John Brooks |
| Posted 2017-12-08 by Judy Wight Branson |
| Prescott Evening Courier, Prescott, Arizona Territory Tuesday, January 17, 1922, page 1, column 3 Mine Gard Is Found Dead Walker Man Is Frozen to Death in Storm, Belief; Deny Foul Play Theory The body of John Brooks, colored, watchman for the Money Metals Mining company in the Walker district, was found on a trail about a mile and a half out of Walker this morning by Frank Rigzel. It is believed that he was frozen to death on the night of January 3. Brooks came in from the mine to buy supplies at the Walker store about 5 o'clock on the third, after which he started back in a driving snow storm. It is assumed that he was overcome by the cold while attempting to get through to his cabin. Fragmentary reports of Brook's death reaching the sheriff's office this morning aroused the suspicion that he may have been killed, though later reports denied this possibility. Those who had seen Brooks when last he was in Prescott, however, mentioned that he had stayed here several weeks, fearing to go back to the mine. The mysterious death of William Freyda in the Walker district worried him a great deal, they said. Coroner Chas. H. McLane and Undersheriff Joseph Furst left for Walker shortly before noon to conduct an investigation. ----------------------------- Prescott Evening Courier, Prescott, Arizona Territory Wednesday, January 18, 1922, page 1, column 1 Brooks Frozen to Death, Is Jury Verdict Frozen to death. So read the verdict of the coroner's jury in the inquest held on the death of John Brooks, colored watchman for the Money Metals Mining company, whose dead body was found early yesterday morning. Brooks, who was subject to epileptic fits, evidently had felt one coming on, had hung his bag of groceries on the limb of a tree, and then had rolled about 60 feet down the mountain side. Not being able to get up, he was frozen to death. Partly dragging and partly carrying the body over the nearly three miles of mountain trail yesterday, the coroner's jury returned to Prescott last night in an almost exhausted condition. Snow more than two feet deep still covers the hills near Walker and the men were soaking wet and chilled to the bone when they returned. The jurymen included Al Brow, foreman; H. A. Mosher, R. L. Joyce, C. E. Warren and R. A. Carothers. Transcriber's note: Mr. Brooks is buried in an unmarked grave at the Citizens Cemetery in Prescott, Arizona. |
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