Roy Winchester |
| Posted 2015-09-03 by Pat R |
| Mohave County Miner (Kingman AZ) Saturday, April 11, 1903 Horrible Double Murder Last Wednesday morning Charles Blakey and Roy Winchester were murdered near the summit of the Wallapai mountain, on the old Tresher road to Cedar. Their bodies laid where they fell from the horses until discovered by Sheriff Lovin late Saturday evening. The story of the killing as near as can be summed up is as follows: Blakey and Winchester contemplated the opening of a saloon at the San Francisco mining camp, near Cedar, and arranged to lease a building from A. O. Eshom. They went to Eshom's ranch, near the Copper Camp, where they staid Tuesday night. Eshom stated that he had received a letter stating that the brother of a miner at Cedar was very ill and left the house in the early evening to deliver the message, agreeing to meet the men at Cedar the following day and deliver over possession of the building. He remained there until Thursday noon, but the two men did not turn up and he came back to his house, where he found James McKenney, who informed him that he had trouble with two men back on the road. McKenney then ordered Eshom to shoe a couple of horses and then packing up some provisions he rode away, warning Eshom not to inform the sheriff until three days had passed. Eshom came to Kingman Friday night and told Sheriff Lovin that there had been some trouble near Cedar and he had better go down and investigate it. The sheriff went down the next morning and at dusk of Saturday night he came upon the horses ridden by Blakey and Winchester, and a short distance further on found the bodies of the murdered men in the road. They had both been shot with buckshot. The coroner at Cedar was at once notified and he took possession of the bodies and the sheriff came to Kingman and organized a posse was made up of Sheriff Lovin, Deputies Templeman, Harris, Bly, Wells and Piema, a Wallapai Indian trailer. They got out on the trail Sunday evening. When Blakey and Winchester left Kingman they were supposed to be possessed of nearly 500$, but only 1.60$ was found on the bodies. An inquest was held at Cedar, but the jury failed to fix the responsibility for the killing. It appeared from the testimony that on the night of Tuesday Dick Eshom arrived at the San Francisco mine at about two o'clock and called out James McKenney who had been working in the mine several days under the name of McIntire. McKenney at once bundled up his effects and left the camp without drawing the money due him for work or saying why or where he was going. This taken with the statement of Eshom that McKenney had had trouble on the road was convincing that this man had done the killing. The jury found that this man had ambushed the men and fired at them without a word of warning. The murderer had fired the first shot from a kneeling position behind a small scrubby tree. The first shot had frightened the horse of Winchester and the assassin had risen up and fired the other barrel of the gun, the charge taking effect in the boy's back. Death in both cases must have been instantaneous. Blakey had evidently thrown up his hand to shield his face when the first shot was fired, as part of the charge passed through it. He was struck in the breast, throat and one shot passed into the head at the corner of one eye. Winchester was struck in the back with thirteen buckshot, and the hand would cover the wound made by the charge. The bodies were taken to Kingman Monday and turned over to undertaker Emerson and they were prepared for burial. The funerals took place from the church Wednesday morning and was a most impressive affair. McKenney was followed to the Colorado river and on into California by Sheriff Lovin. At Needles McKenney was heard of at Manvel and the horses and outfit of the posse were loaded into cars and a special train sent out with it to Ivanpah, the end of the California Eastern track. The gain on the fugitive during the night was about eighty miles and left the sheriff about thirty-six hours behind. No trouble is experienced in trailing and it is expected that any time news of the assassin's capture may be received. He may put up a hard fight, but the Mohave county officers are game men and will stay with it to the finish. The sheriff's of Kern, Tulare, San Bernardino and Inyo counties, California, are co operating with Arizona officers and it is expected that the capture or killing of the outlaw will be but a matter of time. James McKenney, who is supposed to have been the author of this horrible murder, has a reputation as a killer, having murdered two men in California prior to coming to this county, and has a price upon his head. He came to Mohave county about eight months ago to escape California officers and has been stopping at the ranch of Dick Eshom. When he arrived there he was accompanied by a woman, but she was sent to California about six weeks ago. He is described as being an all around bad man, who knows no law but that of force. The two men who were so foully murdered were well known in part of Arizona and were considered law-abiding citizens. Charles Blakey was a warm hearted, generous man and had been a resident of the territory for the past twenty years. He has a father residing in the state of Maine. He also leaves a wife and two children to mourn his death. Roy Winchester was a young miner, whose home was in Yuma and his father resides there. He was but a boy and had a host of friends among the people of the county. On the order of the Coroner, O. A. Eshom was placed under arrest Sunday night, but we understand that no charge has at yet been filed against him. It is expected that other arrests may be made in connection with the murders, but so far this but rumor. Mr. Eshom was released by giving bail in the sum of 1,000$. See Also: Find A Grave |
Note: These obituaries are transcribed as published and are submitted by volunteers who have no connection to the families. They do not write the obituaries and have no further information other than what is posted within the obituaries. We do not do personal research. For this you would have to find a volunteer who does this or hire a professional researcher.
Questions About This Project?