The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-01-23
WHEN FORD WAS KILLED.


WHEN FORD WAS KILLED.
II Was Quiet Dny in Creole when
Two Had Men Met the Last Time.
St. Louis Republic.
| 1t was quiet day In Creedo camp In the
morning of the summer OF 'as. Most of
the miners were away In the hills; many
Of the gamblers and others of the night
shift were still sleeping though II was
low o'clock. a string of burros. laden
with heavy loads OF boards. which they
were about to drag away up to the Last
| Chance. stood dreaming in San Luis ave-
nue.. Some fishermen with long cane poles
thrown over their shoulders were trailing
out ut the lower end OF the town In the
direction OF the Rio Grandc. string OF
heavy ore wagons was coming down the
mountain from the Amethyst mine. The
brake ON the forward wagon gave way when
the team was nearly down TO the foot OF
the hill. and instantly the heavy load slot
| icrward and the poor animals--thero were
SIX of thcm--houndod away In a mad effort
to keep out Of the way of the heavy load.
The wheel horses appeared to understand
that they were expected to hold the wagon
back and they did what they could; but
the force of the great wagon threw them
on their feet, and when they fell Liid
them along the rocky road to the foot of
| the hill. grinding and crushing thor legs
under the wheels. and when the wagon fin
ally stopped they were both dead. All this
| happened Just above and IN full view Of
| the town. so that many of the people saw
IL. aud heard the poor animals cry. almost
as human being would cry for help. while
they were being run down and killed by
the ore wagon.
A sorry Cooking young woman was work.
ing the shops ana saloons on the shady side
of the avenue. She carried a long sheet OF
writing paper, upon which she asked peo-
pie to put their names. and opposite their
names the amount OF their subscriptions.
One OF the girls had died the night BEFORE
ana this money was asked In order To pay
some one TO dig hole at the top II he
hill and 10 hire an express an wagon 10 haul
the girl up there. When The woman came
To the Leadyille dance hall she entered and
was greeted sadly by another woman, who
stood over behind low railing, which OK
tended from the end of the bar To the front
OF the tent, fencing of little space. Which
served as an office for the proprietor aud
the woman. who WIS a silent partner In the
firm. The visitor pushed the paper OYER
| towards the mana small, salloW looking
man OF 49, who was cvcr fdgetlug rnd
CHANGING at the door OF whatever house he
happened to be in. The mau glanced down
the column. saw "Soapy Smith. g. and as
he hated "Soapy" he immediately raised
him tiVc, gave the women the money and
wrote lust under his name and the ten:
1 CHARITY covcrcth multitude Of aims. "
| Then he passed out from behind the bar
and began walking slowly to the rear end
of the long room. The woman with the
sorry face and the long white paper passed
out Upon the threshold she mot man In
mirer's clothes. and even as she turned to
| look at him, very short man rode UP TO
| the door of the tent and handed double
barrelcd shotgun TO the man at tho en-
trance. AS the miner looking man entered
the tent with the gun. the woman with the
paper turned AZ II she would follow him.
Tor she feared that the stranger might 90
| Violence. reluctant ms she was to Believe
that n man In refined mining center
| would resort to the use Of 30 clumsy not
TO say unconventional, shooting iron as
a shotgun. Hello, Bob" called the man
with the gun, ard AZ the keeper OF the
dance hail turned he raised the weapon and
let 20 both barrels. The shot. without
scattering. entered the throat OF the victim
and carried his gold collar Dutt3n out
through the back of his neck,
The report of the shotgun started tho
| whole camp. and as the Leadyille was d.
| rectly opposite my hotel, rushed over and
| was almost the first man in the place. One
| man had preceded me, and as | entered he
| came out and shouted: Bob Ford's dead"
| Al the moment l entered the only person
in tho room. was the insignificant looking
woman In the little office She was weep
| Ing She knew mo as the editor of the
| morning paper, and at once began to pour
out the story Of Bob's virtues. "He had
planned" she said Ito do much good"
| "Yes," said |, 1T is reported that he in
tended TO Kill off the entire Chronicle
force, including the editor"
Eyes, know she went on hurrledly.
for the place was filling up rapidly. but
1,.t told
have II In for you all little bit. But,
say" she continued. waving hand In the
direction OF the corpse. and her eyes filled
| with a fresh Hood OF tears. Just to think
they should shoot him with that kind OF
gun-!t--just brealis--my heart and she
leaned her head upon the bar and wept.
Presently she lifted her head, dried her
eyes, and continued.
why, Bob wouldn't NV killed a coyote
with a shotgun--its n towards gun. When
he killed Jesse james, the braves man at
ever lived an the deadest shot, he dun 1t
with IS, an II he'd cum down to clear
out the Chronicle, which no wouldn't. he'd
NV cum with his two hans an his six
shooter an he'd r had you all jumpin' thu
the winders an scootin' fur tn willers'
fore yer could NV raised ham
well" said !. glancns toward the rear
OF tho room to make sure he was still there.
"Bob's all right. He's a good fellow
now"
man to whom ! was introduced upon my
first visit TO the camp. He had been our
guide, and had shown Judge Rocker and
me the camp by candle light. II was upon
this occasion that I noticed his nervous
ness. II man came In and left the door
open, Ford would slip back and shut II. II
there was mirror over the bar. he alwayH
kept his eyes on 1t. not to sec himself. but