Evening journal., 1889-02-05
A FRISCO TRAGEDY RECALLED.
How Jim Dobson. the Terror. Came Nea
Dying with His Boots On.

How Jim Dobson the Terror Came Near
Dying with His Boots On.
"This is the man who killed Jim Dobson,n
sail my friend. as we crossed Twepty-third
street at the junction of Broadway and Fifth
Svenne the other afternoon.
This recalled the life and death Of one Of
Che worst men that ever set foot on the Pa
ciHc coast
Every town in California, Nevada and
Colorado, especially in their early days. has
had its terror. Jim Dobson was for many
years the terror of San Francisco. He
was a hydra headed terror - too. Wher-
ever there were races, fairs. billiard matches,
prize fights or excitement Of any kind, Jim
Dobson was there He had killed several
men and attempted 10 kill many more He
never paid for anything, and was generally
well supplied with funds, although he never
did a stroke Of work. Honest men Stunned
him, and many Of those who knew him feared
him. His associates were Of the lowest Of
both sexes.
In one OF his shooting scrapes, during a
debauch some twenty years ago, his aim was
so inaccurate that he emptied the seven
chambers Of his revolver in trying to kill his
adversary, without hitting him. Throwing
his revolver on the floor he exclaimed;
"Eere, you - - - -, you shoot. I'll
be - if l cam
Whom Rudolph went to San Francisco,
about nineteen years ago, 10 play John Deery
for the billiard championship Of America,
an audience Of nearly 5000 persons gathered
in the Mechanics pavilion to witness the
game. OF course Dobson was there. He had
bet heavily on Deery. When il became APP
parent that Rudolph would winnie having
but 10 to 60, with the balls in hand, to
Deerys l63-Dobson stepped up to the table
just as Rudolph was about to shoot, and
grabbing one Of the object balls. threw it at
random among the audience. Some one
caught ton the nose Although Deery was
the favorite the audience wanted fair play
Cries OF "Put him outr proceeded from all
parts Of the hall. Turning to the audience,
Dobson said:
There amt a --- - here who can
put me out. If any one attempts it I'll put
daylight through him.
No one attempted it. The ball was brought
back apd placed on the table, and Rudolph
ran the gslno out
These are only two instances of many Of a
similar nature, but they viii suffice 70 jndi
cate the mans desperate disposition. It was
about year later that be met his death
very l6xpectedly, too, for his slayer was
quiet, inoffensive amateur biliardfst of some
repute. They had met at a fancy ball about
a week previously. Dobson, who had been
''bucking the tiger that night with indiffer-
ent success, asked for loan of 500, which
Was refused. With an path the rmf-
fan told the man who had dared refuse
to comply with his wishes that he had better
keep out Of his VA in the future. as be
would kill him on sight
"Oh, guess Frisco is large enough TO hold
us both was the calm reply.
On the following Saturday the two men
met on Montgomery street, near Market.
Dobson stepped up to the other man and
calculated:
~ thought I told you TO keep out of my
way. Now I'm going to kill your And he
made a motion as If to draw his pistol.
"You wouldn't shoot an unarmed man
would your inquired the billinrdist, calmly
"Well, il you amt heeled you so and hee
| yourself, you - --; for the next TIME
meet you I'll shoot you anyhow"
The billiardist, knowing the desperate
character of the man whose enmity he ha6
incurred, procured pistol forthwith. III
then went TO the Occidental hotel and played
a few games Of billiards. On going out hI
saw Dobson half a block distant coming
toward him. Thinking he had been seen, hl
knew IL would be useless TO retreat, so hs
awaited Dobson's coming in the hotel vesti
bule. When the latter had got within a few
feet OF him the billiardist stepped out anc
fired two bullets in quick succession int
Dobson's body before the latter had time t.
cock his revolver. Dobson dropped on the
sidewalk, exclaiming;
81 never thought you'd do this"
''Well," said the other, II thought yol
would. and 50 l made up my mind to Sc
ahead Of you If / could.n
Dobson was then carried into drug stor,
across the street.
''Pull my boots OF, ~ he said family to tn
bystanders, and as soon as this was done h
expired.
He had often been told that he would ''di
with his boots on" as is generally the cas-
with desperadoes Of his illS in the west, bu
even in this he cheated public opinion.
The man who thus rid the community o
Jim Dobsons obnoxious presence was no
only promptly acquitted, but even made
hero Of by many and complimented by som
Of the daily papers. !, who had seen Dobso
on Calistoga train compel the conductor b
give him change for SEQ, when be had give
him only $40 for his fare, always looked upo
the killing as an act Of self defense and upo
the billiardist as brave man.-New Yor
Herald.