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Tussock Spring, Arizona
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EDITORS NOTE - SPELLING: Historic articles and death certificates spell it Tussick Spring - current maps, dictionary and references spell it Tussock Spring.
PRESCOTT JOURNAL-MINER, THURSDAY MORNING, AUGUST 24, 1922
MYSTERY FEUD BEGINS AND ENDS IN QUICK EXCHANGE OF SHOTS;
TWO FRIENDS DIEHidden from the sight of all men and enveloped in the hot passion of jealousy or anger, two men shot each other to death at Tussick (Tussock) Spring, 15 miles below Wagoner at 7 o'clock (PM) Tuesday evening. They were William S. Bourne, manager of the Independence mine and James S. McClure, a rancher-miner of that district. Mrs. McClure, thought by some to be the cause of the quarrel, was but a few feet away and out of sight when the men opened fire. Her two young daughters, imbued with a spirit found only among pioneers and mountain folk, rode mule-back to the nearest ranch to summon aid. McClure's unexpectedly early return from a trip to Colorado preceded the tragedy by a few hours. But whether it was a quarrel over mining interest the men had together or that age-old problem of love and jealousy, it was impossible to determine. Though McClure lived six hours after suffering a bullet wound in the eye, he just lay gasping. The shock of his wound had prohibited speech. A strange finale to this mountain feud that was so short-lived and so hotly ended, was the request of Mrs. McClure for permission to bury the two dead men near the little spring that makes possible their home in a land grim with thirst but full of the lure of gold and the open sky.
AT TUSSICK (TUSSOCK) SPRING (YAVAPAI COUNTY, ARIZONA)
William S. Bourne and his associate in Gallup had organized the Independence Mines Company to develop what was considered as an extension of the Pacific Mine south of Crown King. Wm. S. Bickel, a leading merchant of Gallup, N.M and R.M. Roberts formerly sheriff of McKinley county, New Mexico, were Mr. Bourne's principal backers in the mining venture. At the mine there was no water, but at Tussick (Tussock) Spring, about two miles from the Independence workings there was an abundance of water. James. S. McClure has secured a homestead at Tussick (Tussock) Spring, and was friendly with Bourne, and the two had been living at the same camp for about five yours. McClure had been away about one year during the world war. During his absence, Mrs. McClure stayed and kept the boarding house for Bourne and the few miners at the mine during McClure's absence in the army.
HAD BEEN NO QUARREL
Nothing in the nature of a quarrel had ever been noticed between the two men, according to statement made to Deputy Sheriff Grant Carter by Mrs. McClure, but it was learned he said in Walnut Grove, that outsiders had been expecting trouble between the two men for some time. McClure had, been away on business in Colorado for about a month, and as he was returning to camp, he met Mrs. McClure on her way to the post office for the mail. Mrs. McClure seemed to be "peeved about something" when he met her. But she went for the mail and when she returned with it, she started to take the mule down the road to turn it out to graze. She told Carter that McClure asked her to wait a minute and he would go with her that he wanted to get his hat. She said "all right" and went on down a steep bank that is just in front of the two cabins. One of stone and one of board. But, just as she got down the bank out of sight of the cabins, which she did as the banks are very steep, she heard the shooting. It was her opinion that the shot gun sounded first, and its report was followed by three pistol shots in close succession. She went back to the top of the steep bank and saw both men lying on the ground about six feet apart. Neither of them ever spoke after that. Bourne lived about 20 minutes and McClure died in the night about one o'clock the shooting having taken place at about 7 o'clock in the evening. Mrs. McClure caught up a burro and sent her two daughters, who have only been at the camp since July 5th, on the mule and the burro to the camp of Hi Calkins, which is about three miles away. The girls carried the news that Bourne was dead and that McClure was dying. Calkins carried the news to Wagoner and there encountered C.C. Stukey who went by automobile to Kirkland and telephoned the news of the double tragedy to Prescott.
PRESCOTT IS NOTIFIED
Dr. Looney and Graham Heibling sped toward the death scene by automobile. Coroner McClane summoned a jury and started by automobile. The men in the coroner's care were Ross, the driver, William Byers, Chas. K. Scholey, O.H. Jett and Johnny Merritt. Ahead of the entire procession went Grant Carter and Sterling Plummer, deputy sheriffs. They drove to within four miles of Tussick (Tussock) Spring and walked the rest of the way, and so did the other parties following them. The experience of the officers and the others in getting to the scene of the murder was weird and long, but that of two girls, one on a burro and the other on a mule, making their way in a strange country to a lonely camp with news of the dead and dying was even more grew-some and trying. The girls are aged 15 and 17 years. They were new to the section and barely knew the trail to Calkins camp. But they delivered their blood-chilling message and returned to their mother, who was with her dying husband.
