James "Jim" Jenkins
Obituaries
Eagle County Blade page 1 - December 5, 1901
FOUGHT TO THE DEATH.
James Jenkins Killed by Fritz Mench. A Bloody Battle with Knives. Desperate Encounter at Doll's Ranch Near Gypsum--Mench Gave Himself Up and Claims Self Defense.
A desperate duel to the death between two ranch hands occurred at Doll Bros. ranch, five miles from Gypsum, early last Monday morning. James JENKINS was killed outright by Fritz MENCH, who gave himself up and is in jail.
Last week trouble occurred between an employe of the ranch names HINES and MENCH. HINES, it seems, had charge of the barn, and for some reason ill feeling existed between the men and HINES and forbidden MENCH to enter the stables. These men had an encounter one day last week, in which HINES struck MENCH with a pitchfork. MENCH had HINES arrested for assault, but at the trial HINES was discharged and the costs taxed to MENCH.
On Monday morning JENKINS and MENCH met in the barn. JENKINS began "joshing" MENCH about the recent arrest of HINES, and asked him when he (MENCH) proposed to have them arrested again. MENCH's account of what then occurred is as follows:
MENCH replied that he wanted no more trouble with them, and asserts JENKINS started toward a corner of the barn in which the pitchforks are kept. MENCH went out of the barn and drew the doors partly together behind him. MENCH then drew his large pocket knife, and shielding his body behind the door, reached with the drawn knife through the opening in the door and made a threatening demonstration at JENKINS.
MENCH then went to the house. He found the dining room door locked, so went around and entered at the kitchen door, unbolted the dining room door, and went out again by the kitchen door.
Meanwhile he kept the drawn knife in his hand, concealed behind his wrist. As MENCH stepped out the kitchen door, JENKINS and another employe came up, the other man, GOODMAN, being in the lead.
MENCH asked JENKINS if he wanted trouble, or was looking for trouble, or some such question. JENKINS stooped, and MENCH kicked him on the leg and struck at him with the knife. JENKINS and MENCH fought toward some outbuilding, JENKINS retiring. It was yet dark, and MENCH claims that by the light from the kitchen window he saw a knife in JENKINS' hand. Finally MENCH struck again and JENKINS fell. MENCH claims to have felt a warm sensation about the body, but in the excitement had felt no effect of the wounds.
Fearing the vengeance of the other employes, MENCH fled from the place on foot. He went across the hills to Eagle, where he gave himself up to his friend, William BURT. Dr. GREENE was called and found five large knife wounds on his body. There are three wounds on right side on the ribs, one just to the left of the middle line just below the breast bone, and another on the ribs on the left side. The only serious wound is the one in the breast, which came near reaching the heart.
The news of the tragedy was telegraphed to the officers at Red Cliff, and Coroner GRAHAM and Deputy Sheriff HOUSEMAN responded. MENCH was charged with unprovoked murder. He was taken before Justice LEA of Gypsum, where he admitted the killing, but claimed self defense. The accused waived preliminary hearing and was committed to jail at Red Cliff.
The blow from MENCH's knife struck JENKINS under the ear, severing the jugular vein, and killed him instantly. Jim JENKINS was a single man about 60 years of age, and was an old timer in the county.
Fritz MENCH is a German, 30 years of age, and is a new comer to the county. MENCH claims that he was constantly imposed upon by the other employes of the ranch, and that they had accused him of carrying damaging stories to their employers, and had threatened to run him off the place.
Neither of the Doll Brothers were at home at the time of the tragedy.
Since the return of Coroner GRAHAM from the scene it is learned there were five knife wounds on the dead body of JENKINS, also--the fatal one in the neck, one in the jaw, two in the left arm, and one in the back under the right shoulder blade. One wound in the arm slit that member clear through between the bones. An open pocket knife was found on the ground beside the body of the dead man.
Eagle County Blade page 1 - February 6, 1902
MENCH IS CONVICTED. The Slayer of James Jenkins Guilty of Murder in Second Degree. May Be Imprisoned Twenty Years. The Defendant's Ingenious Story and Mental Condition Doubtless Saves His Neck.
MENCH was charged with murder. On December 2 last, he killed James JENKINS with a knife. A first degree verdict would have meant either a death sentence or imprisonment for life, the penalty to be fixed by the jury. Under the verdict as rendered, second degree, the penalty is fixed by the court and may be from ten years to life imprisonment. MENCH appears to be a degenerate. During the progress of the trial he seemed to be the least interested of anyone in the court room, and curing the deliberations of the jury and the suspense pending the verdict, he retired to his bed in the jail with no apparent thought of what might be in store for him. He manifested less anxiety or interest in the whole proceeding than any of the court officials, jurors, witnesses or spectators.
District court convened Wednesday morning at 8 o'clock. The case before the court was that of the People vs. Frederick MENCH, charged with murder.
The tragedy occurred at Doll Brothers ranch on December 2 last, when Frederick MENCH and James JENKINS engaged in a fight with knives and in which JENKINS was killed. In the affray JENKINS received five knife woulds as also did MENCH. The latter's woulds were not serious, however.
A venire of twenty jurors had been two eye witnesses to the affray which resulted in JENKINS death. A week previous to the tragedy MENCH had had JENKINS and a boy named HAHN arrested charged with assault. At the trial the defendants were discharged and the costs assessed to MENCH. Thereafter the employes about the ranch taunted MENCH somewhat over the termination of this matter.
