Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-01-01
TEE ARlxsxA cewssrA

sson. OuIlnR the month OF June las
the President of the United States is
sued a proclamation, calling upon Ger
tain lawiess persons in the Territory o.
Arizona to dIspefse, and threatening 4
can on the military power of the gov
eminent TO aid the local authorities il
the maintenance of Law and order.
Inc Necessity for the issuance Of sucl
proclamation had its origin in the de
precautions OF certain gang of outlaws
under the leadership Of the famous
COWBOY fam,liariy known in the Tern.
tory as "Curiy Bill" but whose real
name was William II. Broscion. These
desperate Characters had taken up thei,
abode In the San SIMON Valley, beau
tliui section OF country IL the extreme
southern part OF the Territory, in what
Is now . portion of Cochise County.
These despersdoes built them selves
houses, ana Claimed to be rancners, OF
cat.i men.
At the northern end OF the San Simon
Valley Is tho mining town of California
City, place of several hundred popuIa-
ton. 1t contained three stores, a great
number of saloons, and some honest and
respectable citizens. The town, how
ever, Was often Ia the hands of the COW
boys, aud woe 10 the 'stenderfoot--a
term applied to all newcomers in bor-
der TOWNSHIP happened III California
City on such occasions.
II Was a common thing for eicht or
ten OF these cut-throats To ride into Cal
iiornia tlsy, enter a saloon, present a
pistol 70 tbe barkeeperS head, and de-
lnand that the llq1ors be set opt. Az
the hery element warmed them up thew
would often secure a Violin or banjo.
and improvise d stag dance.n Each
would select a partner from among the
crowd, the musician would start no the
Arkansas Traveller" uor some other
familiar tune, and the leader wouId call
out . forward tour p and the danca
commenced. When the figure 81 Ri
ance to your partners was reached
many fellow would .'cut the piceon'
wing" and his partner, not to he ont
done, wouid indulge In some fantastic
steps, which would do credit to the rooSs
famed clog dancer on the mins.r I'd
boards. In the hIght of this revsirv
weuld begin fasilade with ravolvars
Bang. bang. bang! and above Ali The
leader woald be heard CALLING ont.
Turn your partners; promenade ali .
The first tieute beng finished, every fell
low would begin to look at the heels Of
his boot 10 SEE where the bul,e4 went
Inc resllt would disclose Il at a Iarl,.
majority L sd been hit about tn, heel
with the bullet. The practice O. shoot
ing at the heels of ones boots ia conT-
mon among the COWBOYS, and SO accu-
rate are they in their aim that an ACCT
dent SELDOM occurs. Shooting the heels
OF one another'5 boots is common
recreation with them.
On thu occasion of one of their "stao
dances, a cowboy who had recently
joined the gang participated in the fn-
s,iade. On an examination at the close
of the first figure. one of the members
was found to be shot through the foot.
The festivities we're suddenly stopped.
The leader announced that an inyesti-
cation would at once begin to ascertain
convened. Curly Bill" was selected
for Judge; Crone was made Sheriff:
Tom Harner was chosen Clerk. The
Sheriff arrested the new member as the
guilty party. A prosecuting attornev
was chosen and the Court assigned coun-
sci to defend tho prisoner. In few
moments the prosecuting attorney
handed the clerk the indictment and
the Court ordered the Clerk to read it
to the prisoner, who was commanded to
stand mp. The Clerk did rs he was
ordered, and this was the document he
read
1--WE, tho undersigned grand Jurors
for the c91uty OF Cochise in the Terri
tory of Arizona, do find Joe Palmer
guilty of felony in having wounded Abe
Sanders in the foot in attending to
shoot the heel off of said Sanders's boot
while said Sanders cut the pigeon wing
In figure next to the last in the first set
q. the stag dance held in California
City, in said Territory, on Saturday
night, June 20, 1891"
The Conrt-"Guilty or not guilty?'
Prisoner-"Not guilty."
Court The trial will proceed. Sher-
if. call tho jury"
All the formality of selecting a jury,
the taking of testimony, and the cross
examination by counsel was gone
through with. No detail of An ordinary
trial at law WAS omitted. FINALLY the
case was submitted to the jury, who, af-
ter few minutes consultation. an
pouncad that they had agreed upon a
verdict,
The Coart-"Gentlemen, have YOU
agreed upon q verdict
Foreman Of the Jury" We have, your
honor
The Court--"Clerk. read the verdict
The foreman of the jury hands the
clerk n paper. Clerk reads:
I've, the undersigned jurors. do find
the prisoner guilty as charged"
Joe Palner." said the Judge, 'stand
up. Joe Palmer. the jury of your peers
having found You guilty of heinous
offense. it aecomes.the dnty of this court
to pros ounce sentence upon You. Yo1
have hid u fair and impartial trial.
! Able counsel defended you. There is
nothing loft bat for the court to pro-
nounce sentence. The sentence of the
court is that you be taken to the San
Simon valley and between daybreak
and sunrise be executed. Sheriff, take
charge of the prisoner"
The next morning the sentence was
/ carried into execution and Palmer was
: shot.
Curly Bill" in speaking of this after
ward, remarked that no man was wor-
I thy to associate with residents of San
Sinsen who could not shoot the heel off
fellows boot while he danced.
The true inwardness of the killing OF
pi.rner tganspired afterwards TO be
t1iS: ia uau OUT " SnOrh tlm0 De1Ofe
joined the gang and they became con-
WINGED that he was 'sstool pigeon" or,
in other words, an informer. So
they determined to kill him.
The method above related was
selected for their amusement. The
/ few respectable and law-abiding people
i'm the section of Arizona where this 90
Cured, dared not open their mouths ia
resist the desperadoes. So terrorized
was the country that to have done &C
would have been certain death. coupled
with the stealing or destruction of what
ever property they might possess. This
! frequent staGe robberies. murders. and
incendiary fires prevalent i'll the Terri
tory one year ago, had their origin and
were successfully carried ont through
completely of some of the officers Of
the law with Curly Bill's' gang. Tt
prevent the ventilation of the conspi.
4 racy. several men were assassinated.-
/ Corr. Philadelphia Times.
A most important discovery has ins,
been made in the neiqhborhood OF Poi
tiers, In France, whore an entire Gallo
Roman town has been unearthed. i