OCR Text |
Show QUARREL RESULTS IN NEIGHBOR'S DEATH The following account of the killing at Short Creek, Arizona, last week is taken from the Mohave County Miner, of Kingman, Arizona: A. W. Wells shot and instantly killed George W. Ronan, at the home of the former, twelve miles west of Short Creek, in this county, last Sunday morning. Following the receipt of the information, County Attorney J. H. Smith, accompanied by Sheriff Jasper Brewer and Court Reporter J. T. Morgan, Mor-gan, left Kingman for the scene of the killing. Arriving at Short Creek Wednesday Wed-nesday a thorough investigation was made of the facts leading up to the killing. , Ronan and Wells had adjoining farms at the foot of Mount Murphy, and for some reason Ronan had taken a dislike to Wells. From the evidence it would appear that Ronan at various times had threatened to kill Wells, and the morning of the 18th Ronan rode up to Wells' door and pointed a shotgun shot-gun at him. Wells, who was ill, was told by his daughter that Ronan was coming to the house, riding a horse, so he went to the door with a rifle handily hand-ily nearby. When Ronan raised his shotgun Wells fired, the bullet striking Ronan in the arm and ranging thru the body. The horse turned, and Wells, not knowing that his shot had taken effect, fired again, this bullet tearing through the man's spinal col umn and killing him instantly. He fell from his horse in the dooryard of Wells. No reason could be given by Wells for Ronan's antipathy toward him, but felt certain that it was his intention to kill him. Wells is a well-liked man, who has reared a family in the Short Creek country, and the whole country is with him in his trouble. Ronan is described as an old time prospector, whose lonely life had probably affected his mind, and few people in the territory terri-tory in which he lived were friendly toward him. It is said that he has rich relatives residing in southern California, Cal-ifornia, but nothing has so . far been heard from them. The coroner's jury exonerated Wells of blame in the killing, returning a verdict of justifiable homicide, and County Attorney Smith agreed with the findings after making his investigation. investi-gation. The officers returned last evening from the north, making the round trip in four clays. |