Charles Stirling Huntley
Huntley & Huntley, Inc. (1922-1926)
Charles Stirling Huntley was born in Emsworth Borough, Pennsylvania on November 24, 1896. Following the career path of his brother, L.G., Stirling decided to also become a geologist. In 1914, Stirling enrolled at The University of Michigan and studied geology for two years. Stirling transferred to The University of Pittsburgh in order to complete his bachelor's degree. Upon graduation in 1920, Stirling accepted the position of Chief Geologist with Island Oil and Transport Corporation in Tampico, Mexico. In 1922, the opportunity arose to work closely with L.G. back in the United States, so Stirling left the Mexican oil fields and joined L.G. in Pittsburgh to reassemble the consulting firm Johnson, Huntley & Somers to Huntley & Huntley, Inc. Stirling oversaw numerous projects in various parts of the world while he was employed at Huntley & Huntley, Inc. Unfortunately, Stirling's career in the oil and gas industry was short lived.
While in Texas, overseeing a project for Rig Lake Oil Company, Stirling was driving through Zapata County, when he was stopped to assist two seemingly distressed individuals broke down on the side of the road. What Stirling did not know prior to stopping was that the two men, later identified as Serminio Garra Williams and Cruz Martinez, had fled a robbery scene, when their tire went flat. With limited options, the men construed a plan to kill the next individual who stopped to offer assistance. A postal worker first drove by the men and refused to help, suspecting trouble. Unknowingly, Stirling stopped to offer help. As Stirling turned his back to retrieve a tire patch from his car, Williams and Martinez both fired multiple shots, killing him instantly. Before disposing of Stirling's lifeless body in a stream, Williams and Martinez robbed him of all personal belongings and sped away in his vehicle. In a hurry to flee Zapata County, they consequently wrecked the car. Williams and Martinez then hitched a ride to a train station in Laredo. As they boarded the train, U.S. immigration inspector, Albert S. Martin, suspected to the two men to be illegal immigrants. Stopping the men to question their citizenship, Martin found two gold watches and bank books belonging to Stirling Huntley on their person. Not instantly suspecting murder, Martin turned Williams and Martinez over to Willacy County jail for the robberies they committed.
While in jail, authorities questioned the men about the murder of Stirling, after learning of his disappearance from his wife Catherine who notified them upon becoming worried she hadn't heard from her husband in several days. Friends and authorities later conducted a extensive search on ground and air. Days into the search for Stirling, Manuel Uribe, a friend of the family, discovered an abandoned truck. Being suspicious of the vehicle, Uribe and other's searched the surrounding area, only to find Stirling's body in the stream. Together the United States border patrol along with the local sheriff's office, both in Webb and Zapata county, compiled enough evidence to prove that Williams and Martinez committed to the murder of Stirling Huntley. Stirling was murdered on May 20, 1926. Williams and Martinez stood trial on June 11, confessing to the atrocious crime. They were both found guilty of first degree murder and sentenced to death.
Stirling was survived by wife, Catherine and son, Stirling (b. 1925).
Throughout his career, Stirling was involved with the following societies: American Association of Petroleum Geologists and the American Institute of Mining, Metallurgical and Petroleum Engineers.
