White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-10-28

Inc burning OF the Wnlte Itne
county courthouse in 1885, with it
all the county records, from that day
to this has been a subject for a differ
ence of opinion that to all parties
never has been satisfactorily ex-
planned or cleared up. 1t ois invaria-
bly, mentiond eby old-timers as be-
ing in some name connected with
the tragic death of County Treasurer
George B. McConkey, who either com
mitted suicide or was assassinated in
his office two years and five days pre-
%viously as he was supposed to be clos
ing up his books to turn them over
to his successor.
McConkey had held the Office for
eight years and was the democratic
nominee in the election of 1882, but
was defetaed by Jim Liddle, one OF
two brothers then prominent in the
county. There vas a big New Years
dance in Hamilton that night, at
tended by everybody Mrs. Neon
key, who was an attractive woman
and liked society, was present, but
Mr.. McConkey told her he would go
to the Office to prepare Tor his succes
sor. His body was found there in the
night as the dancing party was about
to go to supper, leaning against the
wall or safe, and a bullet through
his heart. On the counter fifteen
feet away was q gun.
Rumors of a big shortage and de-
fo1nnf;onc E11.d tho oi, for months
and even years, but according to
every person having memory of it
no shortage was proved.
The files of only ore newspaper
printed at that time that are availa-
BILE now are those Of the Ward Re
fex. The other files were destroyed
In the courthouse fire, which oc-
Cured two years later. But a search
Tof the files made this week reveals
only two slight references to the trag-
edy. In its issue of January 8 the
Reflex has only this on the subject:
We have received the testimony
taken at the inquest held for the
purpose of ascertaining how George
P. McConkey came to his death
but it's great length necessar-
lily shuts it out. Will give
it entire in our neyt. 1t throws
much light Oil Mr.. McConkev's
tragic death death and some two D.
three conclusions can be arrived at.
In the issue of January Z, 1883,
it refers to the McConkey defalca
ton as having crippled the Ward
school district, the school loss be-
ing $241.9 IS. leaving only $225.71
on hand.
1t was quite generally rumored
and as often denied that McConkey
was 100000 short, but it is claim
ed that Investigations at the time
revealed nothing. There is still an
other ancient rumor. still extant tc
a certain degree. hat his was not
the only shortage, and that the fire
Of two years later was for the pur-
pase OF destroying evidence as to
several of them, but that toe is
doubted.
The fire occurred after midnight
or the morning of January ),
1885. At that time the White Pine
News was published at Cherry
Creek, w. l.. Davis being the pub.
lsher, and here is his account OF
the fire in the Issue of January 10:
A GREAT CALAMITY! OUR
COURTHOUSE IN ASHES. Little
or Nothing Saved-All the Records.
the Labor of Years, Swept Away
The Treasurer's Books and a Few
of the Sheriff's All That Are Left.
The citizens of Cherry Greek
were thrown into CONSERVATION on
the arrival of the Hamilton mai
Tuesday evening, which briefly and
without particulars brought the
startling intelligence that our court
house, with all the records. was
destroyed by fire Monday morning.
No, event, if we except the Neon
key tragedy, which occurred just
two years ago, has ever happened
in our time in this county that so
agitated cur people. Already on
the verge of bankruptcy, this blow
m to the taxpapeys OF White
Pine at 4 time when the cup of
their misfortunes was already over
hoWihS' Ia IlNd6Ci INV 1
received left nc room for fixing
the blame on any certain quarter.
But the deed was either ~incendiary,
or criminal negligence, there is no
question. In the abscnce Of fuller
particulars direct from Hamilton
we give the following. which ap.
peared in the Sentinel of Wednes-
day:
"At half past 2 o'clock Monday
morning several OF the men, includ
ing Sheriff Bassett, who were sleep
ing in the White Pine county
courthouse at Hamilton, were
awakened from their slumbers by
roaring noise and a sitting
smoke. An alarm was given a:
once. but before all were awakened
there were six or eight
In the courthouse at the time