Witness KILGORE for the People testified that on the morning of the tragedy MENCH came into the room in the barn where he and JENKINS were working. JENKINS says: "Well, Fritz, when do you expect to have enough money to pay some more costs?" MENCH replied that he wanted no more trouble, but as JENKINS passed near him immediately afterward MENCH struck at JENKINS with something in his hand. Witness thought the object a knife, but was not certain. MENCH immediately left and JENKINS remarked to witness, "Did you see that fellow try to strike me with a knife?" JENKINS then left the barn for the house. On the way he fell in with another employe, an old gentleman named John GOODMAN. GOODMAN was a few steps in advance of JENKINS.
His testimony was that when part way to the house they met MENCH, the latter having his right hand concealed behind him. Just after MENCH passed GOODMAN, MENCH asked JENKINS if he was looking for trouble and GOODMAN heard an outcry from JENKINS and on turning saw JENKINS on one knee with his right hand clasping his left arm and uttering exclamations of pain and fright. MENCH was cutting and slashing with his knife. GOODMAN, fearing his own safety and being unarmed, ran to the house and the cook for a firearm with which to protect himself and JENKINS. Before he could make the seriousness of the situation understood, JENKINS was dead and MENCH had fled.
The testimony of other witnesses was that MENCH had been in the house a moment before, apparently in great hasted, looked behind a door or two and went out again. That he met JENKINS and made the assault; that JENKINS after being stabbed clear through one arm got away and ran around the house; MENCH pursued but ran through the house and out a back door where he intercepted JENKINS and inflicted the would which disabled JENKINS and from which he almost immediately expired.
JENKINS fell from the porch dead. Under the body was found a small pocket knife open. Other witnesses testified to following MENCH a mile or so across the hills. Other testimony was to him giving himself up at Eaagle, and the testimony of ex-Sheriff FLECK and James SMITHERUM to a confession made to them in jail. This confession was mainly consistent with the testimony of the other witnesses for the state, excepting that MENCH stated that on leaving the barn, after having been spoken to by JENKINS, he partly closed the sliding doors behind him, and reaching through the opening made a threatening gesture at JENKINS with his open knife; that he went to the house for the purpose of getting his rifle and killing JENKINS with it but changed his mind and decided to use his knife.
That he first struck JENKINS in the arm and then he thought in the temple with the knife; that after JENKINS began to stick him he made up his mind it was a fight to the finish.
This was the substance of the state's testimony. Dr. COFFMAN for the defense testified as to the nature of the defendan'ts wounds.
William BURT and R. STONE were called for the defense, but the testimony they were allowed to give by the ruling of the court was immaterial. The defendant was then put on the stand. His story differed materially from the one related to Messrs. FLECK and SMITHERUM. Starting at the time he was accosted by JENKINS in the barn he said to JENKINS that he wanted no trouble; JENKINS made a movement as if to get a pitchfork; MENCH fled and JENKINS threw the fork after him, striking MENCH on the leg; MENCH went on to the house; saw the stable door had been left open; started to return to close it; met JENKINS; JENKINS stepped to one side and stooped as though to pick up something; MENCH kicked JENKINS on the leg, at the same time pulling his hands from his pocket in one of which was the closed knife; that he struck Jenkins with the closed knife; that JENKINS retaliated by sticking him with a knife; MENCH then opened his knife, and it was a hand to hand conflict which resulted in JENKINS being killed.
The district attorney, however, made MENCH admit that JENKINS got away from him once and that he followed him up and killed him.
It was nearly 5 o'clock when the case was given to the jury. It was composed of the following: C. H. LOGAN, Clyde SPENCER, W. N. BUELL; J. A. HOLLAND; Harvey GREGORY; H. SHORES; John CLEATOR; J. C. HAAWLEY; S. D. BALFOUR; A. McGLOCHLIN; Frank WHITESHIRE; J. M CANTRELL. Between 8 and 9 o'clock a verdict was agreed upon. The verdict on being read was:
"We, the jury, find the defendant guilty of murder in the second degree. W. N. BUELL, Foreman."
MENCH was apparently unmoved. Judge OWERS complimented the jury upon the fairness of the verdict, all matters considered.
MENCH was called up for sentence.
Attorney MONAHAN for the defendant was asked if he had anything to say. He responded by making the customary motion for a new trial, which was overruled, and commented upon the peculiar mental condition of the defendant and hoped the judge would duly consider it in passing sentence and be merciful.
MENCH, on being asked if he had anything to say why sentence would not be passed, replied: "I'm sick."
Another p... by the judge. Finally, "I am not clear in my own mind as to your mental condition, and I therefore agree with the jury in this verdict. I am in doubt as to whether you are a person entirely responsible mentally for your acts. The sentence of the court is that you be conveyed to the common jail of the county, and there be confined by the sheriff, and at his convenience be conveyed to the penitentiary at Canon City, there to be confined at hard labor for a period of not less than fifteen years nor more than twenty years. Mr. Sheriff, remove the prisoner."
Court then took an indefinite recess.
The deputies in charge of the prisoner endeavored to draw him out, but his is absolutely non-committal--will make no comment whatever upon the result of the trial. Sheriff FARNUM will convey him to the penitentiary tomorrow.
