White Pine news. [volume] (East Ely, Nev.) 1920-1923, 1923-09-09


an account of the finding of the re-
mains of a dead man in a cabin thir-
teen miles from the former town, not
giving the date when it was found
and evidently with the belief that
the article thus copied had originated
with the Denver publication. AS it
proves, this article originated with
the self-same Eureka Sentinel and
was printed by that paper forty-six
years ago.
1t was the story of one of the
strangest murders ever committed in
Nevada or any other state and is
remembered by the o'd-timers of
this region. Lee Singleton had a
grudge against his working partner
in the old Eureka Gmelter in 1871,
and watching his chance for over
two weeks he finally struck John
Murphy on the head with a shovel,
then threw the body into the fur
mace, where it was quickly consum-
ed by the flames and incinerated by
the terrific heat. In less than half
an hour the night foreman came in,
yet the work was done so
quickly and efficiently that he never
suspected anything other than that
Murphy had gone. The coincidence
was almost forgotten and never
would have been known had not re-
morse pursued Singleton for the next
six years, until he committed sui
eide and left a long written account
of the whole affair, which is given
herewith as a synopsis from his story
in a note book.
Singleton's body was found in a
cabin at the head of Culver canyon
by a herder who was looking for
some lost stock, presumably sheep
Two other herders were told of it and
the three buried the body without
notifying the One week
later James Thornton while out that
way hunting noticed a tumbled down
shanty and went there fer a short
rest at ncontime. In examining the
contents of the cabin he saw the
note book and read therein Single
tons story.
AS it happened a copy of the SEN
IlIel VI tuItt WtehS dSo Cdllc lDlO
the possession of r. F. Matthias, and
yesterday afternoon while making a
business call at the office of County
Auditor J.. O. Mckernan something
was said about old-time records.
whereupon M. McKernan brought
out from his vaults a volume of the
Ward Reflex. Opening it at the first
page of the first issue, which was that
of April 10, 1877. the whole first
page was filed with the story that
appeared three weeks ago in the
Eureka Sentinel of probably one .or
two weeks before, and was credited
thereto
The following is a synopsis from
the note book as printed therein.
November II, 1876.
After four years wandering here
I am back in the cabin that 1 help
ed build six years age. Surely the
six year, of hell ought to 60 q lit
tie way toward the final reckoning,
but 1T can't be any worse in the
other world than here, and / viii.
give it a trial anyway. Perhaps |
nay meet John there and he will
take the curse Off of me. | wonder
if anyone will ever read this or
whether it will lay and rot along
side of me. 1t makes little differ
ence, but ii seems as if l could lay
down easier if I could write down
what I have not dared whisper
since 1 have done it. My name is
Lee Singleton. I vas born in
Litchfield county, Maryland, in
1874. lived there until the break
ing out of the war, when | enlisted
in the southern army and served
until the close OF the war. l was
wounded twice, once at Yorktown.
and again at the siege Of Peters
burg. Both my parents died, and
after the war was over l came west
and followed the Union Pacific
railroad until it was completed. |
then went to White Pine, and in
1871 to Eureka, where ! went to
work as feeder at the - fur-
mace. My companion, John Muir
ply, was very o~verbearing and in
suited me on several occasions, but
as he wasa much stronger man than
mySclL 1 tOOh III HOliCc VI IL udti
one day he struck me He did not
know that he signed his death a
rant with that blow, but he did.
1 never forgave him for it, although
I did not retaliate at that time but
kept on working my shift as II
nothing had happened. Murphy
often tainted ne with being a
onward and If was with the great
est difficulty that I could restrain
myself from knocking him down
with my shovel, hut I kept my tenn
per and consoled myself with The
thought OF the terrible revenge that
I could wreak upon him.
While feeding the furnace
thoughts often came to me that it
would be an easy matter to stun
him with a blow and throw him in
tho uf1ck and I know that if ~ wae