Duncan Picken |
| Posted 2017-06-09 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Arizona Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory Tuesday, April 13, 1909, page 5, column 4 Ptomaine Poison ? Ends Life Of Stranger Found Dead in Bed In The Walker House At Night A man who name was not learned, was found dead in bed in the Walker hotel at 7 o'clock last night, death presumably resulting from ptomaine poisoning. He arrived in Walker a few hours before, complaining from cramps in his stomach. He went to the Stukey home, where Mrs. C. C. Stucky gave him some medicine and later left for the hotel, where he secured a room, dying soon afterwards. The Sheriff's office was notified and Deputy Sheriff C. C. Keeler and Coroner McLane left for Walker at 9:30 last night to inquire into the cause of death. While driving to Walker yesterday evening at 3 o'clock, Ed Coughran of Dougherty stables met the stranger, sitting on his blankets and drinking water from a bottle. He complained to Coughran of feeling ill and terrible pains in his stomach. Coughran invited him to ride to Walker. The pains increased after his arrival in Walker, the stranger was advised to go to the Stuckey home. After partaking of some medicine he retired in the Walker hotel, where he was found dead in bed later. When seen here last evening, Mr. Coughran said that the man was, in his opinion, suffering fro ptomaine poisoning, evidently contracted before he left this city. A telephone message from Walker stated that deceased was a miner by occupation and that a sister residing in Oakland, California, survived him. No resident of Walker knew his name. --------------- Weekly Journal Miner, Prescott, Arizona Territory Wednesday, April 21, 1909, page 3, column 2 Victim Ptomaine Poisoning Has Been Fully Identified (From Wednesday's Daily) Duncan Picken was the name of the stranger who died in the Walker hotel in Walker Monday night at 8:30 o'clock. He was 45 years old. He came her eight months ago, and was a cook by occupation. The man was identified by letters found in his pockets from two sisters residing in Oakland. A brother, residing in Reno, Nevada, also survives him. His remains were brought to the Ruffner undertaking establishment here early yesterday morning to be prepared for burial. The corpse is being held pending the receipt of telegraphic advise from the sisters. When Picken arrived at the Walker hotel a few hours before his death he was suffering a great agony from pains in the stomach. W. H. Comer and others in the hotel did everything in their power to alleviate the pain. He was conscious until he died, but refused to give his name or any information of himself or relatives. Transcriber's note: Mr. Picken is buried in an unmarked grave at the Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. |
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