The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-03-29
HE SHOT SEVEN LYNCHERS.
RANCHMIN GIhBS KJLLED FoUR
AM WOUNDLD THREE.

wbica They Fired. and ritcn Took Horse
"Oncc | took Grcclry's advice ~ 10 West"
said a New Yorker who Is fond vt relating the
experiences Or u not UNMARRIED life. ~ lie began
his faVoritc story. 81 want to aay In paren.
thesis ut starting that riJ,h's advice to those
about to mntry-'Dont- IL the better counsel
nowadays 10 give young men who nre think-
ing Of FOLLOW ins the star of empire. II Ia
money, not men. that the West wants. and X
II man can't get along in tie East he cannot In
the West. for there the struggle for existence
IL even fcrcer. because. while there are fewer
contestants. there nre pruportionately fewer
prizes. But 10 INV story.
at was during the two wears | was In Colo
RADIO ! came lack, hy the way, as poor as
! went, having while there got less for my labor
and paid more for my living than | would
have here that shook Land with a man
who. u few hours before, had killed four men
and winged three others. The haudshaking
took place In the Dcnv,r inik but the man
wasn't there ~ II prisoner. quite the contrary.
In place Of being rorrihlv detained there, he
had requested a1mittancc. lie preferred the
iail tu n hotel ms III" more secure lodging place,
for the avengers of blood were behind him.
The reason he wns rO' n prisoner was 10
cause the men he had killed and wounded were
lvnchcrs. whom he had shot IN self.defence.
They Ind set ont to lynch him for n crime for
which lie lad been II prisoner In that very
Jail before lie was fairly acquitted. This was
the murder of u ranrlmAn whore ranch bor-
dcrel one he had near the Divide. as n low
spur Of the Rocky Mountains iutting out into
the plain not far from Colorado Springs In
called. He and this ranchman were on bad
terms, and be was said to have set his enemy's
barn aiirc, and to have shot him by the light
of the iames from an ambush in an irrigation
ditch. His trial resulted In his acquittal, be-
cause II couldn't lie proved that he had fired
the fatal shot. but the murdered mans friends
declared that there had been n miscarriage of
justice, and openly threatened n lvnching.
Their threats didn't deter Gihps that was
his name from going back to his home AS soon
as he was liberated. but after his arrival he
TOOK good care that lis repeating rifle and
smaller firearms for Use AT close quarters wero
in good condition every night before he went to
bed, and he slept with his clothes on. He didn't
have to wait long for the lvnchcrs. lie had
not been home three DAYS. when. late one night,
he was aroused by n loud rapping. evidently
made with the butt end Of a gun on the door
of his adobe house. He knew the time had
come. lie was alone In the house. for his vito
had gone to her fathers, rs he was unwilling
that she should share the darGer OF the attack
h" expected. and his cattleman also was away,
II fact which the lvnchers doubtless knew.
" What do you want lie asked. as. in tho
he grnsped his gun. which. with his
two rev"lvers, was at his bedside. and a pistol.
Is that y"r. Gihhs?' said a voice which no
recognized, in spite Of an attempt of the speaker
to disguise IL, as that Of n neighbor who had
been especially outspoken in threatening to
lynch him.
"'Your wife is sick, and her father told mo
to come over and tell you. have already sad
died your horse
Removing II plug which stopped u,a loop
hole made in the door for just such occasions
as this, Gibbs looked out. Pcering cautiously
ne saw grouped around the door about IA dozen
armed men whose dark forms were silhou-
cited against the sky. Before he could make
a. movement. the removal of the plug was no.
tired. and the foremost man fired a revolver
at the ~loophole and missed bv a hairs breadth.
Before Gibbs could return the fire the lynch
door. The walls Of the house on ali sides were
perforated AT intervals with loopholes, and
,iinnS nr@.it M ontS 10 remove the plugs or
This was not nOtircl By. them. for they
were busy preparing to assault the door with the
lad cut down for use in case they should fall to
lure Gibbs from his house. With u yell eight
ram, while the Others covered with their rifles
the, point of attack. The door wns Of stout
with iron bars. 1t witlIstooI the shock. al
though the wood sp,interel and the frame in
" Another. bows, and she'll give way said
the man who had spoken to Gibbs, his voice no
got n to work. fn' WICK WIZ, his Te% Try" "f psp Gs SHOT s'e sSs
nEs pan IF If. the "ouh mfn at at the The hatteri NJ ram;
fell, badly wounded. Hardly stopping to take
ain. Gibbs fire., again, and again he brought
trunk and sought shelter at the sides
Of Of the door, out of range, as they thought; Of
stopped directly in front Of a loophole
hardly a foot from the wall. lie ell'dead
"A second later with Il bullet through his body.
Another was wounded before the lynchers
to the side OF The house, ignorant that there
also were loopholes. Gibbs hadn't time to
a, 1I5so saG loopI d h .roo for in, IN c sEmnE nEf with
Iynchers scattered in search of b%rushwood.
It did net take long togather a quantity.
protecting one of the rear windows. The heap
had reached to the low roof. which was of
Of the silence with which the lynchers
now conducted their operations. could not tell
heir exact point OF attack.
But the rising flame which was expected
% prelude Gibhs's doom proved the disoom-
~looph9le he shot dead by its light, one
,fter another. two OF the nearest lynchers.
RS - into utter rHut' Viii one accord they
}roke and ran. While they yet r"maIned In
he light Of the fire Gibbs. throwing open .
ais rifle. shooting him dead.
The ront of the lynchcrs was complete, but,
iibbs abandoned his dwelling to its fate. He
fastened to his stable, snddled his horse, and
et out on II gnllop for Denver. He had not
hidden far before day began to dawn. He
its light, for the runChmen along his
cute were of the same mind with the men who
Iud tried to lynch him. Toward the middle Of
he afternoon H." became conscious that tho
riends Of the men lie hid killed and wounded
we're pursuing him. With his keen sight he
'ould soon se n Struggling group OF hurryinR
IorScmeu securing over the plain less than two
niles IN the rear. At the same time he saw
.pnroaGhing a north bound train On the narrow
which he was riding. II was slowing up 70
tOp al II station half a mile ahead.
Squirting his exhausted horse into n final
purst of speed, Gibbs reached the station just
y the train was pulling out, u" got aboard. and
or he time was out Of reach OF his pursuers.o
Gearing TINT they would Telegraph friends In
Denver to head him OH. he left the train, which
vas moving slowly, ut the point nearest the
all. lie was welcomed hy the jail men, who
lid not believe that he was the man to commit
murder as Cuwnrllv ms that of which he had
!cen accused. Tl" story o: his proves against
he lynchcrS soon spread through the town.
rad free access Ia the Jail, and 50 ] went TO
IvRr lis story from his own lips. lie took Q