DUNCAN, John L.

September 27, 1899, John L. Duncan Killed. The Verdict of the Coroner's Jury is that he Came to His Death by Reason of Gun Shot Wounds Inflicted by Wiley M. Morgan. The startling news was brought by J. Larymore Saturday that John L. Duncan had been shot and killed at his ranch near Hooker's Hot Springs and that Morgan Bros, and J.W. Mitchell were implicated in the killing. Constable Alvord and J.C. Page started at once for the scene and J.B. Cook, brother-in-law of the deceased, went the same day to bring in the body for burial. Constable Alvord and Deputy Page apprehended and brought to Willcox Geo. W. Morgan, J.W. Mitchell, Edw. F. Patterson and H.K. Abel, Wiley Morgan could not be found and is still at liberty. The body of Mr. Duncan was brought in Saturday night and an autopsy made by Dr. R.A. Aiton Sunday forenoon in the presence of a coroner's jury composed of John D. Dowdle, L.V. McCourt, R.P. Bechaud, Otto Moore, George Storm and O.C. Davis. The inquest was held Monday by Judge W.F. Nichols. The testimony was too volumnous for publication verbatim but the more essential parts are given herewith: J.B. Cook testified that the name of the deceased was John L. Duncan. He would have been 27 years of age at his next birthday, October 11, 1899. He was born in Frio Co., Texas, and had resided in Arizona about eight years, his residence at the time of his death being near Hooker's Hot Springs. Dr. A. Aiton sworn: "I made an examination of the body of the deceased and found four bullet wounds. One bullet entered the right side under the right arm, about an inch back of the middle auxiliary line, and came out an inch and a half to the right of the left nipple. Another entered two inches below the previous one, coming out in front of right shoulder. Another entered the back between the shoulders, passed under the skin for a distance of three inches and came out above, ranging upward and toward back part of head, grazing the back of the neck of deceased. Another entered on right side of rectum and passed upward through the intestines, lodging somewhere in the body. The other bullets all passed out. There were no powder burns on the body but there were such on the shirt." Asked as to how he was able to distinguish where the bullets entered and emerged from the body, Dr. Aiton stated that the hole where a bullet enters is small and smoothly cut. Where a bullet leaves a body, the hole is larger and ragged. Reverting to the first wound described, he stated that the bullet passed through the heart and lungs of deceased. The bullet before entering the body grazed the arm of deceased near the shoulder. Either the first or the last wound described would be sufficient to cause death. The shirt of the deceased was here exhibited to the jury and the holes made by the bullets noted. Dr. Aiton stated that the wound first described would cause almost instant death. James A. Finley, the nine-year-old son of Mrs. Duncan, widow of the deceased, was next sworn. He stated that the affair occurred soon after breakfast. He was playing in the yard, near the house when he saw Wiley Morgan, Geo. Morgan, Mr. Patterson, Mr. Mitchell and a boy ride up to the corral. Mr. Duncan had saddled his horse and was going somewhere with Mr. Boyett, who had not yet come. Mr. Duncan had led his horse out and shut the gate, and was getting on his horse. He rode about fifteen feet and met the men. The boy could not hear whether they were talking or not as he was about seventy feet away. They stood there about two minutes. Mr. Duncan was holding his hat and bridle reins in his right hand and was scratching or rubbing his head with his left hand when Wiley Morgan shot him. He dropped the reins and his hat. The horse wheeled and ran and Wiley Morgan took after him on horseback in a lope and kept on shooting. There were five shots. Mr. Duncan's horse ran about twenty feet, when Mr. D. fell off into a little bush with his face down. Witness thought all five shots were fired by Wiley Morgan. He did not see anyone else shoot. The last shot was fired just as Mr. Duncan fell off his horse. Wiley Morgan, the witness said, had a rifle on his saddle but did not take it out of the scabbard. He shot deceased with a pistol. When Wiley Morgan fired the first shot, Mr. Duncan was looking up toward the pasture and was not looking toward Mr. Morgan or any of the men. Wiley Morgan was four or five feet from Mr. Duncan, and a little behind when the first shot was fired. While Duncan was rubbing his head the Morgans and Mitchell had their hands on their pistols. After Mr. Duncan fell and the others started to ride away and as my mother and grandmother ran towards the place where Mr. Duncan lay, Wiley Morgan said: "Come and get your boy; he's dead." Witness stated that he did not hear anything said by either party before the shooting. He did not know of any trouble between them. Witness said that all of the parties with Wiley Morgan followed him when he was shooting Duncan, Mr. Mitchell being the nearest to Wiley Morgan. After leaving, Morgan and party went back down the canon. When we came up to Mr. Duncan he gasped twice and died. Edward F. Patterson was the next witness. He has been employed by Mr. Mitchell to do gardening and such work at the ranch. He stated that at the breakfast table Saturday morning Mr. Mitchell asked him to help drive some cattle up to Duncan's place and he assented. They first went to Mitchell's water corral. Mr. Mitchell, Mr. Abel, Geo. Morgan and the witness composed the party which went to the corral. While there they were joined by Wiley Morgan. After branding a calf which came in with its mother, they took the mother of a calf which was in dispute and drove her with their cattle to Mr. Duncan's place. Mr. Mitchell said he saw the