BERT McBEE
Yuma Sun
January 9, 1914

The New Year came to Yuma with the most regrettable incident 
that has happened in a long, long time. Less than forty minutes 
had passed after the glad welcome to the new year had sounded 
forth on the midnight air when Bert McBee, a reputable white 
citizen, was suddenly and unexpectedly shot down by a Negro 
soldier of the 10th U.S. Cavalry, one of the detachment 
stationed here; and before the stroke of one o'clock had 
sounded he was dead.

Five of the Negro soldiers had attended a reception at the 
home of Harry Morris, a Negro barber, living on Jones Street 
and about half past twelve o'clock had left to go to their 
camp.  They stopped at the Arizona Club Saloon and one of 
them ordered a round of drinks. These were served them but 
before all of them had disposed of the beverage ordered, 
the terrible tragedy had occurred.

Mr. McBee, who owned a half interest in a small grocery 
store, the second door south of the Arizona Club, together 
with ten or twelve others, was in the saloon when the 
Negroes came in.  Mr. McBee, his partner, Alex Peterson 
and a friend, William Lord were in company and Mr. Bee 
was joking with a Negro commonly called "Slick" as the 
soldiers passed them going to the end of the bar farthest 
from the door.

From this point there are two very different versions of 
the happenings that followed:

Coroner J.C. Jones had an inquest into the circumstances 
attending the killing, having j.W. Beauvais, J.F. Quick, 
J.D. Marrs, R.H. Stanton, Henry, Snyder, E.M. Quick, John 
Neuman and Dan Maddox as juryman.

Mr. Peterson, Mr. Lord and the bartender, H.T. Benson, 
agreeing well on all essential points, gave one story of 
the acts leading up to the shooting and the five Negroes, 
the testimony of each agreeing closely with that of the 
others, gave a very different story.

The friends of the deceased stated that when the Negro 
soldiers came in, Mr. McBee and "Slick" made some joking 
remarks about "niggers" referring to the new-comers. Charles 
McDonald, one of the soldiers took offense at the remarks 
and said, "I don't like that word," Mr. McBee turned toward 
the offended Negro, asking "what did you say?"  The Negro 
instantly drew a revolver and fired, the ball striking Mr. 
McBee in the face.

The story told by the five Negroes was that when they came 
into the Club Mr. McBee began abusing them, using profane 
and obscene adjectives. McDonald protested, calling the 
attention of the sergeant, who was one of  the party, to 
the rude behavior of the white man.  The sergeant urged 
him not to pay attention to the remarks and avoid trouble. 
Then McBee who had a revolver in his hand, advanced in a 
threatening manner towards the soldier and the latter 
fired in self defense.

Sheriff Greenleaf was at Elks hall when a telephone message 
telling of the occurrence reached him.  He took Dr. Roy Knotts 
to the wounded man and then went to the soldiers camp to 
demand the murderer. He was told that the man had fled, and 
returning to town, organized a posse to search for him.

About half past 10 o'clock yesterday, the soldier came back 
to camp and reported to Lt. O'Connor, the officer in command 
who brought him to the courthouse and turned him over to the 
sheriff.

When the wounded man was raised up from the floor a 38 caliber 
revolver was found lying on the floor under his feet.  There 
was neither cartridge nor empty shells in the chambers and 
it was the opinion of those who examined it that it was 
brand new and had never been fired.

After hearing the evidence the jury rendered a verdict that 
the deceased was about 35 years of age, that he was a native 
of Colorado and that he came to his death from a gunshot 
fired by the hand of Charles McDonald with murderous intent.

The deceased man came to Yuma from Bisbee about three weeks 
ago and about the first of last week he and his partner 
opened the grocery store mentioned above. It is said he has 
a sister in Bisbee who was expecting to join him in a few days.


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