Kern County Obituaries

James Richie

Submitted by Don Stowell; 13 Feb 2008

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Mojave Desert News; 7 Apr 1949

Jury Returns Richie Verdict As Homicide
When James Richie, Mojave miner, apparently disappeared last November 
18, little was thought of the incident at that time for he was known to have 
made prospecting trips from time to time without saying anything about it to 
his friends. But his continued absence caused worry to the extent that his 
former comrades got to thinking he might have had an accident of some sort 
and so an intensive search was engaged in from time to time.
It was while on one of these explorations that the body was discovered last 
Sunday by Bob Westberg, John R. Pengilley and Herbert L. Henson, all of 
Mojave,
At the end of a 60-foot drift at the 100-foot level of the Whitmore No. 3.mine in 
the Golden Queen area, four miles south of town. 
At first it was, reported that the body did not bear any of the marks of foul 
play and an autopsy was ordered which was performed by Dr. Thomas Horsley 
of the Mojave Hospital when it was found that his skull had been bashed in, 
apparently from a blunt instrument of some sort, which gave rise to the thought 
that a murder 'had been committed. The bodily organs were sent to and viewed 
by Dr. J. D. Kirshbaum, County Pathologist. 
Law enforcement officers are suspicious now of foul play and two detectives 
from the sheriffs office have been here this week investigating, in an endeavor 
to meet up with and question four possible suspects. The inquest, was held 
yesterday afternoon at the O'Donnell Funeral Home here with the verdict being 
that the deceased came to his death at the hands of a party or parties unknown, 
which makes it murder in the first degree.
Ritchie was' born in Scotland" February 2,1889,.and had lived here for 10 
years and was always engaged in the mining business, mostly as a free lance. 
He is survived by four daughters, Mrs. Dick Winiker, Mrs, Buster Pyatte, 
Mrs. Dick Ryan and Mrs. Marietta Ogg all of Arizona; two brothers, George, 
of Mojave, and John of Colorado; three sisters, Mary Jane Golden, Esie Mary; 
and Elizabeth Rich and two nephews, Robert Richie of Wrangle Island Alaska 
and Dave Richie of Los Angeles. 
Funeral services have been scheduled with a graveside ceremony for Thursday 
(today), under the direction' of O'Donnell Funeral Home, burial will be in the 
Mojave cemetery 

Transcriber's Note: The name is spelled RITCHIE in the California Death Index 
and shows dob 02 Feb 1889 and dod as 03 Apr 1949.