WILLIAM MURPHY
November 12, 1898

A telegram was received at the sheriff's office last night from 
Deputy Sheriff George at Wickenburg saying: "I have the man who 
did the killing at Munro Mine."  Nothing had been heard of any 
trouble at the time of the dispatch was received but the Republican 
later had information from Hot Springs Junction describing the 
tragedy.  About noon yesterday William murphy, superintendent of 
the Castello Mine, fifteen miles east of the hunction was attacked 
by two prospectors named Barnal and Sweninger.  They shot him four 
times, inflicitng serious but not fatal wounds. Murphy was shot 
from behind but he returned the fire with deadly effect.  The 
affray took place near a spring where the men had been camped for 
several days.  The shooting was heard by miners at the camp and 
they hurried to the scene.  Reaching they found Bernal dead and 
Murphy lying near by. Sweninger escaped without injury.  The 
cause of the attack on Murphy has not been learned here.  The 
tragedy took place in Yavapai County and a telegram was sent to 
Sheriff Ruffner at Prescott.  He was expected to reach the junction 
last night.  Sweninger made his way from the place of the killing 
to Wickenburg, where he was captured by deputy Sheriff George.

Late last night word was received that Murphy had died of his 
wounds.  Murphy represented a Buffalo, N.Y. syndicate headed by 
J.W. Costello, who was infomred by telegraph of the death of his 
superintendent.

Word of the shooting was sent to the wife of Sueprintendent Murphy, 
who was at the hot spirngs and a doctor was summoned but before 
either reached him he was dead.  Additon information regarding 
the affair was received in the following telegram from Prescott 
to the Republican before the death of Murphy:

"A general shooting scrape ocucred today at the trilby Mine, in 
which Superintendent murphy, a man named Bernal and two others 
participated. Murphy was mortally wounded, Barnal killed and the 
other tow slightly wounded.  Over twenty shots were exchanged.  
The toruble was over locating the boundary lines of the two mining 
claims.

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