The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-01-06
BUCKsKIN JOE's TAKING OFF.
The Outlaw Slain by Two Plucky Tell
graph Operators in Arizona.

The Outlaw Slain by Two Plucky TeIe-
graph Operators in Arizona.
The killing of a noted deperado and road
agent named Hates. better known as Buck
skin Joe, near Tucson, Ariz., says the Phil
adeIghia Press, was the work of two pIucky
telegraph operators, one of whom is a ma
tive of Philadelphia. His name is George
L. Simon, and his father and brother live
on Adams street. frankfort. Both are cat.
tie dealers. The history is told in a lette,
from George to his brothers:
On the % of December George Simon left
Sentinel, on the Southern Pacific road, to
go to Tucson. He was accompanied by a
brother operator named Nugent. Both
were mounted and well armed. At noon
they stopped at Red Springs to water Their
horses, and there met a party of freight.
ers. One of these men told Mr..
Simon that a man had been shot and
robbed about twenty miles south by a high.
wayman supposed to be Buckskin Joe, as
he was known to be in the neighborhood,
and a strong party from Tucson had been
looking for him for some time. The men
advised the two friends to lose no time in
shooting il they met the outlaw, as he was
a dead shot, and if in the humor, he would
not stop at killing them both for the sake
of their horses.
Nearly all the travel in Arizona is 2e-
pendent on the presence OF water OH tue
route, and MIR. Nugent knew this part ol
the country well, and was familiar with the
water stations. Apache Spring was the
nearest station, about fifteen miles away.
and here, if anywhere, the outlaw would
most likely meet them. About four O'Clock
III the afternoon they came in sight of the
| place. 1t ia little more than a hole in the
fr1nnI ftIaI rrIfh runxnr tv-rntsod -, ,
small spring, n surrounded 10y mesauit
and cactus thickets that were used as an
ambush by the Apache Indians a few years
ago.
/, More men nave been killed here, it is
said, than at any other place in Arizona. az
there IS no other wster within fifteen miles.
Within q few hundred Yards of the spring
the travellers divided, Simon riding into the
brush. In two minutes ne saw Buckskin
Joe sitting ON his horse. He had a Win
chester rifle fast to his saddle, and this he
was raising to his shoulder when Simon
fired his heavy Colt revolver. The distance
was about thirty yards. and the bullet
pletely smashing it. Despite the pain he
shifted his weapon to his left shoulder and
fxed ct Nugent, Who sasIopea tp when he
heard the shN. The outlaws bullet cut
clean off one of the ears of Nugent's bronco.
The animal at ONCE bucked, throwing his
IiAOf, vino xOhiiJ AuiIuCu Du u AUKt uidIuDIu-
back rattlesnake basking in the sun.
He got to his feer just in time to save
himself from being run down by the robber,
He got to one side and fred two shots at
ten feet distance. One struck Buckskin in
the face, n the other weLt through tbs
body near the heart. Despite the frightful
character of his wounds. the man managed
TO ride 100 yards away sud 10 fire three
shots before another bullet from Simon's
pistol ended his life. He WAS over gix feet
tall and dark compleIioned. He was a
Mexican IEishman, born in Chihuahua, and
for the last ten years had been q terror to
the rancEeros on both sides of the Rio
Grande, having killed two Texan sheriffs
and at least a dozen other men in single
nights. On his person WAS found $3.50 i
gold. His armament was q Winchester.
two heavy revoivers and a huge knife. But
for Simon's lucky shot at first. disabling
the ruffian's right arm, it is likely that tbs
fight might have had a different termina-
tIDu-