L. R.
Muffin was shot and killed on the
morning of March 23d. With his
partner he was engaged in pulling
a heavily loaded sled across the ice
from the camp, ten miles from the
edge of the glacier, to the summit.
A rope on the sled needed Tightening
and both men we're working on the
rope. His partners revolver in some
way became loose in his belt and fell.
1t struck the sled in such a way
that it was discharged, the bullet
striking Murfin and inflicting a
wound from which he died shortly af-
ter. The victim was young man.
T. H. Opdahl died almost as sud-
denly as did the man who was shot,
He had been working hard with his
three partners drawing outlines across
the glacier. He became over heated
on March 2lst, and allowed himself
to cool off too suddenly. The next
morning he felt terribly sick and the
morning of the 23d he died. He
leaves widow and two small children
at Marshall, MINI. His money and a
valise full of personal effects were
taken to Valdes by the mans partners
and given to Purser S. w. Baker, of
the Noyo, who will send them to his
family. Purser Baker also has Muir
fin 8 money and effects in his charge.
The other report is letter sent by
John Reigel, a member of the Muir
fin party, to DR.. Welcome of Sleepy
Eye. 1t is sad in the extreme, as fol-
lows:
[ am sitting by the dim light
of candle, my heart is filled with
grief as sit and write you of the ter
rible accident which proved so disas-
trous and fatal to poor Roy. Oh,
friends, it is sad to recall. Why, a
day or SO ago Roy was alive and in
the best of spirits, but, alas, sad
change has taken place since, which
has placed Roy in his grave where he
rests in silent slumber. In order to
arrive at the story of Roy's sad fate,
l will dispense with other items.
On Wednesday morning, March 23d,
owing to inclement weather, all of
us remained in camp. We we're in
the dining tent, repairing and renova-
ting our ice creepers to resume our
journey over the glacier. R. V.
Baasen, H. Hessian, j. H. Buckley, j.
Carvirson, NJ. A. Whereby, D. Whereby,
poor Roy and myself we're seated in
the dining room tent and NJ. j. Hes
sian and H. S. Congee were in the
cooking tent and F. Guyer went up
town on several errands. When [
say town, have reference to the place
where we landed about seven miles
from where we were, or are camping
at present. AS stated before, Roy
and were in the dining tent, when
D. Whereby, the Youngest member, of
our party, the son of A. WHEREBY, arose
and went into the sleeping tent with
the intention of oiling his rifle which
was with the other guns. In trying to
locate his gun he pulled another gun
out of it's case which had been left
loaded. The hammer caught and in
some unaccountable manner the rifle
was discharged. The bullet passing
through two slicker coats and both
tents, striking Roy in the left arm just
below the elbow. shatterinp the radius