The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-09-01
Death Of u GIacInuatA ResperS.
t dO-A sOtl's Yehraa,,r,e- II

8OAB Ne4ES0uCes
As far back In our city's history
As 1841, hourished q then Young
Of sixteen years, known as
the knife" TO those who knew OF
him and OF his habit Of Invariably
lraWing 3 knife upon anybody that
happened to In any way offend him.
his name was James Watson, but
among the companions Of his early
days he was scarcely known by 1t,
"the Rnifen having taken Its place
every since. When he wag fourteen
years Of age, he had badly cnt .
younger playmate upon whom he
hfled TO force . cheating bargain.
isTho Knife'D first became known to
the watch as Professionally dishonest
when, In 1S45, he was caught, with
two other burglars, in theact Of rob-
bing q jewelry store on the Landing.
He managed to wiggle out Of this
case, shortly after which he left the
city and went to Pittsburgh, Cleve-
land and Buffalo, and even farther
East, committing many crimes, and
almost invariably escaping detection.
In fact, 1t was not until he became
well known to the authorities Of
BufNalo, and was at length detected
in q steamboat robbery at that point
in 1850, that he was convicted and
forced to serve five years. Return
ing to Buffalo in 1866, and thence to
/ Cleveland and Chicago, Watson, In
8 drunken broiI in a drinking saloon
at the last named city, drew knife
upon William Webb, the Captain OF
the schooner North Star, and cut
him in s1ch q manner that he died
4 \ 4. = ,.Anv~nI khn
| immediate Vengeance that even this
lyerime should have brought upon him.
l In fact, his Identity was not fully
estimated, and the police had no clue
along which 10 follow to his arrest.
However, shortly after his fathers
death, the son, John Webb, q young
man Of twenty years, learned from
one Of Watson's former associates OF
Chicago who 10 was that had made
4 him fath6rieSS. Obtaining minute
description OF his person, including Q
note Of . scar across his forehead
that could not b easily forgotten, he
took every step In his Iower to have
him brought to Justice. But all ef-
forts 70 this end proved fruitless, as
Watson had gone far South-to Texas
Il was supposed g--s G,-l
In the year that followed each
other, John Webb went to the bad,
under. the influences of Chicago life,
becoming almost as desperate char
aCter as his fathers murder.
When the war broke out he enlist
ed in an Illinois regiment, and serV-
cd several years, known always as a
reckless, desperate, soldier, fighting
bravely, but always in trouble on ac-
count Of his sinsubordination. When
1 -. aw.HTTww - un.e,H En ~
West, and for several years led 8
wandering life, until at Fort Benton,
. few weeks since, he met this Wat
son In q gam bling saloon, recognized
him, threw q glass Of whiskey into
his face, and then very cody shot
him six times with q revolver, lett
ing his life out through atl east three
mortal wounds. Itappears that they
were sitting side by side at q faro
spreadboth betting white chips on the
same e'cards. Hearing Watson's name
called by the dealer, Webb examin-
ed his face closely and finding in 1t
every mark Of the old-time descrip-
ton introduced q conversation, aud
managed 70 learn from Watson that
he was In Chicago In March Of 1856,
the timeof the murder. This settled
it with Webb he didR't wait for
the evidence q Witnesses, or think
OF appealing to law, . very scarce
article In that part Of the world.
While taking drink of whisky he
carelesslY took up some OF Watson's
chips, As II making . mistake in
shifting q bet. Watson cursed the
mistake and Its author, announcing
that those were his chips. Webb
shifted the glass to his left hand and
reckoned not, at the same time cock
ing revolver in his pocket with his
right Watson jumped up and pull
ed his knife, Webb dashed the
whisky into his face, binding him
for an Instant, and then, as Watson
came at hina, commenced shooting,
and without going into the heroics
-or even exclaiming, "My fathers
mnrder,o proceeded TO settle old
scores. He then walked ont OF the
saloon, and without much trouble
made his escape.-Cf,1. Commercial