Amador ledger., 1903-10-16
A NOTED MINING
MAN PASSES AWAY
Death Of James F. Parks, One of the
Most Expert and Practical Mining
Men of Amador County.

On Saturday morning shock was
given to the whole community by the
news that James F. Parks, the we'll
known superintendent of the Kennedy
mine, was found dead in his room that
morning. A bullet wound in his head,
and pistol by his side told the sad tale
of how he came to his end He had
been sick for a long time with that fatal
malady known as miner consumption
This insidious disease had sapped the
| foundations of life, and it was only a
question of few days ere the end
would be reached. On Friday the
change to cold damp weather affected
him seriously, adding much to his dis
comfort. 1t was a hopeless struggle
with suffering and disease. There was
no other outlet than the grave, and the
patient himself was as fully conscious
OF this as anyone.
On the fatal morning about o'clock,
the housekeeper, Mrs. Love, left the
sick chamber for few moments to at
tend to other household duties. On
returning to the room she noticed the
deceased stretched across the bed.
Approaching closer q uantity of blood
on the bedclothes was seen. and further
examination showed that the victim
was in a dying condition. A bullet
wound in the right temple was the
cause of death. No one in the house
heard the report of the pistol. R. l.
Kerr and G. M. Belshaw were sent for;
when they arrived life was extinct.
Coroner Huberty held an inquest the
same morning, with the following
named persons sworn as jurors: w. G.
Thompson, G. W. Freeman. J. R,
Smallield, G. M. Kelly, S. N. Spag-
noli and L. j. Fontenrose.
The witnesses examined were DR.. A.
M. Gall. the family physician, Mrs.
Sarah A. Love and r. l. Kerr. The
witnesses stated that the deceased had
never in his conversation MADE any re-
marks that would convey the idea that
he ever contemplated suicide. The
pistol was left in the room at the de-
ceased's request. 1t had been taken
from the room once, and he noticed its
absence, and insisted that it be return
ed, and to pacify him it was restored.
No Importance was attached to this in
cident, as the deceased for number of
years had been accustomed to having
a weapon.
Mrs. Love testified that Mr.. Parks
rose shortly after Z o'clock Saturday
morning, and dressed himself as usual.
Shortly afterward he told her that he
would like to have glass of cold water.
She thereupon left the room, and went
to the ice chest to prepare the water.
Returning with it. she noticed strong
smell of powder. Entering the room,
Mr.. Parks was seen lying on the bed,
and her first impression was that he
had fallen in a fain ting spell. She went
to raise him up, and then noticed blood
dripping from the back of his head.
The smell of powder was much stronger
on throwing back the bed clothing.
Probably the weapon was muffied by
the bed clothing for the purpose of
deadening the sound. BY the time
that others were able to reach the
scene the victim was dead. The pistol
was held close to the right temple, the
ball lodging inside the skull on the left
side of the head. The wound would
cause death in few minutes. Only ten
minutes elapsed from the time that
Mrs. Love left the sick cham ber and
her re-entry. No writing was left to
throw any light on the tragedy. The
jury returned verdict that death was
caused by wound in the head, caused
by a pistol shot fired by the deceased.
In the death of Mr.. Parks Amador
county has lost one of the most efficient
and practical mining experts that ever
came to this section. For over thirty
years he has occupied prominent
place in the management of the mines
of this county. Prior to his advent
here he was connected with the mines
of Virginia City and White Pine coun-
ty, and afterward had charge of the
Indian Valley mine in Plumas county.
In 1873 he came to Amador county to
take charge of the Keystone mine at
Amador City. All the underground
development work was intrusted to his
care, and under his management the
property paid handsome dividends for
fourteen years. In 1887 he surrendered
his position at the Keystone to take
charge as superintendent of the Ken
nedy mine, and held that position up
to the time of his death. To his judg-
ment and foresight is due the fact that
the Kennedy has been made the most
lavish bullion producer. and by far the
largest employer of labor the county has
ever known. He always adopted the
policy of keeping up development work,
and aimed at making the monthly
yield as nearly uniform as possible.
The life of the Kennedy mine has in no
small degree depended upon this policy.
The vast ore bodies now opened up to
the east were discovered by this sys-
tenn of persistent prospecting. To his
judgment as a miner is also due the
existence of the South Eureka He