Ira Oliver Jenkins was born Nov 1872 in Michigan, to Jabez "James" M. Jenkins (1840-1910) & Elizabeth (Abt.1853-????).
He was married to Lena May Wilson in 22 July1899, They had a daughter born in 1900. 19 Mar 1900 Ira and his father James were operators of a mine called The Casino Coal Mine near Wilton, ND.
reported having found one of their employees, August Stark, dead in the mine. At the coroner's inquest, Stark's frozen corpse was described as showing signs of having been extensively dragged and when the two Jenkins told contradictory stories about the matter both were charged with murder.
States Attorney Ed Allen felt strongly that Stark had been murdered by Ira Jenkins, the son, and prosecuted the case on that basis when it came to trial in May. On the stand James Jenkins said his son had admitted to him that he killed Stark and that the motive was simple robbery. But Ira continued to give contradictory evidence and even accused his father of strangling Stark in a drunken fit but when doctors testified the body showed no sign of being choked, Ira's goose was cooked. The jury brought in a verdict of guilty of first degree murder and recommended the death penalty, which Judge Walter Winchester pronounced on May 28th. (Source: ndcourts.gov)
This how the family problems start, although there may have been issues before this. Son accuses father and vice a versa. SO I found these newspaper articles with a lot of information on these two and the story of the murder of August Stark on 19 Mar 1900.
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81878052/ira-o-jenkins/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81878164/ira-o-jenkins/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81878078/ira-o-jenkins/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81877965/ira-o-jenkins/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81878118/james-jenkins/
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/81878177/ira-o-jenkins/
Jenkins spent his last hours in what reporters termed "a remarkable example of depravity and villainy," profanely denouncing everyone and everything within his view. He went to the scaffold puffing on a cigar and loudly protesting his innocence, but left behind a handwritten note in his trousers pocket admitting the murder.
What conscience did his actions have on his wife and daughter and how did this affect their life? His daughter would never have a single memory of her father.
Iris as far as my research shows, was married twice once to Joe Canavan, which for some reason the informant on her death cert gave as her father not a husband. She was also married to James Riley and was living in Montana. I found the following tragic end to Iris in 1940.
What a sad end this story. I do not know what happened to Elizabeth, but she owned this mine. Someone on his Find a Grave has her as his father's sister, but I could not find that source. They have her as Elizabeth McCellan.Of course there could be 2 Elizabeth's.
Here are James & Ira's Find A Grave Memorials
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/50565057/james-m-jenkins
https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/61980619/ira-o-jenkins
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