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IDAHO
COUNTY FREE PRESS FRIDAY,
APRIL 6, 1888 PETER
BEAMER DEAD – Found Dead in His Cabin on American Creek by a Chinaman Peter Beamer and James Buchanan were partners in the American creek diggings, situated twenty-five miles south of Mt. Idaho, on a tributary of the south fork of Clearwater. The diggings were discovered by Beamer, Buchanan and Joe Baker in 1885, and have been successfully worked ever since. Last fall, when the season’s work was accomplished, Beamer decided on remaining in the diggings all winter, and his partners left him there. He came out at Christmas and after spending several days at Mt. Idaho and Grangeville he started back to camp. On Friday of last week, as had been previously arranged, a Chinaman was sent from Mt. Idaho to go to American creek and assist Beamer in getting the claims ready for the coming season’s work. The next day he returned with the news that he had found Peter dead in his cabin, lying alongside of his bunk with one boot on and the other foot in a slipper, as though he was preparing to go to bed, and from all appearances he had been dead fully a month. The Chinaman was badly scared, and did not long remain in the cabin, and grabbing some blankets he moved to the other cabin and camped there for the night, and returned to Mt. Idaho the next day. A party was immediately organized to go to American creek and return with the body and their arrival is looked for hourly, although owing to the recent storms in the mountains it is doubtful whether they will succeed in getting the body across. The supposition is that poor Peter died from heart disease, although he is not known to have had previous attacks. He was seventy-three years old and had been in this section of the country since the early 60’s, mining in various camps. He was an indefatigable prospector and probably knew more about the western slope of the Bitter Root range than any living. During his visit to the prairie at Christmas he appeared to be as hearty and jovial as ever and did not look to be more than fifty-five or sixty. Funeral
Particulars The boys arrived at Mt. Idaho from American creek yesterday forenoon. They buried old Peter in there. From the best evidence they could get, he must have died March 3. The last entry in his journal was March 2, and the calendar clock stopped March 4. He died, apparently without a struggle. The dog was alive and the chickens all dead but one, so it is supposed that the dog lived on them. The body had just commenced to decay. |
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