The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1875-03-02
The Third Shot Enters the Heart and
Ends the Bloody Scene.
The Murderer Safely Lodged in the County
Jail.
what the Coroner's Inquest Revealed
The Jury's Verdict, Etc.

Between one and two O'Clock Sunday
afternoon the portion of this city which
surrounds Fourth street was aroused by
the cry of murder issuing from a small
beer shop known a. the Howard saloon
soon the GROCERY was filled with people,
when it was ascertaincd that Jack Ross,
a dcsperadO hailing from Pulaski county,
and formerly marshal OF Mound City,
had shot and killed a negro wench named
Alice Gibbs.
The particulars of the shooting. as
CLEANED from various persons. who were
in the vicinity OF the saloon when the
tragedy was enacted. are as follows:
RO,, was IN the saloon converting with
the Proprietor, when Alice Gibbs, accom-
panied by a white woman named Emma
Button, came in and called for glass of
beer. After the beer had been drunk and
paid for and the two women had lett the
saloon, Ross accosted the black woman,
using the most prOiane language, calling
her a d-n b--h. She became angry and
in return called Ross d--n son Of a b-h,
and said, IF am b--h, your mother is
one" Ross Immediately dealt the wo-
man blow with his fist. whereupon she
drew razor from her pocket, and rush
ing at him, cut two ugly gashes in the
left side OF his neck. Just below the ear.
Ross. after receiving the wounds from the
razor. deliberately drew revolver from
his pocket, and started towards the
wench, who was few feet from him, and
fired. The ball took effect in the left arm,
Just above the elbow. The black woman
started to run toward the saloon, when
Ross again fired at her. and again the ball
entered the left arm. BY this time the
wench was near the door of the saloon,
and vas about to run through the door,
when her pursuer leveled his weapon and
fired the shot which put an end to her
life. The ball entered the left side. and
passed through the lower portion of the
heart. The wrctched wcnch fell inside
the door of the saloon upon the floor,
where she expired almost instantly.
Ross. as We understand. did not make
any effort TO escape arrest, but
remained near the spot where the
murder was committed until he was taken
in charge by Deputy sheriff John Cain,
who, after DR.. Wardncr had attended to
the wounds which he had received at
the hands of the murdered negro woman,
lodged him in the county Jail.
DR.. Wardner held post mortem
examination on the body, and found that
she came to her death by pistol ball
entering the right side, and passing
through the chest, opening the right side
of the heart.
six men and women, who We're in the
ncigborhood of the scene when the bloody
deed was enacted, were summoned as
witnesses at the coroncr's inquest, the
testimony of all being precisely the same.
The following is the testimony of the
witnesses:
James Delany, being duly sworn, said
came across the street; he called her an
old W; she called him an old son of a
b--h; they called her away; she said "ifI
am an old b-h you are an old son ola
b-h; if | am an old W, your mother
is an old whore;n he struck her first; she
pulled out Il razor and struck him
on the left side of the neck; he pulled Il
pistol; she run; three shots were fired; on
this side of the street when commenced.
The testimony of j. Leroy, Can't.
Jinks and c, Cox was substantially the
same,
Lizzie Howard was put under oath and
said Ross followed her; they met on
the street and exchanged few hard
words she pulled out her razor; he
struck her and then she struck him with
the razor; and then he walked up and
pointed the revolver at her and fired he
shot three times.
Emma Button, white woman, was
sworn and testified as follows We went
in to get glass of beer 4; he came in after
us; they got to quarreling in the saloon
he had his hand in his pocket; he struck