H.L. CONLEY
Arizona Republican Newspaper
June 4, 1905

H.L. Conley, late Santa Fe agent at Seligman, committed 
suicide by shooting at Pointer's Store on the Indian 
reservation twelve miles below the city yesterday afternoon.  
Information of the tragedy was received by Acting Coroner 
Burnett early yesterday evening.  He left as soon as possible 
for the reservation and ordered a dead wagon to bring the body 
to town.

The telephone message stated that Conley left Phoenix yesterday 
morning driving a single horse and along in the afternoon he 
entered the store and having stood for a short time drew a 
revolver and shot himself through the heart.  He left what 
was described by the message as a confession, the nature of 
which was not then made known to the acting coroner.  It 
related in some way to a man by the name of Summers who was 
held by Conley in the document to be connected with Wells Fargo.

Judge Burnett asked Captain Connell, the local superintendent 
of Wells Fargo about Summers.  He said that there were two men 
of the name of Summers in the service of the company though not 
here.  One of them is a route agent.  Captain Connell knew 
nothing of Conley.

At first nothing could be learned of Conley here but later 
in the evening when J.H. Hopkins, night clerk of the Adams 
Hotel came on duty and heard of the suicide he said that he 
knew Conley well.  He himself had lived in Seligman and saw 
the man almost daily.

Judge Burnett returned shortly before midnight and the body 
was also brought in.  The proprietor of the store where the 
suicide was committed said that Conley arrived there at half 
past ten o'clock and asked for water for himself and his 
horse.  He was told that he could have a drink but that he 
would have to go on to the Catholic Church where he could 
find plenty of water for his horse.

He drove away and some time before half past two o'clock he 
returned on foot.  He seemed weary and the storekeeper 
invited him to have a seat in a rocking chair on the porch.  
Having then taken another drink of water he did so and 
began writing in a little book.  He frequently asked for 
water after which he resumed his writing.  The storekeeper 
was called into the store, leaving his little grandson, an 
Indian who had just come in and Conley on the porch.  Next, 
he heard a shot and his grandson cried that the stranger 
had shot himself.  When the storekeeper ran to him Conley 
gazed wearily at him and when the storekeeper exclaimed, 
"What have you done?" Conley's head sank on his shoulder 
and he was dead.

The following statement or confession found written on a 
fly leaf of a pocket dictionary tells the whole story:

"Tom Warden, Seligman, Ariz.  "I have been gambling a great 
deal lately and a short time ago I was playing in a big game, 
got to drinking and when I lost I went back to the office and 
got company money which I also lost. I couldn't raise the money 
so took more company money to see if I couldn't win enough 
with what I borrowed to make the shortage good but it was of 
no use.  I take a coward's way of paying my just dues.  Tell 
Mr. Summer, W.F. route agent of the money receipt book is in 
the back of the letter file."  H.L. Conley.

Only five cents was found in his pockets.  There were several 
keys and other trinkets.  The horse still hitched to the buggy 
was found wandering in the brush near the church.

June 6, 1905
The body of H.L. Conley, the man who committed suicide at 
Pointer's Store on the Gila River Indian Reservation last 
Saturday will be shortly sent to Marion Iowa.  It had been 
supposed that the relatives of Conley lived at Perry Iowa but 
yesterday in reply to a telegram sent by Merryman and Moore, 
who have charge of the body, a message was received from 
Gordon L. Whipple of Marion, directing that the body be sent 
there.  Mr. Whipple is a brother-in-law of Conley.  Mr. 
Whipple wired transportation for the body.

His address was learned from Tom Warden of Seligman, to whom 
Conley wrote a statement and confession just before shooting 
himself.  Mr. Warden is a detective of the Santa Fe Pacific 
and upon him would have devolved the business of looking Conley 
up if he had not left this world.

Very little more is known of Conley's movements after arriving 
in the city on Saturday morning or of his gambling than had 
been known before.  At twenty minutes before two o'clock on 
Saturday morning he ate breakfast at Hoghe's and when he came 
to pay for it he was offered a ten dollar bill.  He was asked 
by the cashier if he had something smaller and he replied that 
was all the money he had.  However, after going through his 
pockets he discovered a half dollar.  He then asked what time 
the Wellington closed and was told it would close at three 
o'clock.  He said that if he wanted to see anyone there he 
would have to hurry.

He could not have been gambling before breakfast for he had 
just arrived in the city.  He could only have been at the 
Wellington for a few minutes for soon after leaving Hoghe's 
he appeared at the Anheuser where he lost $25.  He went away 
but returned and won $40.  He finally left the Anheuser about 
six o'clock and returned to the Adams Hotel where he bought 
and read a morning newspaper and about seven o'clock left 
for the country.