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About Rogue River courier. (Grants Pass, Or.) 1886-1927 | View Entire Issue (July 21, 1911)
VOU JLXVU. GRANTS PASS, JOSEPniXE COUNTY, OKEGON. FRIDAY, JTLY 21, 1911. No 10. IMAN MURDERED; ! THROWN IN RIVER BODY WEIGHTED DOWN WIIH LOG CHAINS. HAN CONFESSES TO CRIME York and Man Suspected of Crime Were Camped ou Souih f NBank of River. ;?. Mike Morgan, In jail here in Giants Pass charged with tho murder of John E. York, who was killed last .'"Thursday night and his body thrown I in Rogue river, this morning made a complete confession declaring that he killed York in self defenso. i( York and Morgan were tamped to gether near the city, and in his cou j fesslon this morning, Morgan, alleges that upon the night of the killing ho went to the camp in a hat! drunken condition, that he and York had a ;; row, that York started tc assault him ; and that he struck York on the head with a club. " .v.. Morgan says he then carried trie 't body in his arms halt way to the rlv- er, and then put a rope around the ' dead man's neck and dragged him the remainder of the distance and : placed the body on the bank. He then went back to the camp, sot a heavy log chain, and this he wrapped around the neck of tho corpse and threw it in the river. Morgan says he stayed in the camp that night and the next morning took York's horses and wagons and wen: to Olendale, ; where he was arrested. , John E. York, who came to Grants Pass from eastern Oregon, was mur dered Thursday night in a caa.p a short distance above the city park and his body thrown in Rogue river, where it was found Monday even ing by young Gysbert Harvey of iMs :' city. York's alleged murderer, Hal-' ;; ley Wlekes, was arrested today short-'-', ly after the noon hour at Glendalc, 35 ' miles north from Grants Pass. k ' When taken into custody Wlekes ;s is alleged to have had in his pocses- sion several head of horses and uo wagon, one a trailer, which were the i property of York. The two men had been working i together in Grants Pass, employed by the Warren Construction company on street work. They were tampad across the river east of City park. York owned six head of horses, two wagon? and a camping Outfit. . The charge is made by the officers that Wiekes murdered York Thurs day night and fled Friday mornlug with the horses, wagons and other property. York's body was found near the upper end of the park where It had floated Into a clump of willows and lodged. Young Harvey found the body as the result of a foot sticking out of the water. When taken from the stream the dead man was found to have been choked to death w ith a rope, which was still tightly drawn about his neck. In addition to the rope about' his neck was wrapped a heavy log chain, placed by the mur derer with a view of sinking the body. The body floated, however, head down with one foot sticking out of the water. The alleged murderer, Wiekes, Is described as a man 27 or 1 8 years of age, a laborer and bearing the repu tation of having a crabbed disposi tion. The alleged murderer of John York who was killed Thursday night lust, la his camp near City park and hla body thrown In Rogue river, was brought to Grants Pass t:om Glen dale Tuesday by Deputy Sheriff Eugene Coburn and landed 'n the tounty jail. The prisoner also admit) that he is a deserter from the United 8tates army, sneaking away from Fwt Doug las In Utah while attached o H com pany, Fifteenth regiment. Then s "ben he took the name of Halley Wilkes, lsndlng In Saeramearo. From Rserimento the man Is nuppontd to have come to Oregon as his hat bears the brand of a merchant in Klamath Falls. Last night in jail here he said he had been at Klamath Falls, then denied he had been there, and told several conflicting stories of his whereabouts in this state: Regarding the murder Morgan, it such is his true name, as he now contend., de clared absolute tnnocence. Asked what he was doing with the dead nan's team and wagon3, he declar ed that York, the victim, told him to take the six horses and two wagous to Glendale; to sell two of the horees and put the remainder In a pasture. Morgan after selling the two hors es proceeded to imbibe much liquor, and was having a good time at a merry-go-round, so say the officers at Glendale. Asked last night why he was squandering York's money, he had no coherent answer to give. Asked what York intended to do af ter he (Morgan), took away the team, he answered by jayl g that York was to Join him at Giendtle by train. 