Evening journal., 1889-01-21
A FRISCO TRAGEDY RECALLED.
How jim Dobson. tho Terror. camo Near

How jim Dobson, the Terror. Came Near
py'n- ri;f l-is not. On.
"Ias - tho tisn WHO k.!le.. san Dotarrr
sail my friend, as wu s.ussed Twcatv.tAisd
street at the Junction of broadway and Fifth
avcuue the othcr afternoon
This recalled the life and death OF one Of
The worst men that ever SET foot on tic Pa
cific coast.
Every town in California, Nevada and
Colorado, especially in their eaaly days, lias
had its terror. Jim Dobson was FOR mnng
years the terror of San francisco He
was hydra headed ''terror,n TOO Wher-
aver there were races, fairs, billiard matches,
rri2e fights or excitement Of any kind, Jim
i'ooson was there He had killed several
men and attempted to kin many more. He
never paid for anything. snd was generally
wen supplied with funds. although Ire never
ana slrohe q work, Honest men Stunned
mn, and many OF those who lseow him feared
INN. Ms associates were of the lowest OF
both SEXES.
IN ous OF his shooting serares. during a
dehauch some twenty years ago. Mis- aim was
so inaccr1ate that he cmp.ied tine soron
chambers 7i DIS revolver ia trying IL liil bie
adversary, without hitting him rhrowins
his revolver oa the aaor DO exclaimed.
'Eerc you -- , you shoot I'M
be ---. IL ! cam
When Rudolph went Is san Francisco.
about nineteen years ago, 20 play Joha Decry
for She billiard championship of America,
nn audience 81 nearly 5000 persons gathered
ia tho Mechanics pavilion 20 witness tho
game. OF course Dobson Was there. neh had
bet heavily Oh Daory When it became ap.
parent that Rudolph would win--he having
but 10 10 GO, with tho balls in hand. 60
Deerys i63-Dobs0n stepped up 20 Tie table
just as Rudolph was about W shoot, and,
grabbing one of the object balls, threw it at
random among the audience Some one
caught it-on the nose. Although Deory was
the favorite the audience wanted fair play.
Cries Of ''put him outr' proceeded from all
parts Of tho hail. Turning 70 the audience,
Dobson said;
"Thcro amt a ----- -- here who can
put me out. IL any one attempts 1t IN put
daylight through him.'
No ono attempted il. The ball was brought
bacl and placed ON the table, and Rudolph
ran the game ont.
These arc only two instances Of many Of a
similar nature but thoy will suffice 10 indi-
cato tho mans desperate disposition. 10 was
about year later that ho met his death
very unexpectedly, too, for his slayer was a
quiet, iuoiiensvo amateur billiardist of some
repute, They had met at fancy bali about
q week previously. Dobson, who had been
"hucl,iug the tigern that night with inditfer.
cnt success, asked for q loan Of SO, which
was refused. With en- oath the rmf-
fan told the man who had dared refuse
20 comply with his wishes that ho had better
keep out OF his way IN tho future, as be
would Kill him on sight
"Oh, guess Frisco IS largo enough 90 hold
us both was tho calm reply.
On tho following Saturday the two men
mot On Montgomery street, near Market.
Dohson stepped up Co the other man and
ojaculated
u thought I told you 20 keep ont Of my
way. Now I'm going 20 kill your And he
made a motion as If 70 draw his pistol.
you wouldn't shoot an unnrmed man,
would your inquired tho billiardist, calmly.
"Wcll, if you amt heeled you 80 and heel
yourself, you - ; for tho next time
/ meet you III shoot you anyhow"
The billiardist, knowing tho desperate
character Of the man whose enmity hc had
incurred, procured q pistol forthwith. ii,
then went 60 the Occidental hotel and played
a few games OF billiards. On going out he
saw Dobson half a block distant coming
toward him. Thinking he had been seen, III
knew It would be useless 70 retreat, SO b
awaited Dobson's coming in the hotel vesti
bule. When the latter had got within FEY
feet Of him the billiardist stepped out an
fred two bullets in quick succession int
Dobson's body before the latter had time {
cock his revolver Dobson dropped on tn
sidewalk, exclaiming:
II never thought you'd do this
"Well,n said the other, 81 thought 20
would. and 50 / made up my mind 10 &c
ahead Of you il ! couldn
Dobson was then carried into drug stor
across the street.
s'Pull my boots oil, . he said family 70 Oh
bystanders, and as soon as this was done b
expired.
; He had often been told that he would ''di
with bis boots on. as is generally tho cas-
! with dcsne-adoos OF his ilk ia the west, hu
oven IN tais lee cheated public oniricu.
, The ii-i wao TIM rid the colmrIity G
Jim Dobsnls Hlrl ious pr lseuce wa5 nt
oa,T promptly ecqul,.cA, bat even r.-do
hero OF by many and complimcntcd By som
Of tho daily papers. /, who had seen Dohso
on Calistoga train compel the conductor 3
givc him change for $50, when he had give
him only $40 for his fare, always looked upo
tho killing as an act Of self defense and upo
tho billiardist as a brave man.-New Yor