NORCAL-L Archives

From: Betty <>
Subject: [NORCAL] Sac Bee July 27 1906 pg 6
Date: Fri, 07 Sep 2007 09:59:04 -0700

The Evening Bee
Sacramento, Cal.
Friday, July 27, 1906
page 6

TWO MURDER MYSTERIES CONFRONT PUZZLED TRINITY COUNTY OFFICERS
One Skeleton, With Crushed Skull, That of William Vienas; Other Probably
That of Palmer Turner
WEAVERVILLE (Trinity Co.), July 27 - The body of William VIENAS, who has
been missing from Hayfork since November 29th, has been found at last and
another murder mystery remains to be solved. Coroner RYAN returned last
evening from Hayfork, where he held an inquest, and from him the story is
learned.
All last week a party of eight from Hayfork searched through the mountains
westward twenty miles towards Hyampon to find, if possible, some trace of
the missing man. The search was rewarded Saturday, when William FRIEND, one
of the party, found a human skeleton a short distance from the trial and
only a mile and a quarter from the cabin from which VIENAS set out last
Thanksgiving Day to go afoot to Hayfork, twenty miles, leaving his mining
partner, J.W. LATTIMER in charge. There was little or no flesh on the bones.
A few shreds of dried flesh were found in the shoes.
The skull has been crushed in by blows of a bludgeon. VIENAS had evidently
been murdered, but by whom the Coroner's inquest failed to reveal. Only
suspicions were developed and no arrest has been made.
The skeleton was identified positively as that of William VIENAS by the
shoes on the feet, the gold-filled teeth, the color of the hair and the
fragments of clothing near by. The body had been in the water some time and
had probably been washed down Indian Creek a short distance at high water.
Coroner RYAN brought the human bones to Weaverville, and the skeleton, the
skull excepted, was buried in the village cemetery last evening. At the same
time the headless skeleton of Palmer TURNER, also a murdered man, was buried
in the same cemetery by the Coroner. The skull of VIENAS was retained above
ground for evidence, possibly, at some future murder trial to show the
manner of death.
Turner's skull is retained for identification. It was not positively
determined that the skeleton discovered near Hayfork two weeks ago, where
coyotes had dug it up from a grave only eleven inches deep, was that of
Palmer TURNER. His skull is retained in the hope that some day someone who
knew TURNER well may give it inspection and establish the identity beyond
all question.
When this skeleton was found Sunday, July 8th, near Hayfork, it was
assumed at once that it was that of William VIENAS. A bottle of medicine,
being a prescription put up in Weaverville, October 6th, and found on the
dead, established the fact reasonably sure that the skeleton was all that
was left of Turner PALMER. The remains were surely not those of William
VIENAS.
Then it was that the Hayfork friends of VIENAS decided to renew the
search for his body. All last week a party of eight were hunting through the
mountains, the body being found finally late Saturday afternoon.
William VIENAS left the copper mines near Hyampon, November 29th, to go to
Hayfork, according to the story afterwards told by his mining partner, J.W.
LATTIMER. He carried a set of deer horns and across his back was slung a
sack containing a puppy, the mother dog following. LATTIMER reached Hayfork
a week later by another route, and was apparently surprised that VIENAS had
not arrived. He told how the mother dog came back to the cabin three days
after VIENAS' departure. She was famished, acted strangely, lingered but a
few minutes and then set out towards Hayfork. The dog arrived in Hayfork the
same day and would not be comforted. At that time, early in December, as
told before in The Bee, friends of VIENAS searched for him for days. The
only trace they found was the deer horns, which were lying by the side of a
log on the trail.
The deer horns were found two miles nearer Hayfork than the point where
VIENAS' body was found Saturday. There's the mystery. Who carried the horns
from VIENAS' dead body to the log two miles further on the trail?
VIENAS was a man aged 28 years and a native of Minnesota. He and J.W.
LATTIMER were working partners all Summer, living together in a cabin miles
away from any settlement.
The death of Palmer TURNER and the death of William VIENAS make two murder
mysteries in Trinity County within a year.

