Los Angeles herald., 1909-06-19
TRAGEDY MARS
TRIP OF MINERS
RESIDENTS OF YUMA EXCITED
OVER SHOOTING
MEMBER OF FOREMOST FAMILY
is REPORTED DEAD
Mexican Returns to Town with Story
of Crime Committed During Search
for Mine In Fortuna
Mountains
fRy Associated Press.l

YUMA, Ariz., June 18.-Excitement
here is intense over the killing yester-
day of Peter Hodges, member of one of
the oldest and best known families in
Yuma, near Ligurta, q little station
fifteen miles northeast of Wellton in
the Fortuna mountains.
The story of the tragedy reached
Yuma in the night through the medium
of Manuel Arviso, one of a party of
three of which Hodges was member.
According to Arviso, he started four
days ago with Hodges and Francisco
Marquee on a prospecting trip to spot
in the Fortuna range where Marquee
claimed he knew of a mine of exceeding
richness.
The three men were on the best of
terms. Arviso had been for some time
employed on the Gila river ranch of the
Hodges brothers, who are large cattle
men. Marquee is a former workman
for Balsz Bros, another cattle firm.
Hear Shots Behind Hill
The prospectors reached the supposed
mine early yesterday and found nothing
to indicate a prospect in the vicinity.
The firearms carried by the party con-
sisted of a rifle with five cartridges and
take the rife and go after some noun
tain sheep. He disappeared over the
divide about 200 yards away, and the
two men remaining in camp shortly
afterward heard a shot. A moment lat
er Marquee called Hodges, and the lat
ter started over the hill, thinking the
Mexican had shot a sheep and needed
help. Arviso heard two more shots in
the course of the next few minutes, ana
Immediately following these Marquee
appeared on top of the hill, calling Ar
viso to come to him and bring knife.
Arviso started, and when he had gone
hundred yards in the direction of
Marquee the latter suddenly showed
himself from behind boulder and fired
at Arviso, inflicting a slight wound in
his side. Marquee then disappeared,
and Arviso made his way back to camp,
calling to Hodges all the way but re-
ceiving no response. He claims to have
waited in the camp an hour, hoping
Hodges would crawl back or give some
evidence of life.
Relatives Race to Scene
Arviso then took canteen of water
and one of the horses belonging to the
party and rode into Wellton, where he
arrived late last night. Under Sheriff
INlley LUX TIE Ildu Ill CDdTSe anu
brought him into Yuma this morning.
District Attorney Timmons and Police
Justice Jones returned to Wellton on
the early morning train. Four automo-
mile parties composed of relatives, doc
tor and friends of Hodges, as we'll as
officers, set out for the scene of the
shooting.
The truth of Arviso's story is doubted
by some, and he is practically under
guard in a hospital here. Peter Hodges
is one of a family of eleven children, all
residents of Yuma county. One of the
brothers, George Hodges, came into no.
tice last week by an affray with Felix
Mayhem of the North Star mine, in
which Mayhem was injured and was
subsequently taken to Los Angeles for
treatment. Hodges is a son-in-law of
Captain Isaac Polhamus of Yuma and
is connected with a number of the old
families of this section. Marquee is
supposed to have fled to Mexico.