The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1915-07-09
Eye Witness TO
Death Of Won Steiger
Companion Tells of Death of
Baron Alfred Won steiger in
Mexican Wilds

EQ1JOr WOOd OF the Steele
Ozone, a former resident of Wash
burn. spent most Of the winter in
the south. Among other places
he visited was the state of
Sonora, Mexico, where Mr.. Wood
railroaded back in the 7O's. Here
he met Santiago Richard Norton
who was a companion of Alfred
Won Steiger when he was killed
in an encounter with Indians
in 1908. The following is the
story which will be enjoyed by
many OF our readers:
The other case comes nearer
to all who have lived many years
on the Slope, as the subject was
well known in Bismarck and up
the river during the past thirty
years. | was not little sur
prised to he'~" his name spoken
by a perfect stranger whose ac-
quaiEtamce | had made only aft
er having decided. net to start
any more for fear Of getting
overload d with data, and also
perhaps bothering men who mig;
already have enough. to handle.
But l reflected that this was
no way to learn things, SO went
over to the hot side Of the coach
ard struck in with a traveller
who had boarded the train at
Torres and whom | had heard
talking English and Spanish by
turns, both indicating the speak
er to be Of Irish race, members
Of which have a faculty of ac-
quiriEg Spanish with a fluencV
and ease Of uttrance that are
marked. After telling me of
his object in going from his
mine in Babiacori to Tuscon and
some general talk on the relative
merits Of different mining dist
riots Che being in one of the
'best) of the republic, he learned
of my permanent address, "Nortl
DakotaY Did you ever know
Won Steiger9" was the some
what startling question he threw
at me. It Glanced l had known
that wy man since 1889, at
W'ashbuln, just after he had
uiased TO- be sheriff Of Mclean
county. We had then talked of
Sonora. Later lie had been a
subscriber to the Ozone, which
was sent him in Roumania, where
he s4perintended farm about
the size Of a county for his bro
ther, who though a Swiss, was a
Roumanian baron. We used to
call "Von" Baron.
Won Steiger left Bismarck
about four years ago for the
southwest and soon it was report.
Fed he had been killed in a fight
in Sonora. This was at first
doubted by some but later was
confirmed, as Mrs. Won Steiger
went from Arizona over into that
region and was in the vicinity,
if not at the place where he had
met his death, and saw some
who personally knew Of the trag-
edy.
By one of those condolences
or juxtapositions, with which 1
Aave, like many Others, been
more than once favored, l had
by an impulse to alter my de-
cision, run upon one Of the two
white men who had been with
Won Steiger when he met his
fate. This was Santiago Richard
Norton, the miner referred to,
from whom l received an ac-,
count of the incident. This took
place at the crossing of a dry
water course, about eight miles
from Ures, as Won Steiger, Nor
ton and Hermoaillo merchant
named Lochaenbaerg were being
driven in a four horse rig to a
mining property in the Ures. dis
trict. Mr.. Norton had objected
to taking that route, as it led
through tract in which Indians
were likely to appear at any
tine, besides being out of his US
ual route to his own place. l.och-
enbaerg insisted on the route
taken and the party had rurae .
as escort, which proved wholly in,
adequate. Mr.. Norton went.
along to pass upon the mine for
the two, Lochenberg evidentauy
having induced Won Steiger to
go in with him or buy the hole
out. The three were riding along
the curtains flapping in the sun
and wind, when at the point
named a sudden fullisade inter,
rupted the, talk in German be,