SAYS McCLURE SHOT FIRST
If Mrs. McClure's theory is right, McClure must have fired on the sight of Bourne and Bourne must have returned the fire almost instantly for the death wound of either man, according to Carter would have made him unable to have done any shooting as the shot gun charge fired by McClure took effect just about an inch over Bourne's heart and was fired at a distance of not over six or eight feet, as the bodies of the two men were lying not more than six feet apart. The body of Bourne lay just in the doorway of the stone cabin, and the body of McClure was just outside the cabin a few feet. The death wound of McClure took effect just in the edge of the right eye and passed through just under the left eye, bulging out the left eye slightly as it passed through. Carter thinks neither of the men ever knew anything after receiving his death wound.
AT TINY OASIS
Tussick (Tussock) Spring is a tiny oasis in the desert. It is the only living water for something like five miles from the place. It is in a deep gulch at the base of Silver mountain which is rugged, high and steep. When one approaches Tussick (Tussock) Spring from the Crown King side one sees it first as a green spot at the foot of a winding and precipitous trail which seems miles long. At the little oasis is a rudely constructed stone house and also a small cabin of boards and a small shed or two. The cabins stand by a steep gulch on the opposite side of which is a small garden spot where a little hay and vegetables are raised, and skirting the green spot are five or six large and spreading fig trees, which bear several crops of figs each year, and which have wide green leaves. The water from the spring is sparkling and cold and it is a resting place for a weary traveler.
MYSTERY AND TRAGEDY
After the smoke of battle, in the shadow of the spreading fig trees, Deputy Sheriff Carter tried to unearth the mystery of the sudden double tragedy. Mrs. McClure, heartbroken and wrenched, maintained steadfastly that her husband was not jealous of Bourne. She declared they had been fast friends for five years, and declared that she did not know why the shooting started. But make their fortunes out of the mine, and where they dreamed their dreams of success and had their moments of disappointment, and were finally in a fit of anger they were both torn from life and furled into the realms of the great unknown beyond. And Mrs. McClure's request was granted. The tomb of the two erst-while friends who in death were enemies, will no doubt be close together.
PRINCIPALS IN THE SHORT-LIVED FEUD
Prescott Journal-Miner, Thursday Morning, August 24, 1922
William S. Bourne, killed in a gun battle with James McClure, 15 miles south of Wagoner, Tuesday night was 49 year of age and unmarried, so far as anyone knows here.
He was the general manager of the Independence Mining, Development and Recovery Company, a Gallup, N.M., corporation. He was associated with William S. Bickel, a leading merchant of Gallup, and R.L. Roberts, who has been sheriff of McKinley County, New Mexico, for several terms.
James McClure aged 36 years, was a miner, and at one time leased and worked some claims near the Independence. He was a volunteer soldier in the world war. On his return he patented the ranch where the tragedy occurred, taking it up in order to get title to the spring that supplies the only water for considerable territory thereabout.
Bourne has a brother, Robert Bourne, who lives somewhere in New Mexico.
Mrs. McClure, the possible cause of the tragedy, is a woman of medium stature, rather dark and sturdy, with black eyes and hair. Cheerful at all times, a good cook and willing worker. She was hopeful and always looking for something better.
Bourne had considerable mining experience and an unbounded faith in the Independence mine that usually consumes the prospector who goes to the hills to seek his fortune. He had pictured great bodies of rich ore, bearing silver, gold and copper, in the big veins on the Independence claims and thought that even their solitude and isolation from transportation could not keep them from making a wonderful camp at the foot of rugged old Silver Mountain. Some others joined him in his hopes and some doubted his rightness of mind.
McClure and his wife believed in Bourne. They believed in his hopes and ambitions that the mines would make good. They believed in his theory that they would some day get the money necessary to develop and equip the property. They stuck by him for five years.
McClure took a trip to Denver. He stayed a month. He was coming back. He met his wife roughly clad as the people of the hills go, on her way in a desert country for the mail. He felt peeved at her, she said. He went on to camp and she went for the mail. He arrived at camp and went to work cutting hay. She came back. He saw her, sun-tanned and weary, going with the mule to turn it out to graze. Did he feel a jealousy toward Bourne, whom he found in camp evidently not hard at work, and letting the woman go for the mail and take the mule to graze? Or did he have a disillusionment of his hopes and dreams of wealth which had so often been pictured to him by Bourne, and did he then and there decide to slay the man who had caused him his disillusionment? Did the disappointments of the past five years drive the man to this desperate act? Or was it jealousy?
