The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-02-24
END OF A GRUDGE
Curtis Smith Shoots Tom
McCIintock in California.
BOTH ONCE LIVED HERE
History of Their Career and
Probable Cause of Tragedy

Az result of deep-seated and long
Standing grudge, which began IN "lcHi'0
five years ago. Thomas McCnntock, VINO
once lived in this city. was shot and killed.
nv Curtis E. Smith also former resloeh'
here. The tragedy occurred at Los Ange-
les. Cal, where both men resided
The press dispatches state that last
Tuesday both men began drinking. smith
needed money before the spree was over
and endeavored to pawn his watch anu
ring for 10 cents. McClintOck loaned oiill'h
+be money. After this Smith went away
and armed himself with two revolvers
when ne met McClintock again ne oe-
rnapded the watch and ring, which were
nromptlv handed to him. But smith
seemed bent on trouble, and after RECEIVING
his property he shot McCHntock IN the
hack of the head. from the effects OF winch
he died soon after. McCIntock worked as
= rnotorneer while at Los Angeles and
Smith as cook.
Both of the above characters are We'll
known in this city, and their records were
ANYTHING else but clean. Both names nave
been on the police books many times ana
MoCIfnrock was in his time one OF the
worst Young men about town. 1t IS saio
that ne occasionally pulled the leg OF the
unsophisticated He made his headquar-
ters about the joints and bad places when
the town had many Of them. He knew
every crook in the country, and notwith-
standing his bad reputation was Of con-
siderable help in locating criminals who
came to this city to ply thei- trade. lie
had a sister who was Of the order OF the
demi1nonde, and who supported him while
here. She is now in Denver.
From gentleman who was a close
friend of McClintock before he became de-
PRAYED it was learned that he had re-
formed since he went TO Los Angeles and
was leading an upright life, 50 far as he
could learn Instead Of loafing about
saloons and low places he had, as the dis
patches state. secured honorable employ
ment with the street car company, and
broken away from most all of his bad
habits.
Curtis Smith is said to have been about
the same kind of a fellow. except that his
violations of law and order were usually
in the way Of fighting, drinking and dis
rurbing the peace generally. He was once
janitor Of the Zimmerly building and dur
ing that time was in the police courts quite
often Once, it is said for stealing some
clothing. After this he left town for
awhile. finally coming back. and was ar
rested by the authorities at Parsons for
attempting to work a confidence game
there. He was taken away, and the news
OF the tragedy is the first that has been
heard from him since.
Smith deserted his wife here and while
he was in Jail the furniture of her home
was sold to satisfy a chattel mortgage for
a loan which he had made. Mrs. Smith
worked as a cigarmaker and was an in
dustrious woman The kind-hearted gen.
tleman who held the mortgage on her fur
niture took it, at her request, and sold it,
returning to her the surplus cash realized
from the sale.
Charley Smith Of this city is a brother OF
Curtis. He called at the police station this
morning TO get information Of the reported
shooting. and from him a reporter for the
Eagle learned of incidents in the lives of
the two men which led up to the tragedy
OF Tuesday at Los Angeles.
About five years ago. while Smith was
working al the Zimmerly building. he and
McCHntock had trouble over a woman. The
matter became serious and finally Smith
administered a terrible beating to McClin-
took. After that. it is said. they often
came to blows, seeming to have a deep
seated grudge against each other It IS
said that when Smith left here and went
TO st. Joseph McCHntock followed him.
with the evident intention Of doing him
harm. Charley Smith thinks that Nc
C.intocks ready willingness to loan his
brother money at Los Angeles was for the
purpose of securing the jewelry and keep
ing it, as he also thought McCHntock still
held the old grudge against his brother
and was watching his chance to get even.