FORSAKEN WOMAN NOT DUNLAP'S WIFE
At Least Mine Superintendent Says So, Despite Same Name and Suspicious
Surroundings At Home
NEVADA CITY (Nevada Co.), July 27 - George H. DUNLAP, Superintendent of the
Isis Mine on the South Yuba, three miles above the town of Washington, makes
vigorous denial that he is the George B. DUNLAP who deserted a wife and
family in Parkersburg, Virginia, three years ago to run away with his
stenographer, Miss OVERLY. Yesterday the report became circulated that the
Washington man and the former Parkersburg railroad agent are the same. It is
also said that two women reside in the same house with DUNLAP, one of whom
he calls his wife, and the other his wife's sister, Miss OVERLY.
Last night DUNLAP was interviewed by telephone. He denied that he ever was
in Parkersburg or even knows the woman who has written such a pathetic
letter, asking his whereabouts. He claims that the man wanted is his second
cousin, whose name is identical with his. He said, during the interview,
that he had once had trouble over this same matter in New York, being
mistaken for the erring second cousin. He did not answer when asked if the
woman who is claimed to be his wife's sister is named OVERLY, but entered a
general and vigorous denial of the whole story, saying he had come to San
Francisco from New York, and then direct to Washington on the Yuba.
According to a letter received at Grass Valley, Mrs. George B. DUNLAP
states that she and her husband had been married seventeen years, were very
happy, owned a beautiful home in Parkersburg and he had paying business
interests. Besides he was agent for the B. & O. railroad, a prominent
citizen and a Knight Templar. He became infatuated, she alleged, with his
stenographer, and ran away with her three years ago. The OVERLY woman is
described as being dark, having dark eyes, over 30, and weighing about 150
pounds.

$15 Fine Imposed in Cutting Affray
KENNETT (Shasta Co.), July 27 - Roy PECK pleaded guilty yesterday afternoon
before Justice of the Peace CONANT to simple assault, and was fined $15. The
case is significant because of the precedent established.
About two weeks ago PECK got into an altercation "down the line" and
stabbed a couple of men. The wounds were not serious, and the victims of
PECK's knife refused to prosecute. Under such circumstances in the past PECK
would have gone free.
But the peace officers of KENNETT have decided that they themselves will
swear to complaints against lawbreakers when the parties sinned against
refuse to do so, because the offender has "squared" himself.
Hereafter lawbreakers must "square" themselves with the law as PECK has
just found out at a cost of $15.

Street Work In the Heat Was Too Much
WILLOWS (Glenn Co.), July 27 - City Marshal KINKADE was prostrated by the
head Wednesday night and is still a very sick man. He had spent the day in
the sun working on a street grader, his duties as Street Superintendent
making it incumbent upon him to see that the work was done right. Soon after
he finished his duties that evening, he was taken sick and started home. He
does not remember how he got home as his senses seemed to be entirely gone,
and now although feeling better he is still very weak. This is the first
prostration from heat recorded so far.

DEAD WAGON HELD UP BY CALLOUS ROBBER
Driver Relieved of $1, Highwayman Overlooking Coin In Casket With Corpse, Or
Else Losing Nerve
STOCKTON (San Joaquin Co.), July 27 - The business of robbing people on the
highways has certainly fallen into low repute when dead wagons are held up
and the drivers relieved of their money. Even the worst of us is expected to
show respect for the departed; a corpse is considered sacred, and a man in
charge immune from molestation.
But an unknown knight of the road who held up Deputy Coroner Charles
MURPHY Wednesday night on the highway between Bellota and this city is the
exception to this rule. Money is money to him, dead bodies or no dead
bodies. MURPHY was on his way to Stockton, driving a wagon which contained
the corpse of Steven MOE, who was found dead in a field near Belotta, when
the robbery took place. The masked man, however, bungled his job shamefully,
securing only $1, which the driver had, and overlooking $59 in the casket
with the dead man.
Under ordinary circumstances a highwayman would not be expected to search
either a coffin or a corpse for money, but there is no excuse for this one.
When the clothing of MOE was searched $60 was found in his pockets and this
coin was turned over to the Deputy Coroner in a saloon in the presence of
several men, one of whom undoubtedly later transformed himself into a
highwayman. He saw MURPHY start for this city and must have known that the
money was either on his person or in the dead wagon.
The robbery was promptly reported, but so far the hold-up man has not been
captured.

John Eddie, Well Known Miner, Dead
GRASS VALLEY, (Nevada Co.), July 27 - John EDDIE, Superintendent of the
great Champion Mine, near Nevada City, passed away yesterday afternoon in
the St. Thomas Sanitarium at San Francisco. His death was due to an abscess
of the brain, from which he had suffered for the past four months. During
the latter part of his illness he was totally blind. His brother, Hamilton
EDDIE, left this morning for the Bay. The body will be brought here for
burial beside that of his wife, who passed away some years ago. He leaves
three brothers and two sons.
Decedent was a native of Scotland, aged 47 years. He had spent most of his
life in mining. For a number of years he was Superintendent of the
Pennsylvania Mine here, putting it on a dividend basis. Later he went to El
Dorado County and finally came back to Nevada, being Superintendent of the
gold Tunnel Delhi and Champion Mines, in succession. The Champion, under his
direction, flourished and was paying well when the litigation with the House
Mine began.

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• [NORCAL] Sac Bee July 27 1906 pg 6 by Betty <>