Gooding County
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Gooding County was named for Frank R. Gooding, an Idaho governor and U.S. Senator. The Malad River was trapped in the early 1800's by mountain men and fur trappers. The rich agricultural lands of Hagerman Valley attracted settlers in the 1860's. Sheep and cattle ranchers were established about the beginning of the 20th century, and the North Side Canal opened much land to irrigation. The springs that gush from the north wall of the Snake River Canyon provide water of constant temperature for fish farms, which supply about 90 percent of the processed trout sold in the nation. The Oregon Short Line was built through the county in 1883 with a station at Bliss. Hagerman Valley is an attraction for writers and artists who make their home there. Fossil beds** near Hagerman have attracted widespread scientific interest and a proposal has been made to establish the beds as a national monument. Agriculture and aquaculture are the county's principal industries. -- "The Idaho Almanac," 1977 Edition, State of Idaho."
The myster of the murder of James G. Bleak at his home near Wendell has been cleared by the confession of his 10 year old foster son on April 20.
At the time of the murder much mystery surrounding the case. The general impression was that the man had been murdered by someone in hiding. The man was shot dead with a bullet in his head over the ear as he was standing in the kitchen doorway pouring milk from the separator.
On being closely questioned by the corner of the boy confessed that he had shot the man who had adopted him, giving him his name and brought him up as his own son. The boy secured some cartridges from other boys at school and took them home with him and asked for the rifle that he might practice shooting at a mark. He fired several shots and put the gun away. While his father was at work and the boy in the home reading the boy secured the gun and fired the fatal shot. The man was killed instantly. The boy ran to the barn telling his mother that someone had "killed father."
The wife accompanied the body to Utah the boy will be arraigned for hearing when she returns what to do with him as a problem he is too young to be sent to the state penitentiary And the crime is too great to place him in the state industrial school at Saint Anthony. The boys said to be very bright in school. The crime is equalled in the state only by a similar crime committed in Fremont County several years ago when a 10 year old boy shot his mother to death. That boy was put in the state penitentiary and held for 10 years, being released recently on parole.
Source: The Idaho Republican (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1921 May 02
Contributed 2021 Oct 10 by Kim Bare
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This page was last updated 09/11/2023