The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1869-08-28
Death Ct IL Cincinnati Ecsperad9-A Sens
lan.rnalEn.

Vengeance.
As far bHci, III or city's history as lSt2
lourishcd Il then young Scoundrel of six
teen years, known rs The Knife = to
those who knew of him and of his habit of
invariably drawing Il knife upon any body
that happened in any way to offend him.
His name was James Watson, but among
the companions of his earlier days he was
scarcely known by it, "The Knife > having
taken its place ever since. When he was
fourteen years of age, he had badly cut
younger playmate upon whom he had failed
to force cheating bargain. ''The Knife y
first became known to the watch as profess
sonally dishonest when, in 1915, he was
caught, with two other burglars, in the act
of robbing a .jewelry store on the Landing.
He managed to wiggle out of this case,
shortly after which he left the city and
went to Pittsburg, Cleveland, and Buffalo,
and even farther East, committing many
crimes, and almost invariably escaping de-
lection.
In fact it was not until he became well
known to the authorities of Buffalo, and
was at length detected in steamboat rob-
berry at that point, in 1850, that he was
convicted and forced to serve five years.
Returning to Buffalo in 1856, and thence to
Cleveland and Chicago, Watson i'll drunk
en- bron in a drinking saloon at the last
named city, drew a knife upon William
Webb, the captain of the schooner North
Star, and cut him in such manner that he
died of his wounds. Watson escaped the
immediate vengeance that even this crime
should have brought upon him. In fact
his identity was not fully established, and
the police had no clue along which to fol
low to his arrest. However, shortly after
his fathers death, the son, John Webb
young man of twenty years, learned from
one of Watsons former associates in Chi
cago. who it was that had made him faith
erless Obtaining a minute description of
his person, including note of a scar across
his forehead that could not be easily for
gotten, he took every step in his power to
have him brought to justice. But all eff
forts to this end proved fruitless, as Watson
had gone far South-to Texas it was sup
posed.
In the years that followed each other,
John Webb went to the bad, under the
influences of Chicago life becoming almost
as desperate a character as his fathers
murderer
When the war broke out he enlisted in an
Illinois regiment and served several years,
known as a reckless, desperate soldier,
fighting bravely, but always in trouble ON
account of his insubordination when he
was finally discharged he went West, and
for several years led a wandering life, until
at Fort Benton, a few weeks since, he met
this Watson in a gambling saloon, recog
nized him, threw glass of whisky into
his face, and then very coolly shot him six
times with a revolver, letting his life out
through at least three mortal wounds. 1t
appears that they were sitting side by side
at a faro spread, both betting white chips
name called by the dealer, Webb examined
his face closely, and finding it in every
mark of the old-time description, intro
duced conversation, and managed to learn
from Watson that he was in Chicago in
March of 1856, the time of the murder.
This settled it with Webb. He didn't
wait for the evidence of witnesses, or think
of appealing to law, very scarce thing in
that part of the world. While taking a
drink of whisky he carclessly took up some
of Watson's chips, as if making mistake
in shifting bet. Watson cursed the mis-
take and its author, announcing that those
were his chips. Webb shifted the glass to
his left hand and reckoned not, at the same
time cooking revolver in his pocket with
his right. Watson jumped up and pulled
his knife. Webb dashed the whisky into
his fece, blinded him for an instant, and
then. as Watson came at him, commenced
shooting, and without going into the heroics
or even cxclaiming, "My fathers muir
derer,'' proceeded to settle old scores. He
then walked out of the saloon, aud without
much trouble made his escape.
Cincinnati C0nanercidl