Ewing and Goshorn
From Mohave Co. Miner, 12-29-1893.
Submitted by Mary J. Musser, Kingman, Arizona.
“Henry Ewing and John Goshorn have gone to work on the Altata Mine, one of the best showings that Chloride has to offer and they are to send out a car-load of ore right away.”
“This ore has been shipped and when the returns were received Goshorn went to his home in Virginia, and going up on the mountain above his home town, he entered a cave and shot himself. It was thought that he became despondent at not finding things as he believed that he could find them, and took the short way out. He was a fine fellow and had a host of friends here.”
Such was the belief for awhile but the people of his home-town thought differently. He was soon to have been married to a Virginia Belle, and was out in the mountains for his usual constitutional. He never returned.
Searchers finally found his body, in a hole in the mouth of a cave. It was supposed he had missed his footing and fallen, some 25 or 30 feet. His head and shoulders were badly bruised, but no pistol wound was found.
Several years later a Moonshiner was dying in prison in Virginia, and confessed the death of Goshorn. Goshorn was a friendly person, and looked for no evil from any man. He was a friend to every child, cat or stray dog. This day as he meandered over the hills, he came upon the moonshiners rendezvous; the still was in full blast.
He was not armed, but they thought he was a “revenue-er” and his unarmed condition puzzled them. They talked it over, on the side as to how best to rid themselves of their unwelcome guest. He was not a habitual drinker, but they persuaded him to drink with them. They “doped” his cup of liquor. It took immediate effect, and before they realized his condition, he was dead.
Then the question: how were they to dispose of the body? They knew of the cave, and the shaft at its opening. They carried him over, and pitched him in, head first.
The moonshiners aided the searchers in finding the cave. It was several days after his death, before the body was found. Then the old moonshiner came to die he cleared his conscience, and the mystery of Goshorns death.
Mrs. Scott, sister to Henry Ewing (the blind Miner) told me the story and substantiated it with the papers from Virginia. I read the account of his death, and of the moonshiners death. The Ewings, had known Goshorn and his people, in Virginia. I believe Goshorn, Bill and Henry Ewing came to Arizona together.
Henry Ewing went blind from Trachoma; Bill committed suicide. Mrs. Scott and her beautiful sister, Mrs. John Marshall, are dead, but Mrs. Scott left three children, one of whom lived in Prescott.
Submitted by Mary J. Musser, Kingman, Arizona.
“Henry Ewing and John Goshorn have gone to work on the Altata Mine, one of the best showings that Chloride has to offer and they are to send out a car-load of ore right away.”
“This ore has been shipped and when the returns were received Goshorn went to his home in Virginia, and going up on the mountain above his home town, he entered a cave and shot himself. It was thought that he became despondent at not finding things as he believed that he could find them, and took the short way out. He was a fine fellow and had a host of friends here.”
Such was the belief for awhile but the people of his home-town thought differently. He was soon to have been married to a Virginia Belle, and was out in the mountains for his usual constitutional. He never returned.
Searchers finally found his body, in a hole in the mouth of a cave. It was supposed he had missed his footing and fallen, some 25 or 30 feet. His head and shoulders were badly bruised, but no pistol wound was found.
Several years later a Moonshiner was dying in prison in Virginia, and confessed the death of Goshorn. Goshorn was a friendly person, and looked for no evil from any man. He was a friend to every child, cat or stray dog. This day as he meandered over the hills, he came upon the moonshiners rendezvous; the still was in full blast.
He was not armed, but they thought he was a “revenue-er” and his unarmed condition puzzled them. They talked it over, on the side as to how best to rid themselves of their unwelcome guest. He was not a habitual drinker, but they persuaded him to drink with them. They “doped” his cup of liquor. It took immediate effect, and before they realized his condition, he was dead.
Then the question: how were they to dispose of the body? They knew of the cave, and the shaft at its opening. They carried him over, and pitched him in, head first.
The moonshiners aided the searchers in finding the cave. It was several days after his death, before the body was found. Then the old moonshiner came to die he cleared his conscience, and the mystery of Goshorns death.
Mrs. Scott, sister to Henry Ewing (the blind Miner) told me the story and substantiated it with the papers from Virginia. I read the account of his death, and of the moonshiners death. The Ewings, had known Goshorn and his people, in Virginia. I believe Goshorn, Bill and Henry Ewing came to Arizona together.
Henry Ewing went blind from Trachoma; Bill committed suicide. Mrs. Scott and her beautiful sister, Mrs. John Marshall, are dead, but Mrs. Scott left three children, one of whom lived in Prescott.