Statewide County AZ Archives Obituaries.....Cameron, Wiliam 1902
************************************************
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/az/azfiles.html
************************************************

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
D. Joshua Taylor http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00006.html#0001358 and Elizabeth Burns  July 17, 2005, 12:57 pm

Arizona Republican-Sept. 3, 1902
WILLIAM CAMERON
September 3, 1902

William Cameron who has for several years been known in the 
criminal courts of this county, was shot and killed by Josiah 
Anderson Monday morning or the afternoon before at Anderson's 
ranch about twenty miles from Agua Caliente.  The first 
information of the killing came in a letter yesterday 
afternoon from Harry Loudermilk to Judge Frank Baxter.  
The letter was in reply to one judge Baxter had written 
and Loudermilk kept himself so closely confined to the 
subject matter that he dismissed the tragedy with a single 
line and the ate statement that Cameron had been killed by 
Anderson.  Nothing had been heard of the killing at the 
office of the sheriff and for that reason it was thought 
that a mistake must have been made.

The Republican sent a telegram last night to Deputy Sheriff 
H.R. Wills at Agua Caliente, to which he replied saying 
that Anderson had shot and killed Cameron and had 
surrendered himself. Nothing was said about the motive 
for the killing or any of the circumstances of it.

It is known that Anderson and Cameron have been on good 
terms lately, and that Cameron was recently employed on 
the Anderson ranch.  A couple of months ago, when Cameron 
was arrested for the illegal branding of cattle belonging 
to Henry Wills, Captain J.S. Anderson came to town and 
employed an attorney to represent him at his preliminary 
hearing at which he was discharged.

Cameron has been in trouble the greater part of the time 
for the last six years and in that time has served a term 
in the penitentiary.  He has been charged with half a 
dozen felonious acts for which he was not convicted.  
His criminal career began when he was about sixteen.

His slayer was sent to Yuma about three years ago for 
shooting at Captain Mullen with intent to kill.  A 
stubborn defense was made through two terms of court 
and the case was finally carried to the supreme court.  
Anderson denied that he had done any shooting but that 
on the contrary he had been shot, the evidence of which 
he showed a wounded hand.

After a brief service in the penitentiary he was paroled 
on the condition that he leave the territory.  This 
condition was made to prevent further bloodshed in the 
neighborhood of Gila Bend and Agua Caliente, where a 
feud had been brewing for a dozen years.

Anderson went to New Mexico where he had  remained 
there until a little less than a year ago when he 
received a pardon.  There has since then been no 
trouble between him and his old enemies.  The one 
with whom he most likely would have had trouble was 
James Kerrick who had left the country.  Kerrick had 
been convicted of rustling stock and had been 
sentenced to Yuma but had been paroled on the 
condition that he leave the territory.

The Cameron Killing
September 4, 1902

No word was received at the sheriff's office yesterday 
regarding the killing of William Cameron by Josiah 
Anderson.  It seemed strange that Deputy Sheriff Wills, 
to whom Anderson had surrendered himself the day before, 
had not informed the office and the only explanation of 
his silence was that he had started overland for Phoenix 
with his prisoner.  The surrender was made at Agua Calente, 
which is not on a telegraph line, though the deputy sheriff 
could have communicated by telephone by way of Sentinel.  
It was also thought possible that he might have taken his 
prisoner to Gila Bend for preliminary examination.

The Cameron Tragedy
September 5, 1902

The first official notice of the killing of William Cameron 
by Josiah Anderson near Agua Caliente reached the office of 
the sheriff yesterday morning, though the killing occurred 
as long ago as last Sunday and the slayer has been in the 
custody of Deputy Sheriff Wills of Agua Caliente almost 
ever since.

In reply to an inquiry by the sheriff, Deputy Sheriff 
Williams of Gila Bend replied by telegraph yesterday 
that Anderson had been held by the coroner's jury without 
bail.  In that case the coroner's jury has exceeded its 
authority for only a justice of the peace can hold people 
to the grand jury.

It is probably that a mistake was made and that the 
coroner's jury recommended the holding of Anderson 
though from what could be gathered from the telegram 
the coroner's inquest had not been concluded.  The 
telegram did not state before whom the matter was 
being heard and contained no particulars.


More on Cameron
September 8, 1902

Deputy Sheriff Williams of Gila Bend arrived in the city 
yesterday morning with Josiah Anderson who had been held 
to the grand jury for the killing of William Cameron.  
Anderson's bond was fixed at $5000.  Trouble had existed 
between Cameron and Henry Wills over the illegal branding 
of some cattle belonging to Wills by Cameron.  The parties 
were brought together by Anderson and after a long 
conversation on the subject, Cameron believed that 
Anderson was taking the part of Wills in the 
controversy.  A quarrel following and Anderson instead 
of going back home with Cameron accepted an invitation 
by Robert Leitch to go home with him. On their way they 
overtook Cameron, who was waiting for them and the 
quarrel was renewed.

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/az/statewide/obits/c/cameron246gob.txt

This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/azfiles/

File size: 5.8 Kb