Omaha daily bee., 1909-07-22

as I witnessed the awful descent Of my
wife, and once in my intense excitement
l came near pitching head first down the
canyon myself. SO narrow was the trail
that my own mule could not turn around,
and therefore we could not retrace our
steps. 1 abandoned my animal.
1.-THE only way l could get to the bot
tom OF Albert canyon from where l lay
on my breast, gazing wildly into its depths,
was to ascend still higher toward its
mouth and then work my way cautiously
downward. l searched for twenty-eight
hours. and then came across the carcass
Of the mule, smashed and crushed into q
shapeless mass. Above 1t lowered ~carrion
birds. and about it 1 thought l saw the
track OF a wolf.
II know that my wife must be some
where near, and I walked in a circle
around the body OF the mule, gradually
increasing the radlus. l had eaten nothing
in over thirty hours, and was fearfully
thirsty and feeble from climbing and
searching.
Many times during my search 1 was
fearful that 1 would go mad from grief,
hunger, thirst and my terrible exertions.
My clothes and flesh were torn by the
sharp rocks over which l had crawled.
Ny skin was blistered by the almost UNI
endurable heat and my eyes smarted hor-
ribly from the strain of my day and night
search. 1 was so exhausted tina when
about TO fling myself down for a brief
sleep and rest 1 realized the danger Of such
a proceeding and determined to continue
my search, crawling on hands and knees.
About noon / came across a huddled.
broken, shapeless mass some fifty yards
away from the carcass OF the mule, and
dragging myself up to the spot 1 found my
unconscious wife. At the sight l tainted
and did not regain consciousness for over
an hour. Then ] made an examination.
She was breathing family, but uncon-
sclous. and I thanked God II was SO. for
had 1t been otherwise her suffcrings would
have been unspeakable.
Her arms and legs were broken.
Various other bones in her body were also
broken and there was a great cash in her
forehead.
A Shot Ends All.
There was nothing for ii but mercifully
to put her to death, and drawing my re-
volver / placed the muzzle near her heart
and fired. Then l covered her body with
grass, leaves, twigs and rocks to keen off
the carrion and wolves, and, bowed down
with grief and complete exhaustion for
aHh VI AOOu anu water, 1 threw myself
down near her funeral pile and slept for
hours.
Then I started for Calgary, but was so
feeble that the journey took me ten DAYS.
Is pure unadulterated 'buckshot" aIIuv;um.
Upon my arrival I informed Sheriff James
Hamilton Of the tragedy and he sent with
me a deputy to investigate my statements.
The deputy and 1 removed the rocks and
brush from my wife's body, and he made
a note OF her injuries and described the
revolver shot through her heart, and then
we dug a grave and buried poor Fannie,
placing a rude wooden slab at her head for
want Of a better gravestone. Twelve days
later we got back to Calgary, and both the
officer and l testified before the coroner.
whose jury not only held me blameless for
shooting my insensible wife, but extended
their sympathy to me at my loss.
To this day the trail is known as Ca
iamity trail. After the tragedy I could not
bear the memory OF It or to continue TO
live in that country, so sold my claims
and went to California New York Trib-
une.