The Sun. — 1871-01-19 (London, England)

AMERICAN BORDER TRAGEDY.  The Cheyenne (Wyoming Territory) Tribune, of the 19th ult., has the following :—Mr. William Parks, in partnership with Mr. Edward Creighton, of Omaha, purchased last fall some 3,500 head of stock cattle at .Selluyler, Neb., and bringing them by way of Pine Bluff, reached Horse Creek on the sth of November. Here he had built a large corral and comfortable cabin, and intended to establish himself in the stock business, and was making arrangements to return to Omaha to spend the approaching holidays. He had with him eleven men consisting of one foreman, John Brackpool, one cook, and nine herdsmen. Among the latter was the murderer, Herbert Elmore Nourse. On Tuesday morning, the day the murders were committed, the foreman directed six of the herdsmen, Nourse amone them, to take their ponies and look after the cattle as usual. Nourse complained of not feeling well, and was left in the camp, the foreman taking his place. The remaining three herdsmen were expected to dig a well near the cabin. During the morning Nourse occupied his bunk most of the time; taking the opportunity, when all were out, to secure all the guns and pistols in the Cabin, which he secreted in his bunk. He heel thus secured five revolvers, and two Henry rifles. About eleven o'clock in the forenoon Mr. Parks, Nourse, and three of the other men were in the cabin. Nourse had been talking of a settlement, had made his own statements, which Mr. Parks said were correct, after which he went to his bunk, and Parks turned to the table, where he was writing with his back towards Nourse, who then levelled a revolver without being seen, and shot Parks through the head. He died instantly. The other men seeing what had been done, one of them, Seymour Robb, sprang for his revolver and found it gone, at which Nourse fired at him and missed him. Another man, H. F. Tilley, not comprehending the state of affairs, attempted to assist Mr. Parks, who had fallen to the floor, when Nourse snapped a revolver at him, not five feet from his head.. The three men, finding their position rather critical, being without arms, beat a hasty retreat out of the house, closely followed by Nourse, who fired at Tilley immediately after reaching the door. Tilley saved his life this time by dodging behind a cart that stood near by, which received the ball. The two men that were working in the well, hearing the firing, came out and started fOr the house. Nourse fired at the one in advance, Andrew Mattice, the ball taking effect in the left breast above the heart, and coming out below the shoulder blade. Mattice and his companion, Martin Lee Eastwood, then turned to run, when Nourse fired at Eastwood, striking him in the small of the back, inflicting a wound that proved fatal in aboutfour hours. Nourse then•wene into the house, and after some time had elapsed, Tilley. who already miraculously escaped, having been shot at once and snapped at once, with more 'pluck than discretion entered the house, where Nourse seemed t' be engaged in examining Mr. Parks' pockets. Nourse arose from behind the corpse, and snapped a revolver at Tilley, and followed him out of the house. He succeeded in eluding Nourse by closing the door after him. Turning quickly round the corner of the house, Nourse with two revolvers started up the creek in the direction the other men were known to be. One of the men followed him, and when some four miles away from the house; Nourse met one of the herdsmen, Allan Parsons, and fired at him. Parsons being on horseback easily made his escape. Nourse returned to the house after several hours, during which time the foreman, Mr. John Brackpool, had returned. As Nourse approached the house Brackpool presented a carbine, and would have shot him, but he threw up his hands and begged for his life, saying that he was guilty, and that he had no pistols. The men took him into the house, tied and watched him until the sheriff arrived and took him into custody.  In its earliest days a California paper appeared with this paragraph :—" VVe have no vv in our type, as there is none in the Spanish alphabet. VVe have sent to the Sandwich Islands for this letter; in the meantime vve must use tvvo V's."