Mrs. McClure says "No". But other people in the district, according to Grant Carter and Sterling Plummer say "Yes".
MOUNTAINEERS CARRY BODIES OF FRIENDS
Prescott Journal-Miner, Thursday Morning, August 24, 1922
The pallbearers at the Bourne-McClure funeral were chosen with great care and regard for the friend-ships of many days in the sparsely settled hills. There were four of them and one man extra to look on as the widow and her two daughters saw the coffins lowered into the grave: Hi Calkins, Lewis Meadors, Jim Cameron and George Tewksberry, and the unnamed witness to the sad funeral's ending.
Whether or not the Bible was read, whether or not a funeral service was said, nature in her great heart throbbed as her erring children were lowered into the bosom of earth, and God looked down and understood it all.
THE VERDICT
The coroner's jury found the facts as outlined by the officers, each man being credited with the slaying of the other. Little is known where about the relatives of the two dead men. Bourne has a brother in New Mexico and McClure a sister in Colorado.
NIGHT DRIVE THRU STORM FOR STUKEY
Prescott Journal-Miner, Thursday Morning August 24, 1922C.C. Stukey of the board of supervisors was the link between the double tragedy at the Independence mine and the outside world.
Visiting Wagoner on business, Mr. Stukey was the one called upon to drive into Kirkland in the dead of night and in a storm of rain and wind, to summon the officers and physicians.
Mr. Stukey returned to Prescott yesterday afternoon and gave the Journal-Miner an exclusive account of as stirring a night drama as occurred in this county in years.
"I was at Collins' store and post office at Wagoner," the supervisor said, "with Mr. Tewksberry. We sat up late talking, and went to bed about 12:30 Tuesday night (actually would have been Wednesday Morning). It was storming terribly. About 1 o'clock (AM) a cowboy road in on an exhausted horse. He had battled the storm from the McClure place, 15 miles below, and had been riding since early in the evening. He told us that Bourne was dead and McClure fatally hurt and asked us to get a doctor, the coroner and the sheriff's office.
"He said Mrs. McClure had walked three miles to notify him and get him to go for help.
"I dressed and got in my car and drove to Kirkland, arriving about 3:30 (AM) I telephoned to Prescott to the sheriff's office and then drove back to Wagoner, reaching that place about 6 o'clock (AM). Two hours later Grant Carter and Sterling Plummer came and Dr. Looney arrived about an hour later."
Mr. Stukey did not go to the scene of the shooting, but started back to Prescott at 10 o'clock (AM), reaching here early in the afternoon.
PRAISED BOURNE AS A FINE MAN;
M'CLURE'S STRANGEST BEHAVIOR BEFORE SHOOTINGLike a message from across the void, bringing to light interesting information about the relationship between James McClure and William Bourne, came a statement yesterday by H.H. Keays of this city, probably the last man who talked with McClure before he returned to his little camp at Tussick (Tussock) Spring last Monday.
Keays, who returned to Prescott yesterday, received his first indication about the double homicide from Journal Miner encounter of the affair yesterday stated, "McClure, he declared, certainly did not talk like a man who expected to go home and shoot a friend with a pistol, either in business or love."
Keays was on a campaigning trip to the Walnut Grove and Wagoner country and other places. McClure was returning from Colorado, and took Keays in his car as far as Wagoner. The reason he wanted me to spend the night there was that he thought I ought to meet is partner, William Bourne.
He told me: "Bourne is an intelligent man, a good talker - he could talk on any subject - and you will certainly be entertained".
"If McClure had anything in his mind against Bourne at that time, he certainly concealed it".
It was of course, a tremendous shock to learn a few hours later that McClure and Bourne had met, each carrying a weapon, and that in a space of time so short that it but deepens the motive-mystery of this strange drama, something developed or blazed up in the hearts of those two friends that could only be wiped out by blood.
POINTS UNEXPLAINED
Keays said that the public still doesn't know the heart of this quarrel. There is more than one unexplained point in the narrative.
"I don't see why Mrs. McClure told Grant Carter she met McClure on the road as she was going for the mail". Keays pursued his story. "At Wagoner Monday night - the papers got it wrong when they said Tuesday - I saw with my own eyes, a bundle of mail delivered to McClure. And I saw him place it, with some other bundles, in the car we had used coming from Walnut Grove.
"I do not see why McClure should have let his wife go on for the mail when he, himself, had it. Carter said she had told him McClure seemed "peeved".
