Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1903-12-09
THE PASSING
OF A PIONEER
Recalls an Old Court
House Tragedy.
Lawyers, Litigants, Witness and
Court Reporter Involved and
Court Badly Frightened.

]. NJ. More, more Familiarity known
as ''Uncle Jimmy" died at the coun-
ty hospital yesterday aged 81 years.
Deceased came here about thirty five
years ago, and resided most of his
time in Kirkland valley, although for
few years prior to the death of his
wife, which occurred about twelve
years ago, the couple resided in Pres
colt. Deceased was a good citizen,
though man of strong convictions
and strong will power even to agrees
iveness, in what he considered the
right. He served one term as assessor
of this county and discharged the
duties fearlessly and impsrtially.
While peaceable and law abiding,
''Unele Jimmy" was one Of the actors
in one of the bloodiest tragedies ever
enacted in court room in Arizona
1t was during the year 1888, when a
suit over a Kirkland valley water
right and ranch, was on trial between
Charles Beach and P. McAteer.
Feeling between the parties was very
bitter, and this feeling extended to
friends of each. The late Clark
Churchill was attorney for Beach and
Charles Rush was attorney for Nc
Ateer. Judge French occupied the
bench, and W. o. O'Neill was court
reporter.
More was a witness for Beach, and
during the progress Of the trial dis
pute arose between the attorneys dur
ing which some strong language pass
ed, finally resulting in Rush picking
up an ink stand and throwing it at
Churchill the latter retaliating by FIR
ing heavy book at Rush.
This was sufficient to arouse the
fighting spirit of McAteer, who was
considered dangerous man, having
been engaged in one or more fatal
ARRAYS in New Mexico, and he drew a
large knife and entered the fray Sc
lecting his opposing litigant as his
victim, making a murderous lunge at
him with his knife. In trying to pre-
sercve the peace and keep the two
apart, More received knife thrust in
the shoulder necessitating the ampu-
tation of his arm. Beach received a
slight cut in the neck, and just as
McAteer was attempting to deal a
death blow, with his knife, to O'Neili,
Beach drew a pistol and shot Nc
Ateer, the latter falling in his tracks,
in the court room, and dying a few
days later from the effect of the
wound.
During the progress of the affair,
it is said that Judge French dropped
behind the Judges bench, and re-
NAMED there until the last signs Of
the struggle had disappeared.
The attorneys in the case were sem
tened to pay quite heavy fine for
contempt of court, in precipitating
the tragedy, but on account of the
leniency of the judge, the order was
never enforced, and so far as known
to the writer, has never been remit
ted.
''Uncle Jimmy More was the last
survivor of the parties engaged to the
tragedy with the exception of Charley
Rush, who left this section the fol-
lowing year, and his whereabouts IRE
not known.
As stated, McAteer died of his
wounds. Judge French and Attorney
Churchill died from natural causes
Beach was assassinated a few years
later by a man firing the contents of
a double barreled shot gun into his
head while he was seated before a win
dow writing a letter. O'Neill was
killed in battle on San Juan hill in
Cuba during the Spanish-American
war, and "Uncle Jimmy" More, on
yesterday passed peacefully away, from
natural causes.
The funeral will take place tomor-
row Wednesday, afternoon, from the
chapel in P. Mohn & Co.'S under
aking parlors at two o'clock.