Murfin, Le Roy

1898-1899

Will leave for Klondike with St. Peter — Alaska mining & Prospecting Co with Hessian, MacMillan, Buckley, Brady, Turritan, Berguson, Beatty, Baasen (not all went, Turritan had an accident before leaving, no other references to Berguson and Brady, McMillan received letter from party, so probably did not go), Sleepy Eye MN Dispatch, 1/27/98; Riegel & Murfin left for Alaska, taking dogs; “They go full of hope and determination and while none of them expect to make phenomenal strikes they do expect to be able to return in 2 years with enough dust to pay them for the troubles and hardships they have endured.” Sleepy Eye MN Dispatch, 2/10/98; Second-class passenger on steamer Excelsior, departing Seattle, 2/27/98 for Valdez, Seattle Post-Intelligencer, 2/28/98; Killed by D. Wherley in accidental shooting on glacier, 3/22/98. Townsend and other diarists. in Conger’s party. Conger, xxxii; “Sad News from the Hessian Party,” A. Wherley letter telling how his son Drewie Wherley “had gone to get his gun and in pulling it from the pile one of the weapons (whose is unknown) went off and mortally wounded Murfin. Hessian had given orders that all guns were to be unloaded, but the guns had been used for shooting fish and someone forgot to unload; “According to Mr. Whereley, no one blames Drewie; Murfin exonerated him on his deathbed, Belle Plains MN Herald, 4/13/98; “Interred in Ice!” Leroy Murfin killed in Alaska, story gives Reigle’s account (more accurate) and one from Tacoma Ledger which says “he was working on the trail when his partner’s gun somehow dropped from his belt, hit the sled, and discharged.” Sleepy Eye MN Dispatch, 4/14/98; “Murfin and Opdahl bodies returned,” remains have arrived in Seattle and will be shipped to MN, Sleepy Eye MN Dispatch, 7/28/98; “LeRoy Murfin Buried,” W.M. Murfin returned from Seattle with son’s remains, funeral will be held today, Sleepy Eye MN Dispatch, 8/4/98;