'In the next breath Morgan said he intended to come back this way and hunt York at Ashland. Ask ed If he could Identify the rope and logging chain which was wrapped around York's neck, Morgan iepl?d hesitatingly that "I might. Then he corrected this dangerous slip by say ing that he does not remember any rope and log chain as part of the camp outfit. Then he said he had Intended to come to Grants Tass "and get the gun I left at the camp." How the officers hero learned that Morgan was headed toward Glendale was through information furnished them by S. A. Hand, merchant at 312 south Sixth street, who.' with his sons, was returning from a trip to Wolf creek. Mr. Hand met Morgan driving four horses to the wagon and trail wagon, and Morgan was such an awkward driver that Hand fered he would smash his rig In passing. When Hand arr'ved here and learned of the murder and the disappearance of th team and wug oi.a he quickly believed that the man he met was the iullt one. He Informed the sheriff's office at onre, with the result that Morgan was noon In custody. Hand says he believes that two men were Implicated In the murder, that a shrewder ons planned the crime and took several hundred dollars that York was known to have SOUTHERN OREGON AND NORTHERN CALIFORNIA MINING CONGRESS Most Successful Event in the History of Mining in Oregon. The Southern Oregon and Northern California mining congress came to an end this morning, after Interest ing matters were closed and a vote to meet at Medford, January 17 and 18, 1912. The matter of maintaining a sep arate and permanent organization of the Southern Oregon and Northern California Mining congress was deter mined upon, though the association will co-operate with the American Mining congress, the Northwest Min ing congress and the Oregon State association. Joseph Smith, editor Power,- Mine and Factory, of Seattle, presented an appeal for co-operation of the as sembled congress with the state of Washington and Alaska, thus uniting the solid west for a squaro deal for Alaska and all the west, and for the .protection of legitimate mining. The committee on resolutions, con sisting of H. L. Herzlnger, 1. J. Luce and E. G. Hewes, prepared a resolu tion to be adopted by the congress, condemning the policy of the depart ment at Washington arbitrarily with drawing lands from mineral entry and the creation of mineral reserves, that the large areas not heavily tim bered be taken out of the forest re serves already established. A resolution was also ndopted urg. tng that the game laws be amended, permitting mineral prospectors to kill buck deer for actual use at all times; also a resolution that a com mittee be appointed to prepare arti cles of Incorporation of the associa tion and to report at the next session: also that the state and national gov ernment be urged to push to comple tion the geological survey in Oregon with respect to the mining districts; Morgan to take the horsM and wag ons and get caught. Hand Is an old time scout In the western country and has been liiBtru- mental In running to earth many tough characters from the MlHnlsslp pl river west, and bis Intuition in this case proved va'uabla to the Joephlne county officii. TO APPOINT VOLUNTEER I STATE FIRE WARDENS! U ERCURY SOARS R.L. Ray, of Medford. The follow ing program for the afternoon was then carried out: Address -"Recent Discoveries In Our District," W. S. Bacon, of Kerby, Oregon. 