The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1882-09-23
California jim.

in Laredc,was ayOung man of about
% or 20, but who had been a noted
criminal for years. was informed
recently by a man who had known
him for a long time, that Jim was
for some time a gambler and rough
In New Mexico and Arizona. At
Santa re, y. NJ, he was considered
one of the most dangerous and des-
perate characters in the territory.
and was known as SiX-sb0oter
Smith" In Tombstone, \, T., ne
gave his name as James W. Smith
but lie was known as @'Six-shooter,
and he also figured IN Gainesville,
Texas, under the same name
He was working at a restaurant
in Laredo, and recently had a quar-
rel with his employer. He immedi-
ately seized lis pistol and fired at
the proprietor. Marshal Johnson
came up TO arrest him, when he
fred at him and mortally wounded
him. lie then left api started up
the track Of the International Rail
road, evidently making for San An
tonic. A reward was offered for
his capture, and the whole country
was in arms. He worked his way
carefully along the line OF the rail
road, carefully avoiding ranches
and peTsO 5, until be reached the
statiOn-h0Use aeCactus, for hunger
had driven him TO desperation.
He entered the statiOn-house, and
at the point of his pistol
forced the keeper to give him
his breakfast and some clothing.
Sheriff w. a. Tompkins, Of this
county, who had been notified Of
the murder of Marshal Johnson.
Immediately started toward Laredo,
hoping to intercept him. This side
of Webb station he found traces OF
the criminal, and for three days he
trailed him through the brush like
an Indian, coming so close to him
that jim says he saw him on four
occasions. When Sheriff TOmpkins
reached this place last Thursday,
he found that jim had taken break
fast at the station house and passed
on. Several parties started out at
once to effect his capture.
About , pm. Thursday Charlie
Smith and Wesley de Spain,
two young men from near
this place, who had gone out
to hunt horses and also to look for
Jim, were at the CibolO station.
While sitting at the camp Of John
Yeager resting, they saw man
crOirCr oJo,,nr tho AoY, Of tho hrI1c II =
ridge near the depot. They at once
mounted and started toward him.
When they came up within speak
ing distance, Charlie Smith says he
intended to engage him in CONVEX
satiOn until he was satisfied that he
was the right man. But "CalifOr-
MIA jim" was too desperate to take
any chance and when Smith and De
Spain were within thirty rods of
him, he drew his revolver, turned
and began firing on them At the
FIRST or second fire De Spain was
struck in the side, the ball passing
out near the spine, and his horse
threw him. Charlie Smith
dismounted and drew his
gun, and returned the fire, shooting
three times. One shot struck Jim
at the point of the hip, crushing
the bone, passing on through his
bowels, ranging up, and lodging
against the skin ON the other side
jim fell, but rose to sitting posi-
ton, and fired again at Charlie, " he
was shooting with his gun drawn
This shot struck Charlie just below
the knee, ranging up through the
fieshy part of the leg, and entering
his breast. By this time Jim had
stopped firing and was down. Char
lie then started for the station
house. On his way he met the
Mexican hands, who helped him tC
reach the house. california Jim
fingered in great agony until g
o'clock in the morning, and
was game to the last. Nc
pain seemed to move him, ano
when he was told he was dying, he
said that it was "all right" During
the night he spoke tenderly OF
"Moll, and the last words I heard
him say were: We'll, Mol, it's al
over now"
Jim stated before he died that his
real name was John Henry Han.
kins, and that he had brother Iiy.
ing in NeoShO, Missouri. He also
said that there was reward OF
$1,000 offered for his capture in
Arizona, and that he was wanted in
New Mexico. Two or three times
he attempted to make a full comics
sion to Sheriff TOmkins, but he was
so weak that he could not talk. He
said that ne was sorry that he shot
Charlie Smith, for he was a brave
man, but that he never Intended t.
be caught, and would have killed
anybody who came on him.-SaI
Antonio (Texas) EGpreSS.