The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1901-06-18
DEATHS (!
BIG LOST RIVER VAL
LEY THE SCENE OF
TROUBLE.

Last Tuesday was full of ex-
citement for the settlers and 9th
ers in the usually quiet vicinity of
Martin and Arco, on Big Lost
river. On the morning of that
day a mau was found dead in a
mine mill. and later the same
day, between 5 and 6 o'clock, a
man with stolen horses, brides
and counterfeit gold coins in his
possession, was overtaken and
Shot dead by Ed. McWilliams,
who was after a stolen saddle
that the pursued man had.
The body of Philander Perry,
ga years of age, was found in the
mill near Martin, lying upon the
floor. All the indications plain
ly showed that the deceased had
been cutting partition, where
an electric wire went through it,
with an axe when he had fallen
over backward dead, as if from
an attack of apoplexy. The axe
was found close by him, and
there were no marks of violence
on the body.
A letter was found on Perry,
written to him two years ago by
his daughter, Ella Rowe, who
then resided at Liberty, Maine.
Sheriff Finney intends to write
her giving the particulars of her
fathers sudden death.
The deceased had been q vet
eran in the civil war, as evidence
ed by discharge papers found on
his person. He belonged to Co.
M. First Maine heavy artillery.
He was a rather large and heavy
set man. The sum of 1895 was
also found in the pockets of his
clothes.
The series of events leading up
to the fatal shooting ARRAY date
from last Saturday, when Nc
Williams. who has q ranch on
Silver creek, came TO HALEY to
swear out warrant for the ar.
rest of a man who gave his name
as Sample, and whom he alleged
had stolen saddle from him.
He informed the sheriff that this
man had gone on toward Arco
and he wanted to get him and re-
cover the stolen property.
Having business on Fish creek,
the sheriff said he would go along
with McWilliams, and they would
both obtain what information
they could on the way in regard
to the whereabouts of the party
wanted,
The sheriff stopped at Cases
on Fish creek TO attend to his
business there, and McWilliams
went on ahead. Losing his
horses upon the creek, Finney
was delayed trying to find them.
On reaching Vance's he was
informed that McWilliams haC
gone on to the cottouwoods, buf
he stopped three-quarters of ar
hour, got dinner and fed his
horses.
Sample was oamped at a spring
half q mile or so this side of Mar
tin. Nearly everybody in the
neighborhood was at the mill,
where an investigation as to ths
cause of Perry's death was being
held.
In the afternoon McWilliams
started out up the hills to recon
noitre for Sample, who had gon,
some distance from his camp
He moved cautiously, peerins
over the tops of bushes, rocks
and hillocks, trying to locate hi
man without being seen himself
About 9 o'clock the two Inel
met-each peroeiving the other a
the same time. Each Instant,
pulled his gun and began shoot
ing. They were not over fort,
steps apart, and each man free
four shots.
Sample had the most adyan
tageous position, and when tn
shooting began he dropped be
hind two small cottonwoods TO
protection. MoWilliams starte
on a run toward him oirclin
around the trees, firing as he ran
Each man had "A Colts, and tn
weapons were so nearly alik
that any difference in them coul
not be distinguished