1 "Importance of the Copper Depos its In the District," Dr. J. P. Reddy, Medford, Ore. "Do Our Mineral De posits Go Down!" George C. Bennett, Hornbrook, Cal. "Building Up the Mining Indus try," L. D. Mabone, Portland, Oregon, secretary State Miners' association. "Electric Power and Its Use In Treating Ores," President 0. L. Young, of Ashland, Oregon. Night Program. , The congress will resume at 8 00 o'clock this evening with the follow ing program: ' Address "Development of the Gold Mining Industry," Professor Fayette A. Jones, C. E., E. M..LL. D., of Albuquerque, New Mexico. (En gineer In charge. Oriole Mine.) "Geological Formation of Southern Oregon," Hon. C. B. Watson, Ashland, Oregon. "Present Status of Mining In-Northern California," R. 8. Taylor, Judge J. M. O'Neill, of Yreka, Cal., C. Proebstel, I. J. Luce, of Etna Mills, California. "Promotion of Legitimate Mmlng, Joseph Smith, M. E., Seattle, Wash. Music by Commercial Club orches tra. State Fot ester F. A. Elliott desires to appolut, In co-operation with Jos ephine county, a number of volun teer state fire wardens among coun ty officials or others wh,si ordinary duties lead them to be out over the country roads and trulls a large part of the time. In addition Mr Elliott also favors the appoinment of one paid fire warden, who will be expect ed to devote all his time to the work or fire patrol, Issuing of burning per mits, advising as to the best manner or practicability of safe burning of brush piles, and personally extin guishing or supervising the checking and extinguishing of any forest fires which may, through carelessness or other cause, become of an alarming nature. The Btate forester will also be au thorlzed to employ help when condl tions seem to warrant and will be ex pected to carefully Investigate and prosecute all cases of maliciousness or carelessness In the matter of set ting out or handling firs, and In all other ways carry out the provisions of the new state tire law. Siskiyou Forest Supervisor Frora- me, ot Grants rass, io wnora m above request was made, Interviewed County' Judge Jewell, with the re sult that names ot all the road super visors In Josephine county are being presented to the state forester for consideration. Judge Jewell stated that he believes Josephine county will willingly stand Its one-third share of the cost of salary and traveling expense ot a paid fire warden and the cost ot fighting any fires which might chance to threaten timber or other property within the county. The question as to who shall be re- ABOVE HUNDRED SUNDAY WAS HOTTEST SINCE 1801. DAY BUT NO PROSTRATIONS HERE Churches Had Small Coiiiaouutlons, aud Thirst Parlors Rushed. (Continued on page 3.) CHICAGO CAPITALIST ON Vhlf TO THIS SECTION With the mercury la Grants Pass Friday dancing opposite the figure 105, Saturday 108 and Sunday 110, the people of this city Bunds were willing to cry enough. Sunday was one, ot the record days for heat la years, and suffering was Intense, one consolation as expressed by many of the merciful was that It was Sunday, hence the horse population was not compelled to toll In drawing heavy loads under such a burning sun. What few horses were so unfortunate as to have to work had the sympathy of many. At night the heat was Intense, the going down of the sun not re lieving the red hot city to any great exte.nt until about the hour of 10 o'clock. One minister dismissed his congregation after only a brier ser vice, a thermometer In the church reading 97 degrees. At the Presbyterian church Rer. Frank Doming Stout, Chicago cap! talist, and prominent in the Ameri can industrial and financial world nlo that the shipping rates be taken I and whose private car arrived In up with the railroads and adjudged Grants Pass last week, returned to au- had in his trunk, and led, leavln&n ald of the minlug Industry; that this city Sunday 'afternoon by the lease bills now before the federal jtomoblles with his family from Cres congress be opposed; that congress ! tent City, where Mr. Stout, spent se"- be uiged to make an Increased appro- jeral days enjoying cool breezes and prlatlon for the national mining bi-1 looking over proposed harbor lm reau. Iprovenients there. Sutulay after- The last resolution adopted was j noon seated in the shade of his car one thanking the Commercial club, ' Mr. Stout talked interestingly to a the papers of the city and various I representative of The Courier of his citizens for their efforts to make the observations at Grants Pass, the coun- Robcrt McLean told his friends that ,nmmn01i fnr nnntntmn to the they could now realize a little of nn-tttnn nf nuM flr warden has not " mea" 10 conaucl cnureB yet been decided, although the names la porto Rlc0' where that nln- ot two or three likely candidates WttB onc8 I0CBWU- u have been handed to Mr. Fromme. It M Prevailed mat nigni was a wi fe itinnrtt tht th inh win tmv 1100 lar condition in