The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-12-18
Jim Slade Was One of the Worst o
0d-Time Toughs.
MURDER OF OLD JULES BENET.
Sho. 60 Death While lie Was Pleading
for Mcrcy-Thrcc Men Hanged at
Stewards Ranch Because OF
Mountain kcud.

Inc speaker was 'FARH't 'ff''N -
Wentworth. ox-supervisor ana wei
known ranchman in Los Nietos valley
w.o sat IN a knot OF old-time piainsn'CI
az the Pacific hotel in Pom0nI Cal
.-he first open trouble between Sla0e
VINO was then a. superintendent on th'
overland stage route. and the mountain
GERS was at ranch twenty-five miles
west OF Fort Laramie. Stage stock hat
been run off. and one night an empty
stage was riddled with buckshot. Slade
Frank McCarty. and two others, assuring
themselves Of the identity Of the offend
ers. went 70 the ranch. covered three mer
with guns. set them on horseback. head
Ell toward the mountains, and told them
if they ever returned they would ue
hanged The mOuntaineers began 10 de
wise retaliatOry measures. and one OF
them Jules Benet after whom JulesbBi Z
has been named, thought he would
strike an effective blow 10 stop what he
Considered high-handed proceedings.
Shortly after the affair at the ranch
Sia.'e one day rode zap 20 benets place
on board the stage i was there, having
been working for Benet, and the French
man began 10 abuse Slade for having
hired me away from him. The pony cX-
press was about 20 start. and | had been
engaged as rider. Slade declared that
the boy, meaning myself had q right
10 work for whom ne pleased. There
were but few words and no violent quar-
rel, when jules drew a revolver and sent
a bullet through Shades lungs. Slade
stood stin apparently dazed. jules
Snapped tho pistol again. but 70 was
eInpty Then the Frenchman rushed In
T. his little store. got q shot gun and
ss1t "A second charge into SHADES chest
teering It fearfuliy Slade fell dead.
as ! supposed. Driver Tom O'Bren and
Cg Shurrie carried Slade 10 the station,
expCtt ng that every breath would bc MS
last.
Meanwhile Jules had locked himself
in the back room Of his store An hour
nfterward Ben Thickland superintend-
ent Of the line % Denver. arrived There
were two line men with him. Bon list
enod 20 what had occurred and declared
I'm favor Of hanging Jules OBrien said
that was right I'm his hand. The French
man was told 10 come out and surrender
lie begged a show for his life. but was
threatened II ne ala not come the place
would be burned over his head. and NJ he
displayed weapon ne would Pee killed in
his tracks. So Jules. white and tremb-
ling. came out. He was 40 once bound,
dragged TO the corral, rope put around
his neck and drawn mp to % pole between
two wagons. All the time he was alb
1ecily pleading. but no one listened TO
him.
SAVED BY BEN THICKLAND.
but old Ben Thickland, though the
first TO propose hanging jules. came
back in a few minutes TO cut him down.
Whether he had rolented or thought tho
Frencman dead I do not know. Jules
was not dead. however He gasped a few
times, got up weakly. and then set out
over the plains at his top speed. O'Brien
came out and emptied 10 siX-shooter at
the fleeing Jules but while the bullets
cut the sand all about him not one
touched him. lie was not seen on Slade
division for a year and "a half
Something had TO be done. Slado was
suffering and almost dead. The nearest
surgeon was at Fort Laramie, 22) miles
away. As I said. the pony express was
about TO start. and the stock was ready.
Mount and ride. boy said Thickland 90
me. All that was a ride. over the sands
and sage brush. along desolate gullies,
on ton of ridges always going going. ]
used eight ponies. and made an average
of twelve miles an hour, including stops
The post surgeon took a special stage
back. and he must have been a man of
much skill for he saved SHADES life.
though for six weeks the man was not
SO much as moved of his back.
Jules made his way ninety miles east
90 Cottonwood Springs, where ne had
store. an Indian wife and several chill
dren. He was not molestcd there, the
place being off SHADES division. Siade
seldom spoke ~ him. but e was known
that some day the two would meet and
there would be a tragedy At the end Of
year and half Jules started over
SHADES division. lie sent word 90 Slade,
for what reason j never could UNDER
stand. III we see each other said the
latter comefhiutr may Inf.r.au
Il have often wondered at the cffront-
cry of the man and his reck1essness.
Slade showed the letter to several. but
did not say much about st. Three Of
his men. however, determined TO take
jules and of this plan Slade knew alb
sOluteiy nothing. I happened TO ride up
10 Cold Springs ranch and found them
there. Jules was expected TO arrive
soon. 1t was in the morning All this
has been written Of. hut written wrong.
The men were John Burnett. John Fry
and Mike Tovie. They were aware
knew Jules. and said ] must point him
out. ! had passed him five miles back
There was no getting out of it. 50 as
Jules drove mp / identified him.
THE KILLING OF JULES.
Burnett advanced 10 the man and or
dered him TO stand Instead of comply
Ing he drew his revolver. and. except for
tho most extraordinary accident, Bur-
nett would have been killed As the
frenchman drew Burnett fired a charge
or shot. wounding Jules in the hin. but
not very seriously. Part of the charge
however had carried away the hammer
OF jules revolver. lie realized his pre-
nicament and surrendered He was taken
behind the building. which was of logs.
ana bound there with ropes that were
passed around the logs through the
chinks. There the doomed man was left
moaning. 10 await his fate
In an hour and a half Slade drove up
on the stage. tie was told that Jules
was tied back Of the house and received
the Information with little nervous
shrug lie walked 90 the spot where the
Frenchman half reclined helpless Jules
began TO beg, but there was no CLEAN of
mercy IN SHADES face
IL Is no use he said; YOU must die
GIVE me chance TO see my wife: ]
have business that she must know
Did you think Of giving me a chance
90 see nay Wife, Siade asked coidlv. he
had drawn his revolver. and placing IL
at the face of Jules. fired point blank
The frenchman dropped and quivered
We thought him dead. The bullet had
torn CHASTITY hole I'm hts cheek and the
side OF his head. Slade and his friends |
went inside
I'm a little while some one reported 10
Slade that Jules had revived and wanted |
20 see him.
Tell him To walt. was the answer
And jules waited wondering doubt !
less. II he could touch he pitless heart |
OF the executioner. Finally Slade moved !
ieisurely 10 the rear OF the house again !
and once more jules, bleeding and ehasf- |
~, begged. II not for his life, at least for |
time and tried 10 purchase e. But it |
was useless. Slade told him that death |
was cortaln. and then as 1. o pFo-onq [