Douglas daily dispatch., 1927-12-25
THRILLS WERE
THICK DURING
PIONEER DAYS
Turkey Creek Canyon Is
Scene of NumerO us
Shooting Affairs, Four
Proving Fatal.
M'GOWAN'S PART
Shot Through, He Lives to
Play Role on Trigger
End and Is Acquitted.

Back in the days when Indians
were frequently breaking out OF the
reservation and causing trouble to
the white settlers and when the
cattle rustlers were still active in
this part of the southwest, what is
known as Turkey Greek canyon had
its full share of the excitement.
Where now stands the attractive new
rest resort, Rancho Manzanita, there
were more shootings than would be
required to screen a genuine thriller
in melOdranna, three men died as the
result of the Shootings and one lived
to tell the story of how the Indians
shot and then robbed him, believing
he was dead, and later, that same
man was on the trigger end of an
acquitted for his part in the affair.
But to get the accurate story, one
needs to sit and visit with one OF
Douglas well known citizens, a pio-
neer Of this section of Arizona, Jake
Scheerer, of 1886 Ninth street. He
lived in this section for d long period
and was active in helping to change
the colorful and exciting scenes into
a quieter civilization that people
might come to this section, settle and
live in peace and enjoy the beauties
and advantages of the Arizona
climate and landscape and other
scenery and its business opportunities.
Scheerer came to Arizona in 1880
and has been here since. He tells
of the interesting happenings of the
Turkey Greek canyon country and
of his efforts there and here; OF
the shooting of one MCGOWAN by
an Indian; of the shooting Of Doran
bv MCGOWAN; of the shooting OF
W. w. tSkeet) Smith, Scheerer's
wife's uncle, by an Indian and Of the
shooting of Tel Moore and a deputy
sheriff by one of the Alderman
brothers, the pair being later tried
and hanged at Tombstone. But let
Scheerer do the talking.
"It was in 1880 that I first came
to Arizona" said the pioneer. when
I got here the ranch now called
Rancho Manzanita was owned by a
man known as MCGOWAN. He raised
garden and other truck and sold it
as best he could and worked around
for people who needed his help.
MCGOWAN Plays Postum
"One day-it was either in 1888 or
'84, I am not certain which-Mc-
Gowan was working in his garden
which is still one of those cultivated,
when Indians came upon him and
shot him. The wound was in his
breast and it appears that the bullet
struck rib and was DETECTED and
1io fl1oWoHNy
ing him from probably mortal
wound. But MCGOWAN was foxy and
when he dropped he stretched out
and appeared dead for he knew the
Indians were coming toward him
When they got to him, one Of them
Lay still, john and they
went through his pockets and took
such as they could find. When they
disappeared, MCGOWAN struggled along
until he got to the house and got
attention and soon got we'll
'Ilater, MCGOWAN entered into a
partnership with fellow known as
Doren. 1t seemed that Doren was
one of the hardhoiled type and was
always trying to figure out some way
to get the upper hand of MCGOWAN.
Finally, MCGOWAN got tired of it and
it got so much on his nerves that
one day when they had words, he
grabbed shotgun and fired charge
into Dorens breast. It didn't kill
him and he raved and begged so hard
for MCGOWAN tc i'll hkim that Nc
Gowan went into the house, got his
rifle and came back and finished the
job.
"Skeet' Smith Killed
GAS a result OF that shooting
MCGOWAN had to answer in court
at Tombstone. So he came to the
home of the Smiths, where my wife's
father and her uncle resided and
got the latter, w. w. Smith, known
as "Skeet" Smith, to go to the ranch
where he lived-the present Rancho
Manzanita-and look after it while
MCGOWAN attended the trial. "Skeet'
went up there and was there alone
when he was shot by an Indian as
he was going for load of wood.
The body was found the next day
by Henry Smith, brother OF my
wife, just as the Indians had left