the Island possession M VMwoit ----- T I 1 . . , h M A ft mnnth and traveling exnenses. and stated tne miniBier, ana u reminuw will last from now until the end ot P1D1 00 oia W moD tha fire dansrer season, probably the rorto "cns. end of September. It calls for a man Thlrt Prlor n tn C,V were pop- well acquainted with the geography ular Pluces W no UPU1 of JosflDhlne countv. and especially n'ebt. Hundreds ot gallons of this one who has had experience in the "at "ade" and nzsmg stun were timber familiar with handling .men. quaffed. The ice man wore a broaa has good, cool Judgment, lots ot en- BlnIle an wood maa ,at lum ergy and a keen Interest In the wel- The cheerful Idiot was early abroad fare ot Josephine county's orooertj Uhs "is It hot enougn tor youi and resources. ot soveral times, but this lata I A number ot other counties n am noi seem io anect mm. an . .1 It J thn Btate have volunteer and Dald P0" weainor, saia one ir The body of John E. York, who was murdered last Thursday nlsht, and his body thrown into Rogue riv er, was exhumed during the early hours this morning. The order to dig Into the gravel came froi'i Jus tice Holman, who instructed Fred Wkhmau, in charge at the Granite Hill cemetery, to uncover the body aud take from York's neck tbe rope that was used by the murdere" to take his victim's life by choking him to death. Wlrhmnn. In speaking of his grew- some task Bald: "When 1 uncovered the grave and got to tho body, I found that the rope hud been so tightly drawn about the man's neik that It was necessary to use a knife. The rope had cut Into tho flesh so deeply that the neck insld.i the rope was of the circumference of that of a child. Then, too, the flesh had swollen to such an extent that It bulged out around the rope to the extent that It could hardly be seen. I got my knife blade undoi 1t, nnd whacked it in two. I then took the outer clothing from the body and with the rope brought them here to the city hall." The clothes and rope were tied In a gunny sack, and sn odor of the grave was painfully perceptible. The heavy logging chain which hsd been wrapped around York'f neck, which was Intended to sink the b dy, was also taken to the justice's office, and when dumped on the floor made a noise which sent a creepy feeling stealing up and down the spines of the persons present Thi clanking, urewsome relic of the murder fsied a setting which flashed a homchi of the death chamber of some grim trw er In a castle ot medieval dsys. congress a success, particularly com mending C. L. Mangum for his un tiring and faithful work. ' The balance of the session was 'do voted to talks by visiting delegate?, adjourning at 3 o'clock to meet In Medford January 17 and 18 next. Yesterday's Proceed I nj;. (From The Courier July 18.) When the gavel fell this afternoon calling to order the Southern Oregon and Northern California Mining Con gress In Its second semi-annual meet ing, there was an enthusiastic and earnest audience of bronsed nccn ot the mines, mining investors and op erators and a number of men of wide technical knowledge all represent ing mining districts from Josephlno county to as far south as Redding, Cal. ' Tbe delegates were welcomed to Grants Pass by attorney O. 3. Blan chard In a happy address. Mr. Blan chard' paid tribute to the hardy min er In the tar away hills, the miner of 'today and the miner of othet days, and not forgetting to pay high trib ute to the noble pioneer wonton who shared the hardships of thel nns bands; tribute to the mining iran who puts bis money Into the goldei hills, tribute to tbe engineer and the geol ogist whose keen and analytical brains solve the difficult problems and make mines grow where nooe grew before. President Young of Ashland ans wered briefly the address of welcome end appointed a committee ct three to name the time and place ot tbe next semi-annual meeting. Presi dent Young named oa this eotKmlUse H. L. Herzlnger, of Grants Pass; C B. Watson, of Ashland, and Col. try botween here and tbe coast town and several national questions. The Chicago man Is of flno physique aud his features depict a character ot rug ged honesty and sincerity. Both courteous and conservative the visit-J or is a perfect type ot the Ameri can who thinks big things and does big things. Mr. Stout