Saratoga Sun
November 8, 1945.

Last Rites for Don Simpson Held Here Tuesday Afternoon

Funeral services for Don S. Simpson, Saratoga game warden, who with Warden William Lakanen of Rawlins, was a victim of some murder crazed person at Nugget Gulch on the west side of the divide Wednesday of last week, were held here Tuesday afternoon at the Presbyterian Church. The service was in charge of Rev. J. Boyd Stevenson, and the rites were attended by people from over the entire county, as well as many from Laramie and Cheyenne. Most officials of the State Game and Fish commission, and a number of other officials of the state were present. Game officials included Lester Bagley, State Game and Fish commissioner; Archie Pendergrass, State game warden, and R. R. Rousseau, State Fish Warden.

Local Masons attended enmasse, and held a short service at the cemetery. The Boy Scouts, which Mr. Simpson had helped to organize and for whom he was a Scout Master for the first year, all were present in a group. Pallbearers were L. D. Donelan, Lloyd G. Aden, George Everest, Frank Mace, Thos. Mace, and Dr. R. E. Wilson, all local Masons. Interment was in the Saratoga Cemetery.

Don Simpson was one of the most respected and best liked men in the Platte Valley. He was born in Ft. Collins, Colorado, October 9, 1906, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Arthur E. Simpson.

He spent his boyhood in Ft. Collins, attending grade school and high school there, and also taking several years instruction at Colorado A. & M. College at Ft. Collins, studying forestry. Later he lived for a time in Laramie, and also spent a couple of winters in Arizona.

In the early 1930s, he filed on homestead land in the Mullen Creek section in the upper Valley, and was employed for a time as a "dude wrangler" at the A Bar A ranch.

During this period he met Miss Mabel Haugland, who was residing with her family in the Encampment area and they were married at Greeley Colorado on November 8, 1931.

The couple continued to reside in the upper Valley for a couple of years, and then, in 1933, they left for New Hampshire, where Mr. Simpson was employed for about a year with a livestock firm. Returning to Wyoming, they spent the next three summers near Dubois, WY, where he was again employed as a wrangler, at the C. M. ranch.

Returning to the Platte Valley, Mr. Simpson received his appointment as a State game warden in 1940. He had continued in this work since, he and Mrs. Simpson making their home in Saratoga. He had taken a deep interest in his work, making a comprehensive study of game management and wildlife propagation, and was rated by state game and Fish commission officials as one of the most valuable men in the Department.

Besides his wife, only immediate survivors are two brothers, Gordon Simpson of Seattle, Wash., and Robert Simpson of Omaha; also two nieces.

Wardens Simpson and Lakanan lost their lives sometime during Wednesday afternoon of last week, when they were apparently ambushed by a trapper whom they had gone to investigate, and shot down in cold blood. The killing took place at the cabin home of John Malten, gold miner and trapper, who had his headquarters at Nugget Gulch, near a fork of Savery Creek. Malten, 55 years old, had been investigated on other occasions by the wardens, and as result of their findings, was heavily fined and sentenced to serve six months in jail some years ago. It is well-known that Malten developed deep enmity toward both men, and on occasion is said to have threaten them. He is suspected of the killing, and although it is not possible he may have destroyed himself after setting his cabin ablaze, he is still the object of an intense hunt by law enforcement officers.

It is known that Wardens Simpson and Lakanan had left Wednesday to visit the Malten cabin, and when they failed to return within a reasonable time, search was made for them. The bodies down near the cabin site, and the cabin had been burned to the ground. A search of the ashes of the cabin has brought to light considerable evidence in the way of the guns, money and other articles, as well as bone remains which might be those of Malten himself. The bones have been sent in for analysis. In the meantime officers are still working in the area hoping to uncover additional evidence.

Funeral services for warden Lakanan were held in Rawlins yesterday afternoon.

Donald S Simpson