The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-10-09
BAD MEN FROM BOSTON.
TerrOriZed a Territory by
Robbery and rlurder.

Los Angeles. CAL Oct. 9-Bob Wilcox
died with his boots on-just as all the
old timers at 'Tombsto II years ago
predicted he would. There have. how
ever, been times in the past dozen years
that some of the men. who were formerly
at Tom bstone have temporarily revised
their opinion of Bob and have thought he
might die in bed as most other people do.
He has been prospecting in the Sierras
through Kern and Amador counties in
California for more than a decade and
has led such quiet, uncveDtful career
that il seemed as if he would live TO an
old age after all, a short time ago, how
ever he went on n spree in the little min
ing town of Ferbush in Mono county and
while be was groggily reaching for his
gun he was shot dead by another miner
with whom nc had had quarrel OF
few days standing. He was aged AZ
years, and was buried few hours after
ne fell.
Bob Wilcox was half brother of the
once notorioussfyll Howard, tho most reck-
less bandit ever known IN Arizona. bob
and Bill were together in several shoot
ing scrapes. but they quarreled and Bob
was driven out of Tom bstone by the sec
ret yigilantes while Bill went to stage
robbing OH the wholesale plan. Bill died
about year ago in Yuma prison. after
nuN1DQ leu " lllb tucIo VI eohuiuo piety
and Christianity.
Among the hordes of men who went to
Tom bstone in the summer of 1878 were
four young men, Dan wilkins. Bill How
ard. Bob Wilcox and GeorgelWilbur. They
came from the vicinity OF Boston, Mass,
originally. and had lived in tho uning
camps of Colorado and Idaho for twelve
or fifteen years. They were wonderfully
expcrt shots, cared for no one, gambled
with perfect abandon. and they soon had
q following.
A CITY MARSHAL.
Bill Howard became the night city
marshal in Tcmbston along in the fall
of 1873. 1t is uncertain whence he derived
his authority. as the town was not IN
corporated and there were no legally con-
stitutcd powers. IL was probably con-
ferrcu upon him by common consent,
or. rather. assumed by: him in the ab-
sencc of protest.
For six or seven months he conducted
himself with tolcrab bic propiiety and had
reputable enough standiDg-although
most men preferred he should keep at
a distance But. however harmless he
had heretofore uecn, he had now entered
a school that quickly developed his innate
depravity and ferocity do was begin
ming to imagine himself chief, an as
sumption that never went unchallcnged
in frontier town.
One night Howard was caught commit
ting petty highway robbery. IL was
believed he had been robbing long time,
but no one deemed il prudcntA TO investi-
gate the matter. he WIS not even arrest
cd for the offcnsc in which be had been
detected, so completely were the authori-
ties tcrrorzcd by him.
DROPPED FROM THE FORCE.
They simply dropped him from the
police force. To which he had belonged
since the incorporation or the town.
IRON that time Howard became utterly
reckless and desperate Grim. staggering
ana bloody eyed, people avoided him as
they would ~ rattlcsnakc. lie lived OIL
the terror of the restauratcurs, saloon
Keepers and gamblers. He had quarrel
occ day with a man who sold coffee ana
shot him through the shoulder without
seconds thought. Two large rcyolscrs
and big knife were always strapped to
his person. He would enter bling
house. seat himself at table and appro-
pirate what chips lc pleased from the
stncks Of thc players ana apply himself
unIuolcstcd 10 the game. Suoh state of
affairs tinallg became uncndurablc To the
sporting fraternity ana 10 was resolved to
nut him out of the way.
One night whilc ne was sitting at
yingt ct -un table n.thc back part OF the
Apache saloon, on Ming street, three
men with records n black as his own,
bat not possessed of his strength or fear
less nf@S NubOk Tue Nltt ~ Nht itiA III
front TO decide which of them should Kill
him. The lot fell to Dan West, ns
reptllian an assassin as ever disgracod the
coast.
Iho arrangements were quickly made.
West Withdrew and provided himself with
a double barrelled shotgun. When ne was
prepared and had stationed himself outside
If the renr Of the spluOn, one of his con-
federates fired u pistol In front but.
mean "a Howard was, he hau friends. and
he was Informed Of the plan to assassinste
him lie was therefore on his guard.
During the general rush Of men in the
saloon TO the front door to ascertain what
was tho occosion Of tho shot, West
opened the back door little. thrust his
shct gun into the aperture aud instantly
fired at the place whore ho had seen How
ard sitting IA moment before.
VESTS FATE.
Howard b-rd. however. shifted bis seat.
and 80 escapod heavy charge of buck
shot. In "a moment hu leaped from his
hastv conceament bohind the bar, and
revolver in hand. ran out Of the 're0r
door In the darkness. West, who no doubt
Thought be- had killed Howard, was
caught ON thg ran block away. How
ard ran pl amp up against bin, wrenohed
the smusing shotgun from BIS hand aud
throwing him ia the ground held him
there with ons foot while ho emptied bis