"Well, I would have gone to the ranch with McClure that night but I did not want to have to walk back. I hunted all around Wagoner and so did McClure, trying to find me a horse, so I could ride back after staying with them over night. We could not find a horse anywhere and then McClure told me that there were only a few votes down there and that he would give out some of my cards.
He said: "I will vote for you, and I will get my partner, Bill Bourne to vote for you (illegible) were registered democrats and we will get you all the votes we can in our precinct." "But I will lose those two votes now".
A GOOD MAN AND MINER
"It stands out vividly in my mid how McClure praised Bourne to me. He told me about their mining ventures and lauded Bourne both as a man and miner. He was so sure that I would be amused to talk about things with Bourne, as he was such a well posted man and had such a fertile mind for information and anecdote"
Keays statement may tend to negate the theory of officers and some others that the killings resulted from jealousy, with Mrs. McClure as the central figure. But the conversation of McClure, so praiseful of his partner, certainly only adds to the mystery of the affair, concealed now in the bosom of the lonely hillside, where as a dramatic climax to the episode, the widow and her mountain neighbors interred the bodies of the two slain men.
The world will probable never know the events that took place between the moment McClure, following his wife down the steep bank to the spring, came face to face with Bourne, and the firing of the fatal shot. Mrs. McClure was out of sight below the crest of the gulch. All she could say was that she heard the shots, rushed back up the bank and saw the men lying mortally wounded within six feet of one another.
McClure had caught up his shot-gun as he started out with his wife to go to the spring on some trifling errand. He was carrying that gun when he passed the cabin where Bourne was. Did Bourne step out the door, see McClure coming with a gun, and draw his own? The testimony is confusing, where it is not lacking altogether.
DEATH CERTIFICATES
11/23/05 Neal Du Shane
http://digital.library.arizona.edu/cowpuncher/teacher.htm
Eulalia "Sister" Bourne (1897 - 1984), southern Arizona homesteader, cattle rancher, author, and legendary school teacher, best known for her Little Cowpuncher schools, was born Eulalia Collins on a Texas homestead and raised in the White Mountains of New Mexico. Her nickname "Sister" was given to her by a younger sister who couldn't pronounce "Eulalia". At 16 she moved to Humbug, Arizona, the wife of William S. Bourne, a man more than twice her age. The marriage was not a happy one, and the couple separated two years later.
Editors Note: If the above information pertaining to Eulalia Collins Bourne is correct relating to William S. Bourne, this would have placed them in Humbug, AZ from 1913 until 1915. William Bourne was the manager of the Independent Mine, 2 miles from Tussock Spring, and this would have placed him in the Tussock Spring camp from approximately 1917 until 1922.
The road in either direction from the North or South is definitely a high clearance, 4X4 road. It's not maintained - The sign says "Primitive Road" believe it! We witnessed several car body parts that had been torn off vehicles, along the road, coming in from the southeast. We were able to get within 1 to 2 miles before the road turned difficult. A hike could reach your destination with ease following the traveled road.
MAP TO TUSSOCK SPRING
(Click map for much larger version.)
TUSSOCK SPRING, AZ IS LOCATED AT:
Latitude N34 6' 25.86"
Longitude W112 25' 37"
DECEMBER 2, 2005 TUSSOCK SPRING, ARIZONA by: Neal Du Shane
This was my second attempt to reach Tussock Spring, AZ. The first attempt was foiled by the lack of time and daylight. This time my sojourn was accomplished on my steadfast Honda XR650L dirt bike. Coming in from the Lake Pleasant (South East) the road is good, although gravel, requiring high clearance, until approximately the last two miles. Once you reach the corral and open the gate the road gets challenging. They have the road posted as "Primitive Road" - they are not kidding! The road is not impassible with four wheel drive, ATV, horse, motorcycle or hiking.
As you crest the hill looking across Tussock Creek, you will see a driveway and a clump of trees growing north of the road and west of the creek. This is the site of Tussock Spring and the former residence of the McClure and Bourne families. As you drop down and enter the creek bed and start to come up on the west side, there is a driveway immediately on your right. Travel a little farther up the main road and there is another driveway on the north (right) that I'm speculating, leads to the mine, although I didn't travel up this road, I could seen that it gains elevation and leads up the side of the mountain.
Turning around and going back to the first driveway that I came to, I started to ride up the drive. Got no more than 100 feet and washouts had eliminated the driveway roadbed. Parked at the fence line and walked in approximately 700 feet. There is a foot path that animals have walked from the main road to the former site of Tussock Spring. Many bushes have overgrown the driveway and have an animal trail under the low branches but you can get through walking along the high banks of the Creek on the west side.
