The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-02-20
LIKED TO CHANGE GHOSTS
This Was the Reason Alfred Alice
Killed Eight of His Fellows.
AND HE WENT UNHUNG
He Was One of That Desperate Glass of
Texas Rangers Who Are Ever Ready
With Their Pistol or Willis
Last Victim an Editor.
From the New York Sun.

From the New York Sun.
Once when Alfred Alice was half drunk
and wholly good natured. San Antonio
man asked him why he had killed sc
: many persons. Leaning with his back
against the bar counter, with his hands
thrust deep into his pockets and a queer
look on his ugly face, he made answer:
Because / like to change ghosts"
He is a ghost himself now. A year ago.
in Laredo, three Mexicans, who hated
him, found him i'm his shirt sleeves, weap-
onless and intoxicated. They set to work
on him with knives. He was incapable of
resistance. and said nothing more than:
Don't do that! You don't know what
you are doing Don't do that.'
He had eight wounds on him when
| picked up and every one of them went to
the hollow. He was thoroughly butch
| cred man. Each of the knife stabs repre-
scented life he had taken. Alice was
an accurate shot, remarkably swift with
his pistol and one of the most coolly des-
| perate men the Rio Grande frontier has
ever known. The passion for slaughter
seemed to grow on him and in the last
| decade of his life he killed four men in
| ARRAYS. For each of these killings he
| stood trial in the courts and was acquit-
| ted sometimes on the plea of self-de-
| Tense and sometimes for no reason at
all that any one could see. Occasionally
he was drunk when making his record.
but not always. He was merciless man
at all times. and whlskey did not make
him any more or less murderous.
Alfred Alice was born in Southwestern
Texas and followed the business of all
natives. That is to say, he was ranch
man. He had only a common school edu-
cation and early developed traits of Wild
ness. He consorted habitually with the
rustler part of the population and was a
frequent figure at dances, horse races and
cock fights. He was a desperate gambler
when once engaged. and those who dealt
for him were careful to deal square
More than once he was accused of stand
ing in with the many gangs of cattle
thieves with which the country was in
tested but this was never proved. 1t is
certain that he was a rigidly upright man
in business and his word was as good as
his bond.
The first four murders with which he
was charged were ordinary affairs of the
ranch. the COW camp and the cattle trail
The victims We're Mexieans or cowboys
of no prominence, and they brought their
slayer no great amount of reputation
He was known as a man who would
shoot quickly and well but he was not
elassed with the gilt-edged killers, OF
whom something like dozen owned the
Rio Grande country. Alice was not
brought into immediate contact with any
one of them, which was perhaps a good
thing for them. and he went along the
even tenor of his way. killing an obscure
person now and then, but exciting no |
special comment or remark.
About this time he moved to Pearsall. |
the county seat of Frio county, and en- |
gagged in shipping cattle. 1t was at the |
height of the hester excitement. Pas |
ture fences were cut nightly, cattle were |
stolen by the hundred head and the rough |
element was in the ascendant The ranch
men of Frio county formed the Cattle I
mems Protective association and made
business of running down the thieves.
Some of them were tried and sent to the
penitentiary but a good many more
quietly disappeared Tt was given out
that they had fed the country, and no
one made particular inquiry for them
All through the months of October and
November. 1888. however. it was noticed
that the Mexican vultures were plentiful
about the mesquite-grown pastures of
Frio county. Now and then corpse with |
good many bullet holes in ii floated
down the F'rio river. simultaneously the
cattle business began to pay larger divi-
dends. 1t was not known then, but II sub
seauently developed that ALLIE was one of
the most trusted and effective agents of
the Cattlemens Protective association.
His former intimacy with the rustler eie-
ment gave him exceptional advantages,
and he utilized them. A choice was Of
fered to him and he wisely decided to
range himself the side of law and
order.
Rc-established in the good graces of the
wealthy men of that section and we'll
said by them. his desire to kill somebody
not rustler got the better of him. The
affair brought him into state prominence
The victim was named Rhodes. He was
shot on the public square of Pearsall
He reached for his pistol, but Alice had
him covered before his fingers touched
the butt and he fell dead in his tracks.
Rhodes was we'll connected in the lower
counties and his slayer was bitterly pros
acuted. Seif-defense was the plea and
Unsuitable homicide the verdict. This at
fair cost Alice all the money he had
made from the cattlemen and he went to
drinking.
Boarding an International & Great
Northern passenger train at Cotulla, la
Sale county. one night. he quarreled with
| negro car porter. Not knowing his man,
he negro attempted to put him off the
rain. Alice killed him. of course. was
arrested and gave bail. Once more his
lame got into the papers and people be-
gan to look on him worthy to wear
he mantles OF Ben THOMPSON and Bill
-ongloS and Sam Bass and a host of
'ther worthless who had gone before.
AT that time train robbery in Texas was
thriving industry. The gentlemen of
he road distributed their favors impair
tally among the various lines. Ii u Gould
rain was held up one week il was a
certainty that Huntington train would
~ held up another week. Several humor-
us features were introduced which
marked the crimes as the product of a
master mind. \ conductor noted for his
ride in good clothes was forced to sur
ender his coat. waistcoat, trousers, shirt
ap and shoes and bring in his train clad
My in his undsrclothing. An express {
messenger proved obstinate about OPEN .
lis safe. and his ears were cut. underbit
n tho right and fork. and slope in the {
eft.