If you can take a picture for Joyce, please contact her by email.
Well, this is most of the story. But, can you tell me, if there is anyone,
who might take a picture of his tombstone, and possibly a picture of the entrance
to the cemetery, with the name, McCain? I belong to "FIND A GRAVE"
MY # IS 332516927, BUT COULD NOT FIND ANYONE CLOSE TO MCCAIN. to help me with
this. My father,and his siblings, were born close to Gandy, and my grandfather
taught at a country school, as did his wife, when she was not pregnant. I do
not know the name of the school, but have a very poor picture of the children
and teacher in front of the crude building.
Thanks for any advice. His full name was John Hamilton Kirby, and he was born
in Mercer co., PA. in 1858. Joyce Kirby Parkhurst, in Wichita, KS email: jparkhst@cox.net
Hi, I recently learned of the death of one of my great uncles, John H. Kirby..
Brother of my grandfather. I found just a little tidbit of stuff on Ancestry.com,
and got my curiosity up. It said of him:
BODIES SHIPPED AWAY
...The remains of John Kirby, who was shot by Sam Liday, in a fit of jealous
rage, at the Rio Grande Western depot on---
This was all that was shown, and had to go to a 1891 newspaper on July 6th,
1891, to learn more. Thank goodness these were available..
So, if I have your curiosity up, as mine was, here is the story from several
days, newspapers. 'The Salt Lake City Tribune'
John H. Kirby, first shot on June 6, 1891, held onto life until Aug. 14, 1891,
died, and his body was shipped to North Platt, Neb., where his brother, Marquis
picked up the casket, took it to Gandy, Neb, where he was put to rest in McCain
Cemetery, close to Stapleton, Neb. where the McCain Cemetery is located..
The Tracepot???
It happened yesterday, _______abt. 7:15 am, at the Boarding house, or restaurant,
kept by Mrs. Liday, across the street, east, from the depot.
At that hour, while the few boarders, among them, John Kirby, were getting ready
for breakfast, Sam Liday came in. He seated himself, as was his way, at a table,
and was apparently getting ready to eat his early meal. He asked for a bowl
of oatmeal. But, there was another motive in the man's mind . He arose from
the place where he was sitting, and taking a couple of steps toward Kirby, drew
his Colt pistol, and fired, the ball passing clear through his body. Kirby dropped
to the floor like a lax. Kirby exclaiming, "I've am shot!" Liday walked
to the next room, where his little boy was sleeping, and placed the muzzle of
the still smoking gun over the little fellow's heart, and fired. Poor little
chap, his death was painless, and without a quiver, the little golden head sank
back. The little blue eyes closed and the gates of pearl swang on their hinges
of gold, to welcome another flower to the garden of souls. Gazing for a few
seconds at the little lifeless form. Liday turned his pistol on himself, and
passed from this world, to the Everlasting Judge.
THE ALARM
The occupants of the building, including Mrs. Linday, Mary Anderson, the cook,
and a couple of men, who were eating in the house, fled at the first shot, and
gave the alarm. Officer Schilling while a ____crowd was on the spot. The coroner
was notified, and the bodies of father and child were removed to the Undertaker,
Evan's , while Kirby was taken to Sister's Hospital.
Kirby was shot through the lower part of his left lung. And owing to the nature
of the wound, it is not expected he can recover.
THE CAUSE
The motive that prompted catastrophe is the same old story. Jealousy. Whether
or not, the man who is now lying in the morgue, alongside the little tot, who
had scarce begun to see the beauties of life. Reason or not, there is but one
person who can tell, and who weeps for loved ones lost, this bright Sunday morn.
Linday had been away from home, for about five months, firing an engine on the
Oregon Short line, out of Pocatello, leaving the wife and baby behind. Mrs.
Linday was engaged with keeping a boarding house, and keeping up the business.
It is asserted, that rumors reached the absent husband a short time ago, that
the partner of his joys and sorrows, had forgotten the vows she made at the
alter, and that Kirby was the man on whom her affections were transferred.
Linday came back about a week ago. and what passed between him and his wife,
will never be _________other than they agreed upon a separation. Last Monday,
he was very moody, and discontented. To a friend, who asked him what was the
matter, he replied, "Nothing much". For a man who drank some, he soon
seemed to go into extreme, but at once seemed to go into a whirl of dissipation.
??? On Wednesday, he walked up and down on the boat, with Officer Ealinger,
who knew him in Rawlings, and told him he had some family troubles. Ealinger
told him not to brood over the fact, and let the Liquor go____. And in a week
or so, Mrs. Linday would probably make it up. "NO", I know a great
deal more than I have told you. We have agreed to separate, and go our own ways,
but I can not give up my boy. He is mine, and I intend to keep him. I must have
him!. Ealinger says that Liday was very much agitated, And more than a dozen
times said: "Oh Al, isn't it hell?!" On Thursday night, Liday got
quite drunk, and on Friday was in the same condition. But, yesterday morning,
he awoke, he was said by some to be alright, but Mrs. Liday -persists in saying
he was intoxicated. On Monday, last, Liday was sitting on his back steps, intoxicated,
and Mrs. Liday, asked an officer to come and arrest him. He said he had no authority
to arrest Liday. He did not seem to be making a disturbance, but she insisted,
yet he refused.
Such is the story of the dead man, who can not now raise his voice to speak
for himself.
MRS. LIDAY SAYS; That he came home last Sunday night, and that she knew nothing
of his arrival, until she saw him with the boy in his arms, in the doorway.
She said, they were married seven years ago, in Wisconsin??, and came here,
about a year ago. And that he went away to Pocatello, in February last, She
claims that Liday was abusive, and they had agreed on a separation.
The couple lived in Rawlings, Wyoming ____ ____ where they managed a restaurant.
From parties who boarded with them it is learned that their relations were always
of the most pleasant character, and that no trouble had ever occurred. The inquest
will be tomorrow at 10 o'clock
Ha, I did a spell-check here, and found those newspaper folks did not spell
very well. I had copied and pasted.