Delta County CO Archives News ... Doyle, James "Bruce" Murder Nov 26, 1911 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/co/cofiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: LindaGay Brown Lbrown@dmtc.edu March 6, 2008, 4:46 pm I have listed the sources of all the articles in the body Doyle, Bruce-Death News Article in Grand Junction paper and in the Rocky Mountain News November 30, 1911. ----------------------------------------- Brutal Murder of Bruce Doyle Shot in the Back While at Work by a Mexican Last Tuesday Afternoon One of the most cold blooded murders that was ever recorded in this county occurred just after noon Tuesday at the ranch of J. Bruce Doyle in Peach Valley about 7 miles east of Delta. When Fred Snora, a young Mexican shot Mr. Doyle, the proprietor of the ranch, killing him instantly. The shooting it seems was without provocation, as no quarrel, had occurred and no unkind words had been used. The shooting was witnessed by Clarence Sullivan, Eddie Dunham, Charlie Fredericks and a Mexican boy, a brother of the murderer. The two Snora Mexican boys had the contract for getting in the 40 acres of beets grown by Mr. Doyle. They had not made good time in harvesting the crop and as the season was far advanced, Mr. Doyle got some neighbor boys to go to the field to assist. When the extra help arrived at noon Tuesday the Mexican asked Mr. Doyle if "this was his job", to which Mr. Doyle replied that "It was, but he got the extra help to get in the crop before the ground froze too hard'" and with this saying he bent over and went to topping beets. Without another word the Mexican drew a small bull-dog revolver and fired, the bullet striking Doyle in the small of the back, and as he rose up another shot rang out, the ball taking effect in Doyle's left temple. Death was instantaneous. The murderer mounted a bicycle and rode eastward toward the Black Canyon. The boys who witnessed the shooting were all excited-they were all young fellows. One of them mounted a horse and rode to T.J. Sullivan's ranch some miles distant to the nearest telephone to call Sheriff Williams, but it was 2 o'clock when the sheriff got the word and he secured M.E. Meyers' auto and was on the ground at 2:30, to begin the search. Several of the neighbors gathered at the Doyle house by this time and a posse was organized to search for the murderer. He was traced by the bicycle for a short distance when he abandoned that mode of transportation, and walked toward the Grand Canyon where the old Ute Trail crosses. It was night when the top of the hill was reached and the chase was given up until 4 o'clock the next morning. The farmers in the Read neighborhood are so worked up over the affair that if caught the murderer will probably be given a necktie social without much formality. Bruce Doyle was a man well known and well liked by everyone; a hard worker, honest and consciousness in all his dealings, and true to his family and friends. His horrible death has cast a gloom over the entire community. He leaves a widow, two married daughters and two brothers to mourn. The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon and was largely attended. Delta County Independent November 1911 ----------------------------------------- Murder Suspect Found in Cave Brother of Slain Man finds Fugitive after a Week's Search and Effects Capture November 29, 1911. After trailing Fred Snero, the alleged murderer of Bruce Doyle, William Franklin Doyle, a Delta rancher, trailed Snero for nearly a week. Doyle, in company with Sheriff J. H. Williams of Delta, located Snero in a cave near Thompson's Crossing at an early hour this morning. Doyle started the search shortly after the shooting of his brother, Bruce. He was accompanied by two dogs and has barely slept or eaten during the chase. Snero will be brought to Grand Junction for safekeeping, because of intense feelings in Delta. Rocky Mountain News 11/30/1911 page 3 ----------------------------------------- Murderer of Bruce Doyle Captured Out in Utah Fred Snora, alias Fredericka Sammarra, the young Mexican, who on Tuesday afternoon of last week shot and killed James Bruce Doyle on the latter's ranch, and who escaped to the foothills nearby after the killing, and made his escape, was captured Wednesday morning at Thompson Springs, Utah, by James I. Doyle, nephew of the murdered man, and F.A. Wattenberger, both of Read. The two gentlemen above accompanied by Sheriff Williams left Grand Junction Tuesday night for Utah, the two former being dropped off at Thompson Springs and the sheriff going on to Salt Lake to work back this way and meet the other men. The sheriff had secured information as to the direction taken by Snora and working in the manner outline his escape was almost impossible. Snora was arrested at the post office at Thompson Spring at 8 o'clock in the morning. He was in company with four other Mexicans and had just secured work with them on the railroad. Snora was placed in the Grand Junction jail for safe-keeping and will probably be brought to town today or tomorrow for his preliminary. Delta County Independent November 1911 ----------------------------------------- 1910 Delta County, Read Precinct 8, 29 & 30 April and May 2 1910 Doyle, William F. Head 54 Married White Married 23 years Farm Operator/Fruit Farm born in Ohio father born in Ohio Mother born in West Virginia Dora wife 38 Female White 3 children/3 living born in Iowa father born in Ohio and Mother born in Illinois ----------------------------------------- Bruce and Frank married sisters, Della and Dora. Della went by Dell. Bruce and Dell lived a mile west of Wiley Doyle while in Kansas. ----------------------------------------- File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/co/delta/news/doyle186gob.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/cofiles/ File size: 6 Kb