DOWNTOWN TUSSOCK SPRING 2005
As I started to see evidence of what would have been Tussock Spring, fence posts, cattle watering tanks etc. I came to what looked like the main south fenced entrance to the compound.
TUSSOCK SPRING CEMETERY (picture)
Immediately on my left I could see what looked like burials. Dowsed and sure enough, two male internments were detected. Was this James McClure and William Bourne? No markers or headstones were present to indicate if this was them. The GPS reading for these burials was Latitude N34 06.401. Longitude W112 25.606.
CHILDS GRAVE AT TUSSOCK SPRING
Walking around the area to see what else might still be visible and came across another grave on the north end of the area. Latitude N34 06.423, Longitude W112 25.589, this was a stone enclosure it was the size of a child; dowsing revealed it was that of a male.
REMAINS OF STONE HOUSE
Looking across the creek on the east bank there was a stone wall that looked to be the back wall of a stone enclosure of a cabin with a box enclosure and shelves built in. Close to the small grave was a trail that led down to the creek then up the bank on the east side to the stone enclosure, was this possibly the path Mrs. McClure was on the evening the shots rang out? It's very likely this was the exact path she was on, as there is no other easy way to reach the creek or east side other than this path.
CISTERN
On the west side of the compound there was a pipe with water still running out of it and a cement enclosure that would have been a cistern or holding area for water coming from the spring. At the north end, west of the small grave was a fenced area that would have been a stock holding area, approximately 25' X 25'.
I then noticed someone had been in the area as
there was black plastic pipe about 3/4" in diameter and it looked as though someone had gone to great effort to clear, stake and plant numerous mounds. As I walked up the hill on the west I noticed some tooth paste, and a tooth brush lying on a flat rock next to the running water. Walking a little farther I noticed the black pipe up about 3 feet with water running out of it. Looking to my right, up the hill a little more was a rock outcropping where it was evident someone had been living. Pots, pans, various articles of clothing strung about . . . Reaching for my loaded 9mm pistol . . . had I stumbled into a Marijuana growing farm? I shouted out "anyone in camp", no reply and no evidence of any current human tracks or human activity was visible. The question I kept pondering, was someone watching? It hadn't been that long since someone was living here, question being, when would they be coming back.
TUSSOCK SPRING 2005
This is an exceptional location and I could see
why the McClure's and Bourne's would want to reside here. Although remote, if the mine is up the other drive slightly to the west, this along with the spring, would account for the people residing here. All the while I was in the area, after reading the account of what happened that August evening in 1922, I tried to visualize in my mind, what transpired that day and it started to make sense. Although reasoning for the shootings revealed no logic.
My belief is there are three burials at Tussock Spring, 1.) William S. Bourne, 2.) James McClure 3.) a small male child, which most likely would have been a McClure but this is speculation on my part.
With my belief I had inadvertently stumbled into a Marijuana growing farm. I didn't continue research further, to any great extent. While I didn't back out, I found myself looking behind me, more than once to check if someone was following me and didn't put my pistol in the holster until I got back to the motorcycle.
TUSSOCK SPRING PICTURE
This is an extremely interesting location and deserves further on-site research to try and determine its historical secrets.
TUSSOCK SPRING Cemetery
Yavapai County, Arizona
From N. end of Lake Pleasant blacktop, L on Castle Hot Springs Rd., R on Cow Creek Rd stay on main road approximately 20 mi. until you come to Tussock Creek. Tussock Spring can be accessed from Wagoner Road also.
Latitude N34 06 401, Longitude W112 25.606 & Latitude N34 06.423, Longitude W112 25.589
Burials = 3
12/3/2005
Marker
SURNAME
FIRST NAME
MIDDLE NAME
BIRTH DATE
DEATH DATE
COMMENTS
Bourne
William
S.
1872
Aug. 22, 1922
Pile of Stone - Killed in homicide by James McClure
McClure
James
1886
Aug. 22, 1922
Pile of Stone - Killed in homicide by William S. Bourne
Doe
John
Pile of Stone - Small Child
Author: Neal Du Shane
UPDATED: 12/3/05 Neal Du Shane
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These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for non-commercial purposes, MUST obtain the written consent of the author, OR the legal representative of the author.
Contributor/Archives by: Neal Du Shane - All rights reserved
n.j.dushane@comcast.net
CREDITS
- Prescott Journal-Miner newspaper articles published August 24, 1922
- Sharlot Hall Museum - Prescott AZ
- http://digital.library.arizona.edu/cowpuncher/teacher.htm - excerpts
FIRST EDITION
Copyrighted, 2005 by Neal Du Shane
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form except for short quotation in critical essays and reviews.
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