William Henry Nottingham
Burial Details
Obituaries
Denver Post page 6 - December 21, 1896
SHOOTING AT RED CLIFF. County Commissioner NOTTINGHAM Killed by Ernest Hurd.
Red Cliff, Dec. 21.-(Special.)--W. H. NOTTINGHAM, a member of the board of county commissioners of Eagle county, and senior member of the firm of Nottingham & Co., was shot and instantly killed by his business partner, Ernest HURD, at 10:30 yesterday morning.
The affair is the culmination of a long siege of family and business altercations. HURD, the assassin, was standing in the doorway of Tate's barn, at the corner of Eagle and Water streets. NOTTINGHAM, the murdered man, was going north on the east side of Eagle street when he saw HURD standing in the doorway. Joseph CUNNINGHAM and John METCALF were both witnesses of the affair and say that as soon as NOTTINGHAM saw HURD standing in the barn door he drew his gun, examined it carefully and then walked diagonally across the street to where HURD was standing. The latter retreated into the barn and attempted to evade his pursuer but could not.
Inside of the barn four shots were heard, and those who arrived first saw NOTTINGHAM's body stretched across the floor dead.
HURD had been fired upon once before, in November, by NOTTINGHAM, who, he alleges, was intimate with his wife, and partial in the settlement of the estate of the former firm of Coltingham, Hurd & Peter Puder, deceased. HURD claims he did the shooting in self-defense.
Grand Junction Daily Sentinel page 1
Rocky Mountain News page 1 - December 21, 1896
RED CLIFF TRAGEDY. Commissioner NOTTINGHAM Instantly Killed by Ernest HURD. Had Been Partners in Business for a Number of Years Past. Their Relations Embittered by Real or Fancied Family Troubles. Nottingham Pursuing HURD With a Revolver When the Shooting Took Place. Suicide of a Former Member of the Firm Recalled by the Unfortunate Affair.
Special to The News.
Red Cliff, Colo., Dec. 20.--The Sabbath quiet of this little camp disturbed about 10:40 this morning by the report of three pistol shots in rapid succession, the sounds proceeding from the direction of Water street. Attracted by the disturbance, a crowd soon gathered at Tate's stable, where the body of County Commissioner W. H. NOTTINGHAM was stretched on the floor, with the face covered with blood oozing from the nose and mouth from the effect of pistol balls penetrating the lungs and heart.
Culmination of a Quarrel.
The tragedy is the culmination of a quarrel between Ernest HURD, the slayer, and NOTTINGHAM, extending over a period of several months, and arising out of the belief and accusation by the victim that HURD had alienated the affection of his wife and broken up his family.
The two men have been business partners for a decade in the firm of Nottingham, Hurd & Puder, in the ore hauling, timber and ranching business, being one of the oldest established concerns in Eagle county. The unfriendliness of the partners in their business relations antedates the more serious family troubles, and resulted last spring in the suicide of Peter PUDER, since which time the trouble has increased until action looking to the dissolution of the partnership is now pending in the courts in Leadville, and Sheriff FLECK was this week placed in temporary charge of the business of the firm pending final settlement.
Fired Two Shots at HURD.
The belief of NOTTINGHAM that HURD, who has for years been practically a member of the NOTTINGHAM household, had, by his counsel in family affairs, caused all the trouble between himself and family, has apparently for some time disturbed his mind to the point of distraction, and a few weeks ago he fired two shots from a revolver at HURD while the latter was standing on Eagle avenue. The bullets failed of their mark, and NOTTINGHAM was, at the time of his death, bound over to the June term of the district court in consequence of this former attack, since which time HURD has occupied other quarters than the NOTTINGHAM residence. NOTTINGHAM came down from Gilman this morning after a quarrel with his folks, and was proceeding to secure the necessary papers for the arrest of his wife and other members of the family for alleged threats against his life, when he saw at a distance HURD, the supposed cause of all his woe.
Killed as He Entered.
In his state of mind immediate revenge was the first impulse, and drawing a revolver, he walked towards HURD, cocking the weapon as he went. HURD retreated into Tate's stable, mounted the stairs to the loft, and as his pursuer entered the barn door, gun in hand, wheeled and fired three times at short range, before the other succeeded in using his weapon. NOTTINGHAM fell to the floor, shot through the heart and lungs, gasped a few times and expired. Marshal MALLORY, who just then arrived on the scene, took HURD into custody and placed him in the jail to await the action of the coroner and the district attorney, who were wired about the killing. The inquest will be held tomorrow.
Eagle County Pioneer.
NOTTINGHAM was one of the pioneers of Eagle county, and in a protracted business career had a record for fair and honorable dealing in all transactions, which entitled him to the esteem and respect which he always enjoyed. He was elected county commissioner of the First district in the county election last fall a year ago on the Populist ticket and has proved a competent and satisfactory official. Deceased was about 45 or 50 years of age, and his family consists of his wife and son, Clyde, a young man of 21, two daughters, Lulu and Grace, aged 19 and 14 respectively, and two little boys of 6 and 4. The family, residing at Gilman, about three miles from here, arrived shortly after the tragedy and a brother and other relatives in Iowa and elsewhere have been wired of the occurrence.
Ernest HURD, the slayer, is a bachelor of probably 40 years of age, though younger than that in appearance. He has the reputation of a quiet inoffensive citizen and an honorable and respected business man.