McCuish Family

Arkansas City Traveler, December 9, 1885.
During the inquest in Judge Kreamer’s court yesterday on the body of William McCuish, a brother of the deceased became boisterous, was insolent to the judge, and disturbed the coroner’s inquiry. Constable Frank Thompson was sent for to remove the troublesome customer, but on the way downstairs he resisted arrest, and made an assault on the officer. Councilman Bailey, passing by, came to Frank’s assistance, and the two carried the man to the lock up.
Arkansas City Traveler, December 9, 1885.
                                                       FATAL SHOOTING.
                                  A Party of Hunters Meet with a Sad Misadventure.
On Sunday afternoon, just before dusk, a wagon drove into town from the south, containing the body of a dead man, and several men accompanying it. They stopped opposite the TRAVELER office, and from one of the party the following particulars were gathered.
                          [ACCOUNT OF THE DEATH OF WILLIAM McCUISH.]
Our informant gave the name of E. J. Redick, living in Arkansas City. On Saturday about 1 o’clock he came across the deceased, William McCuish, with two others, a man named Donnelly, and Cox’s boy: a lad about 14 years. He found them near Deer Creek, where the grass was burnt, and there was no pasture for their animals for miles around. He told them there was grass in the Big Bend and a good place to camp, upon which they hitched up, and he rode with them to the place indicated. About 7:30 p.m., the party reached pasture, and proceeded to make preparations for camping. On the ground they found a hunter named William Aikman (or Arkman), whose tent was prostrated. Aikman (or Arkman) and Cox’s boy set to work at putting up the tent. Redick and Donnelly busied themselves in gathering materials to start a fire, and McCuish was left to unhitch and unload the wagon, which contained camp equipment, some provisions, and the arms of the party. It was dark at the time, but objects were discernible. While the party was thus engaged, the report of a gun was heard, and the deceased made some exclamations.
His companions ran to the wagon to render assistance and found McCuish extended on the ground and unable to articulate. In a short space of time, not exceeding five minutes, he breathed his last.
They placed the body in the wagon, and the next morning drove to town, a distance of twenty-five miles. Mr. Redick gives as the theory of the party that in taking the guns out of the wagon, the hammer of one of the weapons must have encountered some object which caused its discharge.
Commissioner Bonsall was notified, who searched the pockets of the deceased and found a paper bearing the address of some person in Scotland and two silver dollars. Having no authority to hold an inquest, he requested Justice Kreamer to telephone the coroner at Winfield that he might inquire into the facts of the sad occurrence.

The deceased was a stone mason by trade, and was working on the new buildings in the burnt district. He was Scotch, is described as a fine built, well behaved man, and about 25 years, and had been six months in this country. He had left a wife and 3 children in his native country, whom he supported with a portion of his wages.
From another source we learn that he had a brother living in Winfield, following the same trade, and employed on the imbecile asylum now building in that city. That the deceased visited this brother on Saturday and borrowed his gun, the weapon not being in a safe condition for use. But whether this gun caused his death we can gain no information.
An inquest was held yesterday on the remains in Judge Kreamer’s office, which lasted nearly all day, and a verdict of accidental death was returned.