Mohave County miner., 1902-01-25
Shooting at Burns' Ranch.

Last thursday morning, at Burns !
Ranch, this county, John J. Tobin shot
and seriously wounded George n. Con
ard, a well.known cattleman. The
facts of the shooting az learned by us
is as follows: For a week or more Con-
ard and hired man had been at work
putting the Burns Ranch, a small tract
Of land five miles west of Mud Springs,
in shape for the planting Of a garden,
but had run out of provisions and
replenish the supplies. Returning
Thursday morning he found Tobin in
possession of the place. AS he was
driving down the road from the sum
nit of the range to the ranch he was
halted by Tobin, who ordered him to
go no farther. Conard stated to Tobin
but that he was going to put his feed
and provisions in shed used as a
/ barn. Tobin called to his wife, asking
her if she had her gun ready and the
woman came out at once and went to-
ward COnard. Disregarding the atti-
/ tude Of Tobin Conard started the team
toward the barn and Tobin raised his
gun to shoot. Conard said, don't shoot,
at the same time reaching for a rifle
that lay in the wagon. As soon as
Tobin saw the rifle he ran to the house
and took refuge behind it. The wo-
man then caught the horses heads and
stopped the team. Not wishing TO
have row with the woman, Consrd
began TO unhitch the team and the
woman stood back and looked on.
When the team was unhitched the
hired man took the horses to the wa
ter and was giving them drink. Con-
ard picked up box and placing it on
his shoulder started for the shed, leav-
ing his rife standing against the wag,
on. He was halted by Tobiu before he
had gone many yards and told to drop
the box and that he, Tobin, would put
it away. Conard said, l will put it
away myself. Tobin then raised his
gun and fired, the load of buckshot
passing over Conard's head, the wad
striking him in the face. He again
fired, this time the load striking Con
ard in the right arm as he had it raised
up holding the box on his shoulder.
Had it not been for the box his head
would have been torn off. AS it was
his arm caught the whole force of the
charge and was horribly torn up. The
box fell from the nerveless arm and
Conard started for the wagon. Tobln
called to his wife to get Conard's rife
and shoot the s--of b--h. The wo
man grabbed up the gun aud started
away from Conard with it. Tobiu
again called to her to bring it to him
which she did. As soon as Tobin got
the gun he took aim and fired at Con
ard, shooting him through the from
part of the left leg above the knee
4. Conard and the hired man were get
| ting away over the hill as fast as they
) could 60 aud we're soon out of range
J The wounded man walked and rodt
; the five miles to his home at MuC
Springs, the wounds bleeding pro
b fusely. When he arrived at his hom'
he was weak from loss of blood. Hi
- wife and hired man at once set abou
getting wagon ready and brought tn
wounded man to town, arriving her
about two o'clock yesterday morning
A complaint was sworn to and officer
> sent out to arrest the shooters. Tobil
, went to Chloride aud gave himself up
The officers are expected in toda!
with the wife, who is jointly charged
with the crime.
The trouble grew out of the posses
sion of the Burns Ranch. Over yea
ago Conard leased the ranch to TobiI
and wife and aided them in putting il
a garden. When the lease had expired
Tobin set up that he was as much en-
titled to the ranch as Conard and re
fused to pay rent or vacate. Conart