The silver state. [volume] (Unionville, Nev.) 1870-1903, 1902-07-23
MAY HAVE BEEN MURDERED
Startling Developments Regarding the Death
of John T, Read.

lDdl is the question winch Is aSlIaIlnR
the people of that community ever since
the body of Mr.. Read was found in
lonely O'Neal canyon, eight miles from
town. And yet the matter has been
hushed to an extent that prevented any
but elusive rumors of the murder theory
reaching this place. They seemed to
have so little foundation that little or
no reliance was placed in them.
But now the Silver State has it from
reliable authority tha circumstance
point almost conclusively to the fact that
Mr.. Read was foully murdered.
When the body was found on July 10th,
it will be remembered, it was taken to
Paradise and an inquest held that even
ing by Justice Bradshaw and a jury.
The Silver State was furnished with a
copy of the verdict, which was in effect
that Mr.. Read came to his death from
natural causes. :
Now the story is told that there was
dissatisfaction with the verdict and that
another inquest was held the next day,
just before the time set for the funeral.
At the first inquest there was no ply
sioian present and only a superficial ex-
HHiiiidllou a DttH Hidu vi IN htdo
mans head owing to its partially decom-
posed condition. At the second inquest
DIR. Bice made a thorough examination of
head and body. The result was startling
In its nature. On the skull were found
two wounds which the physician pro-
nounced as sufficient to cause death, and
which were evidently inflicted by a
heavy club or piece of iron. On the neck
were the plain marks of a thumb on
one side and three fingers on the other,
the prints of the nails showing unmis-
takably.
The jury. which was the same as at
the first inquest, found a verdict stating
that Mr.. Read came to his death on or
about July I'd at the hands of some per-
son or persons unknown.
Thus the case stands now, with the
weight of the evidence indicating that a
dastardly murder has been committed.
Until now 1t has been impossible to
obtain full particulars of the finding of
the body or other facts in relation to the
case.
Mr.. Read was last seen alive on the
evening of July I'd. when supplies were
taken to him by relatives. He was living
In a tent I'm O'Neal canyon. where he had
planted a small garden and alfalfa patch.
When the relatives took leave Of him
that evening Mr.. Read said he would
surely be In town on July 4th. He did not
come and no one wen out to the little
ranch to see If there was anything
wrong until July 10th. On that day Sam
Read. a brother of the deceased. drove
out. The tent was found unoccupied.
with seemingly nothing disturbed. On the
floor were a pair of shoes and on a chair
the outer garments belonging to the oc-
cupant. After making a slight search
| outside the cabin Sam Read returned to
town and reported the suspicious cir
cumstances. Several young men accom-
panied him back to the canyon and a
search was begun In the vicinity of the
tent. In a short time Sam Read found
the body of his brother lying near the
creek, between the stream and the al
falfa patch. The body was face down
ward. one arm doubled beneath. The body
was lying across a clump of brush and
the position indicated that the man had
fallen forward and died without a strug-
gle. The body was only partially covered
by the underclothing.
The jury at the second inquest spent a
day at the place where the body was
found and went over the ground thor
oughly. In the tent was found all of the
supplies which had been taken to Mr..
Read on July I'd except a small quantity.
evidently used for one meal. Among his
effects was a diary in which entries had
been made every day for a long time be-
fore and ending July I'd. From these
facts and the condition of the remains.
the date OF his death was fixed at July
2d. A mans footprints. made with bare
foot, were easilv traced from the tent to
the spot where the body was found.
These. briefly stated, are the facts, in
Guiding DIR. Bice's testimony. of course,
Upon which the jury found it's second
verdict that Mr.. Read died from wounds
iofiicied by an assassin and not from ma
tural auses.
The most plausible theory as to the
manner In which the murder was COM
niiited is that Mr.. Read was awakened
In the night. went to the door and was
struck down by he blows upon the
head and choked by the assassin, who
Left him for dead. To support this theory
Mr.. Read must IA regained partial
consciousness and wandered to the place
where his body was found
AS to who committed the cowardly
mcrder, If murder II was, there is much
speculation in Paradise valley, but really
nothing of a clew. 1t does not appear
that even a proper investigation is being
made. On the other hand. there seems to
be a strong influence working TO hush