JOHN McCARTHY(McCarty) June 16, 1901 (Names in articles are spelled both ways) Arizona Republican Newspaper, Phoenix J.K. May, a professional hunter arrived in Prescott today from Clear Creek in the Mogollon Mountains in the eastern part of this county and reported that his partner, John McCarthy had been missing since June 7. Both are experienced hunters and mountaineers and had gone to the mountains to fill an order from eastern parts for specimens of Arizona wild pigeons and four dozen tassel-eared squirrels. They were accompanied by two other persons and on the morning of June 7, while May was in Flagstaff purchasing supplies, McCarthy left to go to Poverty Flat, a distance of about three miles and since then nothing has been heard of him. June 18, 1901 Mr. Julius Gowett of this city arrived here yesterday morning after a hard drive from the Mogollon mountains. He was with John McCarthy and party when the former left the camp on the 7th of June and spent several days searching for him. There is nothing new to report, though the details of the incident, furnished by Mr. Gowett are of course interesting and show that the friends of the presumed dead man are doing all they can to discover his whereabouts. It is the opinion of Mr. Gowett that he has been killed by Apache Indians as a band of them were seen in that vicinity by a forest ranger named Smith and Mr. Gowett himself saw moccasin tracks and found the deserted camps of the Indians where they killed cattle and deer. It is possible that he came upon Indians violating and game laws and in attempting to arrest them was killed. It has been suggested that some enemy has disposed of him on account of a former grudge and currently every stock raiser and cowboy is searching for his remains. Mr. Gowett's story of his trip is as follows: In company with Tom Bowers and Joe Day, a partner of McCarthy's they left Phoenix some weeks ago and by previous arrangement met McCarthy in the San Francisco Mountains. McCarthy had gone there from his place in Dudleyville, Pinal County via the Tonto Basin. He was in search of birds and various wild animals found only in that region. Not finding what he wanted there the party went south into the Mogollons and made camp at Lost Springs in Coconino County, about twenty miles east of Pine and seventy five miles southeast of Flagstaff, near the head of Fossil Creek and Miller's Canyon. Mr. Day then went to Flagstaff for provisions, leaving McCarthy, Gowett and Tom Bowers in camp. On the morning of the 7th shortly after breakfast, McCarthy attired in his hunting suit and hunting shoes with a peculiarly constructed heel, took a ten gauge shot gun and started toward Poverty Flat saying he might even go around Baker's Butte. He was in search of a peculiar pigeon he hoped to find in that vicinity. He did not return that night but it occasioned little uneasiness for he is an experienced mountaineer and could not possibly get lost in that region which he know perfectly. There was no anxiety about him regarding food for he is a good sportsman and game is plenty and water is abundant in the gulches and springs. But at noon the next day, Messrs. Gowett and Bowers thought they had better begin a search for him. Mr. Bowers is not a mountaineer so it was decided that he would remain in camp. Mr. Gowett went three miles away to the ranch of a man named Jones and securing his help they started in search of the missing man. They told their mission to everyone they met and in short time there were five to ten men looking for him. The men followed McCarty's track by his peculiar shoe as far as Poverty Flat where it was found for the last time. This search was kept up for a week. It was during this search that they met Ranger Smith when he told them about the Indians, the evidences of which they had already noted. And there the matter rests. There are quite a number of cattlemen in the region and all of them are looking for him. He will be found, no doubt, if he is still above ground, for his partner Joe Day will not rest till he has tramped over every foot of that country. During the search, Mr. Gowett came upon a cave with the bones of a man, but there was no way of identifying them as the clothing was entirely decayed. On a little shelf above the body they found a piece of paper that at one time had been written on but the water dropping from above had obliterated everything except the number "18". August 22, 1901 A party consisting of J.K. Day, Henry Simms and J.S. Gowett of Phoenix, searching in the vicinity of Miller Canyon found the body of John McCarty on Monday afternoon, horribly mutilated by a bear. Both legs were broken with other injuries. McCarty's shotgun was found nearby with a barrel burst. McCarty evidently shot at the bear and the gun burst, injuring him so he could make no resistence to the animal's attack. August 24, 1901 Further particulars in the death of John McCarty are that he evidently killed one bear as the carcass and hide were found in the vicinity, this bear had been skinned. McCarty was found in the bottom of a small canyon with his gun near him, about six miles from where he camped.