Tonopah bonanza. [volume] (Butler City [i.e. Butler], Nev.) 1901-1909, 1909-08-14
Dead Man Found
90 the Desert

To the long list of desert myster-
les another human life has been
added to the column of unsolved
problems. Whether or not the
drear, grim desert waste is respon-
sible for the death of an unidenti-
fed man found five miles from Ton
opah yesterday morning on the Sill
yer Bow road or whether the hand
of man is accountable for this latest
desert tragedy may eve be known.
DIR. Elftman left Tonopah early
yesterday morning for Golden Ar
row. He took the shortcut road,
it being several miles shorter than
the usually travelled route and a
highway that is seldom traversed.
About a mile from the intersection
of the Goldfield auto road and the
Silver Bow road he saw the body of
a man lying full length in the mil
die of the road. Upon investigation,
he realized that the man was dead.
He returned to Tonopah and mott
fed the officers. In company with
Deputy Sheriff Tom Marshall, DR.,
Elftman went to the scene. 1t was
found that the body was in a ter
rible state of decomposition and a
return trip was made to Tonopah to
secure necessary material in which
to wrap the body.
1t was in the n~eighborhood of 4
O'Clock when the remains reached
this city. The body was taken to
the undertaking parlors of Wona-
colt and Hall, where many people
gathered to gaze upon it. No one
who saw him ever remembered him
in life. There were no papers or
marks to identify him. Upon his
person we're found two checks Cd
the Hermitage saloon of Goldfield
and a pair of glasses, the case of
which was inscribed with the firm
name of Goldfeld Jewelry and Drug
company. Sheriff Owens will try to
get a line on the mar from these
meagre facts.
1t is evident that the man, whom
even he may be, had come from
Goldfield and was on his way to
this city. Whether or not he had
any money on his person at the
time of leaving is a matter that is
at this time incapable of solution.
This morning a coroner's inquest
will be held before Judge Atkinson.
1t is not likely that any additional
facts will be brought out.
DR.. Elftman is of the opinion that
the man was foully and cruelty muir
dered. Some say there are evil
dences that the man wore a money
belt. If so. it is more than likely
that he was the victim of a das.
5 tardly deed. However, the evidences
along those lines are so trivial that
it is barely possible that such is the
case.
The face of the man is badly
| eaten away, which may be attributed
t to desert rodents and vultures Of
| which there are many in that sec
: ton. From all the evidence at hant
f, it would appear that the nan came
t to his death from the want of water
; 1t is probable that he wandered fan
off the road and lacking water tC
quench his thirst became delerious
When he reached the road, he evi.
IDENTIFY collapsed. The country there
is quite rocky. 1t may be that he
crawled for many rods to the road.
his hat being found some hundred
feet distant from where his body
lay,
Just how long the body has been
exposed to the fierce rays of the
desert sun will, of course, never be
known. At best it would be but the
matter of a very few days until de-
composition would set in. He may
have lain there for days or it might
have been but the matter of a brief
period since he came to his death.
just how long no one knows.
The man is of medium height,
weighing when alive in the neigh
borhood of $50 pounds and of a
sandy complexion. When found he
wore a stubby mustache, a beard of
a few days growth and clothing of
good appearance.
The officials will use every effort
at their command to identify the
man. A great many people have
viewed the remains, as before stated,
but not one has the least idea who
he might be.
MANCAREEc HAVE