St. Paul daily globe., 1885-02-14
TOO MANY BILL JONESE&
Idaho Sherif;s and Lynchcrs Confused 6y
TIof

Their Nun.6er.
AMERICAN FALLS, Idaho, Feb. 1.-The
presence of six Bill Joneses in this camp
caused much trouble the other day. Old Bill
Jones had been here ever since the country
was opened to settlement. He is looked up
to everywhere. Everybody knows him, and
he knows everybody. He keeps saloon,
and sometimes de ais card or two as well as
buys dust from strap ped miners at small
shave. Old Bill Jones hasn't an enemy in
the whole territory, and if he had he would
never rest until he or the enemy mad quilted
the world or the territory.
One alter another five other bill Joneses
put in an appearance. For a long time
everything went well. They were all fine
fellows, evidently, and no great
trouble was experienced by them
or anybody else in preserving their iden-
tty. But one day last week the sheriff and
four men came in on horseback with a war
rant for the arrest OF Bill Jones. The Bill
Jones wanted had murdered family of en-
igrants over in Paradise canon, and the
court Lad sent for him. AS old Bill Jones
was the Bill Jones, so far as American Falls
and its people went, he was at once pointed
out as the man, aud tae sheriffs officers
rounded him up in good style. Old Bill pro-
tested his innocence and would have offered
resistance If he had seen any encouragement
in the faces of his friends. 1t was plain that
the majority of them had a suspicion that
The old man was caught at last, and con-
sciousness of this fact broke his heart. He
went off with his captors, protesting his in
nocence and swearing that he would get even
with somebody on his return.
The cavalcade had not much more than
vanished over the mountains when another
sheriff's posse came in from the west, also in
quest of Bill Jones. The first one that came
TO hand was the Bill Jones who tends bar in
the Star saloon, and he was accordingly
taken in charge. He protested his inno-
cence, like the old man, but the people were
pretty evenly divided on the question of his
guilt. Old Bill had been taken east, aud
this one was carried off to the west. The
next afternoon. while most of the settlers
were discussing the fate of the two men,
rattle of hoofs was heard, and a party Of
horsemen dashed madly through the town,
stopping at one of the saloons long enough
to get drink.
The crowd rushed over to see what The
trouble was, and found that the men had
Bill Jones, murderer, in charge, and were
going to lynch him up in the timber. JUS
tice of the Peace Fallon here spoke up and
said there bad been two Bill Joneses taken
out Of this camp in the preceding forty-eight
hours, and it might be that some horrible
mistake was being made. All he wanted
was to have the right man caught, and he
would pull as hard on the rope as anybody;
but until that point was settled, he thought
there should be no lynching. Others made
bold to express the same opinion, and the
lynchcrs, after comforting with one another,
agreed, the whisky was good, to wait here
few days with their prisoner and inyesti-
gate.
Last Monday old Bill rode in with brand
new rifle, two revolVers and bowie knife,
and dared the whole town to jump on him.
He was the maddcst man seen in Idaho since
Big Ed Larrabee ran off with Tom Beldcn's
bride, at Toms house warming, when Tom
whipped all the guests and shot two Of their
horses. Nobody wanted to fight old Bill, and
the whole town kept in the houses while Bill
galloped up aud down the street, yelling and
swearing. After while he began to shoot
in the windows, aud then the justice was
sent out as peace Offering. Old Bill came
very near riding him down, but at last he
sobcred off little, and listened TO what Fall
lon had 10 say. The justice explained mat
| tiers the best way he could, and told how Bill,
the bartender, had been carried of, and Bill
the cowboy, was held a captive up at tile
other end Of the town by party OF lynchers.
This molliied the old man to some extent,
and, after a moments reflection, he de-
clared that II the boys would help him rescue
the Cowboy Bill and then round up all the
Bill JUneses in the vicinity he would find no
more fault.
All decided TO do as old Bill desired. AZ
ter little preparation party OF determined
men MADE a raid on the lynehers, captured
Cowboy Bill and drove the lyncherS out OF
town. Then old Bill demanded that all the
other Joneses be brought before bin. This
took some little time, but the next day the
five other JOnescs we're in conference with
old Bill at the Ophr saloon, when the sheriff
who had arrested old Bill came in With
stranger, who said bis name was Bill Jones.
No one had ever seen him in these parts be-
fore. and he was the offender whom all the
officers and lyUChers had been after for
week previous. 1t was all that the old man
could do to keep the other Joneses from lay
ing violent hands on him. When he and bis
keepers had passed on old Bill made speech
something like this:
There's too many Bin Joneses in this
camp Tor comfort, and something's rot 10 be
did 10 keep things sgoin' right. Now Pm
here frst and I'm the oldest man IN the
camp for money, and my name is Bill Jones.
As an honorable title, to be used by you boys
or not, jest as you please, you
can call me Old Bill Jones If you
want TO, but Bill Jones plain and simple is
my name, You, now, Bill Jones (referring
10 the hartenderJ, I'm going to christen you
Bill Jones Alcohol, and that's your name
from this time forward. You, Bill Jones to
the cowboy your name is Bill Jones Puncher
You, Bill Jones 10 blacksmith who once
had expressed wish N travel IN South Amer
ica), your name is Bill Jones Patagonia.
You, Bill Jones TO laborer In the mines
Who came from the coastJ, your name is
Bill Jones Sacramento, and you, Bill Jones
Ito a prospector and whisky driuker not over
four feet tall), your name is Bill Jones Short.
The first one Of you that goes back on these
names has got me TO fgnt anu want the
camp to understand It, too.n
All hands agreed that the christening
was proper; that they understood 1t all per-
fectly, and that there would be no further
trouble. The old man is now having painted
for his saloon sign bearing the Inscription
in red letters three feet high,
sod Bill Jones'"