The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-04-07
Currie, the Murderer, Killed

A despatch to United States Mar
shal Kerns of Phila. announces that
James CurrIc the murderer of Porter
the actor, has been killed at Los We
gas, New Mexico. Carries life has
been that of desperate since the close
of the war, in which he served with
credit. During his employment on a
railroad in Kansas he run an eXcur-
sion train from LeavenwOrth down to
Lawrence, and he stepped into a sa-
loon i'm Lawrence. Here he was sur
rounded by gang of enemies, and a
desperate affray ensued. Currie
fought with the ferocity of u tiger and
vanquished the whole party. Then
cutting loose horse that was hitcled
at the curb he mounted the steed and
galloped To the outskirts of the town
where his engine awaited him. Here
he concealed himself in the bushes to
evade the mob Of rOwdies who were
on his track, and remained until his
fireman returnd to town and gathered
up the eXcurSiOnists. AS the train
came back Currie mounted his iron
horse again and snapped his fingers in
the faces of his pursuers.
Some time afterwards lie had quar-
rel at Junction City with a man con.
cerning woman, which resulted III
his shooting and killing his antagOn-
ist. Subsequent to this he killed an
other man in an atfray. This ended
his career in Kansas, and giving up
railIoadiug, he joined the regular
army as a scout. he served on many
expeditions with General Custer.
Finally he drifted into Texas. where
Sam Bass and his band OF train rob
bers We're having full swing To Il
great degree the capture and dcstruc-
ton of these men were due to the
shrew dness and eXertions of the man
who afterwards murdered Porter in so
brutal and cowardly Il manner, and
would have shot a woman except foI
her piteous appeals for mercy. The
story of the murder Of Bcnialnan +.
Porter and the wounding of Maurice
Barrymore at Marshall, Texas, on
the Goth of March, 1889, has been told
so often that detailed repetition at
this time is not needed. After various
delays Currie was brought to trial ON
the 10th of June, 1880, and the evil
dence discriminating bim was as di-
rect as possible. Among other wit
nesses, Mr.. Barrymore testified, as
well as Miss Ellen Cunimins, the lady
who was the unhappy cause of the
afflay, and who narrowly escaped
death herself at the desperado's hands.
Miss CumninS, on returning to
New York from Texas after the trial
stated that the issue of the atrocious
farce was never for an instant in
doubt. She was treated with the
scautiest of courtesy and browbeaten
on the witness-stand as if she, and not
the burly murderer, We're the real
criminal. The counsel for the prose
cutiun and defense fraterniZed anica-
bly, and smoked, as did everybody else
during the proceedings, and outside
the courtroom she was made to feel
very Enthusiastically that she had not
at all increased her popularity by aid
ing the base endeaVor to rid the free
and enlightened State of one of its
most prominent and high-spirited
citizens. The verdict in this case has
become as notorious as the crime; on
the 18th of June Currie was found
mot guilty." on the ground of in
sanity. In the following summer
Currie was described by correspond
ent of the New Orleans PicdyuRe as a
changed man, utterly unlike the
Currie of former days, and determined
to lead not only II good but useful
life"
In this he failed, the despatch to
Marshal Kerns saying: "Currie, it
appears, was on a drunken spree and
threatened, to kill several people.
Among the persons threatened was
the bartender of "a saloon, who in self
defense, shot the Texan murderer the
ball entering his forehead and coming
out at the back of his head. A party
of railroad hands, friends of the dead
man attempted to lynch the bartender
but the Sheriff succeeded in getting
him to Jail. A Coroner inquest was
held and the jury at once returned a
verdict of shooting in self-defense.
The bartender was held, as fiIther
trouble is expected