Amador ledger., 1908-09-25
FRANK BAMERT,
SHOT AND KILLED
Whether an Accident or Suicide
Uncertain. Tragedy on Cattle
Range in Alpine County.

Range in Alpine County.
Word was brought here on Monday
that Frank Bamert, the oldest son of
Che late Charles Bamert, was kille5
by pistol shot, while on his summer
stock range in Alpine county. There
are two brothers, Frank and Edward
Bamert, who annually drive their
stock to the mountain pastures in
Alpine county. Their range is in
Hope valley, and EN- braces the lands
formerly owned by the late W. r.
Williams and Murpbys. They
occupied the old Williams residence,
and there we're there at the time the
deceased, his brother Edward, and
the latter's wife, and Miss Maggie
Fleming, a sister of Mrs Bamert, who
was there on visit, and had been
there for two or three weeks.
lho first reports that reached here
were to the effect that the body of
Bamert had been found on the range,
a distance from home, with a gun
shot wound in the head; that it had
evidently been lying there about two
days, and that it was case Of
murder. 1t was reported that he had
a quarrel with the forest ranger. and
the supposition was that his death
was related with this quarrel.
An effort was made from the
sheriff's office here to find out the
facts by telephone, from the officers
Of Alpine county. Communication
was opened Indirectly with the sheriff
through the Reno office. The only
reply from the sheriff. that from what
be could find out it was a case of
suicide.
1t does not appear that any
coroner's inquest was held. But an
undertaken was sent for from Reno,
who went to the scene of the tragedy,
and embalmed the body, preparatory
to its removal to 1.-The home at
Clements in San Joaquin county.
The remains passed Martells We'd
nesdaysevening, and Robert Fleming,
who was accompanying the party
that far, WAS in jackson the same
evening, and brought the fist definite
account of the sad affair. Whether
he was present on the range when
the tragedy was enacted, we cannot
say, but at any rate his information
came direct from those who we're
there. His account is to this effect.
''Ihe shooting occurred Sunday
morning in the dwelling on the old
Williams place. The brother and his
wife, and her sister were there when
it happened.
There had been no quarrel with the
forest ranger, SO far as known; but it
is said some dissatisfaction was ex-
pressed on account of the migratory
tax imposed in Alpine, the position
taken being that it was hard to be
made to pay the federal government
tor the privilege of ranging, and a
head tax to the county as we'll.
On the fatal morning, deceased
complained that he was not feeling
we'll, and would not go out on tue
range, but repaired to his own room
to lay down and rest. The strange
part Is that no one heard the report
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when the solitude and silence of that
mountain region IS taken into CON
sideration. Some time after his
brother went in to see him and found
him dead, with bullet hole in his
head. The ball entered OH the right
side, and ranged almost horizontally.
coming out on the left side. Accord
ing to another verson, the ball enter
ed the right cheek, and ranging up
ward, emerged from the top of the
head. The relatives say it was all
accident. That the decreased was
cleaning the weapun-an hair-trigger
pistol-when it was accidentally dis
charged.
Deceased was about "a years of age,
he was we'll liked by all who knew
him. No motive for suicide is known.
lie was IN good financial circum-
stances. a report was current that
he was married to M iss Maggie
Fleming in Alpine county on the 9th
of September, but there seems to be
no foundation for this. 1t is
denied by those concerned.
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