was here several years ago, and he remarked that Grants Pass had made marked im provement in that time. "Wo have enjoyed the past few days very much," said Mr. Stout. "Tho great redwood forests between here and Crescent City proved a revelation to my sons and daughters. One of my sons has Just graduated from Yale, and at the end of the school term I asked my children what they proposed to do or where would they prefer to spend several weeks ot vacation. They have been In many parts of the world, so I told them If they had no particular country In view that I would take them west to see their own country. So we have taken In the Rocky moun tains, Yellowstone and other places of Interest, but not until we rode through the great redwood forests between Grants Pass and Crescent City did tho young ladles and my sons become enthused. They de clare it to be one of the grandert sights In the world; and I agree with them. If you have never Ukea that trip by all means do so. At Cres cent City I talked with young Mr. : pv n-itnrdlng his fstber's plans to build a harbor at Woollcyporc The matter looks fesslbl and Mr. Wool ley deserves to succeed. "The greet thing needed here now Tnnt1nnHf on ! '' I fire wardens, as well as patrolmen, employed by tltnbermen's aesocls tions, and there is no reason why Josephine county should not have equally as good protection as the hcBt of thorn," said supervisor From me yesterday. Nearly all of the Sis kiyou national forest officers, of which there are now 25, have state appointments as volunteer fire ward ens. tlnilst. "Glad It Is good for some thing," said tho cynlo as he slapped at a fly and made a wry face. NORTHWESTERN COMING IS AGAIN STATED That Grants Pass will get the Northwestern Pacific railroad In Its extension from Eureka, Cal., to Port- II. C. Bateham, who was Indicted una is a siaicmeui given out nc nan about 10 days ago by thu ginud Jury Francisco some weeks ago and print on ,a Borlous charge, is confined In e,i at that tltuo In The Couiler. The the county Jail as a res i t of one of 8nll F, anclHco Chronlclo in a recent his bondsmen withdrawing When i MH . . , tives nuljllcltv to the matter Uuteham was arrested he was allow- tt(;an. The Chronicle says- ed ball In tho sura of $1,000, and w. 8. Palmer, aonoral manager Mrs. Bateham and O. A Hamilton 0f tno Northwestern Pacific, which Is went on tho bond. Hamilton two owne(i jointly by tho Santa Fo and days ago withdrew, hone Batehnin Southern Pacific, has returned from was remanded to the che-lf until an- Eureka whore ho has boen Inspecting other bondsman comes Ui ward. tho Oreiron and Eureka line, which has been taken over by tho North- Tho auto which caused the dath wontorn. of tho little Kelly girl, and the scrl- "tk8 OreKoti and Eureka extcuda ous wounding of the other members from Euruka to Arlnldad. Tbe North- of tho family arrived In Grants Pass WM)tcr pactfi0 acquired the Oregon today from tha country, being drawn atld Kurcka lino six yean ago, but by a team of horses with tho driver tho jne nai teon under lease to the and a companion seated Ip tho auto Hammond Lumber comnanv. which Tho novel scene of two horses trot- has used It to transport to tidewater ting up tho street hitched to an auto tmbor from Its heavy holdings In caused much Interest. Tho machine ii.imhi.Mf. was taken to tbo Jack Williams ml dence. "Tho extension ot service north by the Northwestern Pacific is said to mark the beginning of a project to Dr. James Iughrldgo of T.tneuin, link San Francisco and Portland by Neb., has been spending several days Une more railroad. The proponed with his brother, Dr. B. ioiiKhrldgi road will, it Is said, be extended grad- of this cltv. The doctor hsd been at- ually to meot the demand of traffic. tending the American Medical asso- It wilt follow the coast ot California elation In Los Angeles and stopped to the Oregon, whence It will bead here on his return home. IU was ar- In a northerly direction to Grants -ompanled by his 5-year-old son Pass, Ore. It will be a scenlo roots.' Jack, and they left Wdn'sdny even ing for Portland. whre they wllj, vis- It with Mrs. Kittle !UKhrttt(4 ly beforo going to their home. Geo. Aiken went to Rosebnrg Tun day evening to spond several tfiyi on business. : - 'i i f . I ; i 1,1 .....