20047. Sacramento Daily Union. Sacramento, California, Saturday Morning, December 16th, 1871. The Murder of Fred W. Loring... (article)

Sacramento Daily Union Sacramento, California Saturday Morning, December 16th, 1871 THE MURDER OF FRED W. LORINGI NTERESTING FACTS. (From the Boston Advertiser.) The following is an extract from a private letter received in Cambridge from a member of Lieutenant Wheeler’s party, dated Camp Whipple, near Prescott, November 7th. It gives some new and, we believe, trustw orthy particulars of the murder of Fred. W. Loring and his companions: boring, Hamel and Salmon, of Lieutenant Wheeler’s party, were on the stage to go home. Besides these, the pass engers were one Kruger, a German, one Adams, a jeweler of Prescott, and “Moll. Sheppard,” a disreputable character. The stage was an open box—wagon, topped with canvas, with sides to let down; back being generally down is somewhat protected from sight at least, while the front is open to full view. An escort went with them, as usual, through the dangero us country, i.e., as far as Wickenburg. Six miles beyond this place they were suddenly fired into. I do not know how much damage was then done except that the driver’s arm was broken. Still he drove on some dist ance, till shot through the head, when the unguided horses turned back toward home, and into danger. Kruger and “Moll.” were on the back seat, not easily seen, and escaped with wounds. Both emptied their pistols and managed to jump out before the horses turned back, and ran on ahead. In a mile or two they met the “buckboard” going the other way. The driver took them on, and, fearful of being followed, turned back. Finally he left them and the mail in the bushes, took a horse, and by a trail reached the Vulture Mill, near Wickenburg, got assistance and returned to the scene of the murder. Two of the victims were found to be shot in the eye, two in the forehead, and one in the back of the head. An old man with a black beard, who had fought hard, was missi ng, and may have escaped. This man must have been Hamel. Heavy rifle cartridges were found, and their use prob— Murder of Fred. W. Loring- Continued. able from the great number of shots fired- there being twenty through the stage. The mail had been opened, and such letters as contained money examined, and the baggage searched for money. No horses, nor harness, nor guns, nor bright blankets, nor any such things as Indians covet, were taken. There is no doubt about it; they were not Indians, nor Mexicans, as the shooting was to good; white men did it— “road agents,” as they are technically termed here. They generally simply rob. It was reported that a man was asked some time ago at Wickenburg to rob the stage that brought “Moll. Shepp ard” down, as she would have much money. Kruger also had much money with him, as he was a Government Agent of some kind. The murderers did not find the greater part of the latter’s money and seem to have left precipi tately.