calf in Duncan's pasture and went after the calf. Wiley Morgan followed him. Witness and others continued driving the cattle on up by the pasture fence. Witness saw Mr. Mitchell and John Duncan riding side by side close to the fence on the inside of the pasture. Mr. Abel, Geo. Morgan and the witness drove the cattle around toward the corral gate. The next he saw was the cow and calf together, the calf sucking. Mr. Mitchell said to John Duncan, "Well. John, are you satisfied?" John Duncan said, "Yes and I'll vent it for you." Mr. Mitchell then asked Mr. Abel to open the gate. "Just then Geo. Morgan rode by me and said to John Duncan: "Now you see what you get for meddling with other people's business." Duncan said: "Whose business have I meddled with?" Geo. Morgan said: "Mine". John Duncan said, "You're a d-d liar." Geo. Morgan made some reply which I did not catch. Then I saw John Duncan's hand go toward his six-shooter, not fast but this way (indicating the manner). Then I saw Wiley Morgan, who was on Duncan's left, his horse's head about in line with Duncan's saddle, pull his gun. My horse's head was being turned from them and I heard the report. At the sound of the shot, my horse commenced pitching and bucking. The saddle slipped and I partly fell and partly jumped off the horse, which then ran away. By that time the firing had ceased. I looked toward the house and saw the ladies running to the place where John probably fell. Mr. Abel caught my horse and I went and got it. In answer to questions witness stated that he heard no words from Wiley Morgan to Duncan previous to or during the shooting. Witness was about 15 feet from Wiley Morgan when he first shot. "When the lie was passed between Geo. Morgan and Duncan I was very close to Duncan, said witness. "When Morgan pulled his gun he was not over four feet from Duncan." Witness saw only the first shot but heard four or five. "Wiley Morgan was on Duncan's left when he pulled his gun. When the first shot was fired Duncan was not looking at Wiley Morgan who was to the left and behind him." A question being asked concerning an alleged remark by Mrs. Mitchell, witness answered: "Mrs. Mitchell, whose pony I was to ride, said that if there was any firing it would be better for me to be off the mare than on." H.K. Abel, who went to work for Mr. Mitchell only about two weeks ago, was next placed on the stand and testified that on the morning of the tragedy he had gone to John Duncan's ranch to ask John Riggs to bring his mail out from Willcox. Returning toward Mr. Mitchell's ranch, he met the party driving the bunch of cattle up the canon and at Mr. Mitchell's request he turned back with them. "When we got within 100 yards of the pasture fence", said the witness, "Mr. Mitchell said to Wiley Morgan, 'I see them driving the calf', and Mr. Mitchell broke and run on his horse. Wiley Morgan followed him and Mitchell said, 'Drive the cows on, boys'! After driving the cattle on some distance witness saw Wiley Morgan come up over a little hill in the pasture coming from the direction of the house. Mr. Mitchell and Mr. Duncan rode along together in the pasture. They were talking. Mr. Mitchell said, 'I know that calf; I saw it before I started to the round-up.' We drove the cattle on around to the corral. Mr. Duncan said to Wiley Morgan, 'Open the gate, so the calf can go in.' We drove the cattle around by the little corral where the calf was. The calf jumped through the bars, ran to the cow and commenced sucking. Then Wiley Morgan and Mr. Mitchell rode out of the corral, Mr. Duncan following. Mr. Mitchell asked Mr. Duncan if he was satisfied. I did not hear what Mr. Duncan replied. Mr. Mitchell said to me 'Open the gate'. I started to do so. Geo. Morgan came riding by me and said, 'The calf is sucking.'. He rode back toward John Duncan and said to him 'Now, you see what you get by meddling with someone else's business.' Mr. Duncan said, 'Whose business have I meddled with?' I did not hear Mr. Morgan's reply. Something else was said. Then I heard George Morgan say, "You're another one". Geo. Morgan started up close to Duncan. I turned and rode up toward the corral gate and I heard three shots fired. My horse jumped around. I heard John Duncan say, "Don't shoot me any more, you'll kill me." Mr. John Duncan's horse and Wiley Morgan's horse were running. I saw Wiley Morgan have his six-shooter in his hand within five or six feet of Mr. Duncan's back. I saw the smoke fly from his gun once as he shot at Duncan. I then went on down by the corral to where Mr. Patterson was, about thirty steps. I saw Wiley Morgan check his horse, and Duncan's horse loping off without Duncan. Did not see Duncan fall. After the giving of testimony had closed the court room was cleared and the case given to the jury, the verdict being to the effect that the deceased came to his death by reason of gunshot wounds inflicted by Wiley Morgan. Later in the day complaints were sworn out against Wiley Morgan, George Morgan and J.W. Mitchell. The two last named were brought before Judge Nichols at 6 p.m., and their preliminary examination set for Thursday, bail being fixed at $4,000. Mr. Mitchell promptly gave bail and was released. The remains of Mr. Duncan were interred in the Willcox cemetery Sunday afternoon, the services being conducted at the M.E. church by Rev. O. Gibson. The attendance was so large as greatly to exceed the seating capacity of the church, and a long procession of citizens in carriages and on foot followed the body to its last resting place. The shock well nigh prostrated Mrs. Duncan. Intense interest is felt in the case, not only on account of the immediate family of the deceased but also because of the high standing of his other relatives and intimate friends. Arizona Range News, Willcox.