Arizona republican. [volume] (Phoenix, Ariz.) 1890-1930, 1899-08-06
AN ARIZONA LYNCHING
William Eastman. roniierSman
Hanging Would ROT Fill.

y unique and picturesque character
was seen in q hotel reading room here
'.his evening" man apparently about
90 or 40 years of age, tall and muscu-
lar with a weather. beaten face and
grizzly gray beard. He Wore AZ, entire
suit of buckskin. and from the collar
Of the coat hung three tufts OF long
Wiry hair that looked like portions Of
q horses main or tail. but which We're
in reality the scalp locks of Indians
trophies of the vaOT and bravery of
the man whose coat they adorned.
The man was William Eastman. who
WAS at one sine resident of New
York. but the greater portion of whose
life has been spent on the frontier.
Mr. Eastman IS one OF the few men
who has experienced the sensation Of
being hanged, and lived to describe
his feelings. And it was for the Dur-
pose Of getting an account CT his eN-
perfence that an interview with him
was sought. In response to Il ques-
ton Mr.. Eastman said:
I have just finished an extended vis-
it with relatives in the east, and am
now on my return TO the west. This is
the first time that I have been east
since iuS W uUtE Oh Ito-)p-DI- was
scarcely more than boy then. bu, very
large and muscular for my age. l
caught the western gold fever when
it was at it's height. and with Il com
panv of prospectors 1 started in the
spring of 1851 for the coast. and Tor
Trany years led 4 wild ard adven.Cr-
GUS life.
81 was twice made captive by the In
dams but managed TO escape. the sec
ond time. however. receiving wounds
shat came near making an angel Of M
and the sears OF which [ shall carry
to my grave But when | look at the
top knots that ornament the collar OF
nv coat. | always feet 4 sense of grim
satisfaction. in the thought that, badly
rs the red devils treated me. ! quit
winner three times when Lhe stakes
were human life.
The closest call that I ever had.
however. was near what is known as
Skull Valley, Il small town in Yaya3ai
county. Arizona I had been up near
where the village of Burnt Ranch is
now located. in Crook county. Oregon,
and while there fell in with a man
named Robert Wilson, who had been
4 vessel broker in New York. but
whose life had been emibittered by
family troubles. and who plunged into
the then wild and trackless west to
seek on the plains and III the noun
tains relief from so keen a mental dis
treSs shat he once remarked TO me
that it would have driven him insane
had he remained where old assOcia
tfOns could have kept adding fuel to
the fierce fire of Jealousy. hatred and |
revenge that seemed 10 be literally con |
Stunning him.
Il liked the man from the first. He
was in trouble and my heart went ont !
TO him. He and l became fast friends |
and were close companions for years.
He had become a typical plainsman, /
rough of exterior. but a genial, whole |
souIed fellow. who lived in his saddle |
by day and rolled himself in his blan-
lzet 1T night and slept on the plains CT
in the mountains, wherever darkness
overlook him.
There was only one trouble with
him. He used to ge. the blues once in
4 while and when he did, he would
give himself up absolutely TO week
Or two of d 5bauchery.
Drink changed his whole nature.
and in all my experience among law
ess characters in The west l do not
think l ever met one who could com
care with Robert Wilson for pure and
lnadu.terated devilishneSs when he
was drunk. He was brave and c0ur
l9eOus 10 Il remarkable degree when
be was sobr: when he was drunk he
was as reckless Il daredevil as ever
iyed.He4 was remarkably handy with
MS gun. and his disposi-
ion was to shoot, especially
/
md the fact that he was under the in
iuence Of liquor at the time Of which
speak. resulted in lynching in
Which | played the leading role as
,Orpse.
"One day Wilson and 1 were III Aqua
Fria valley. in Yayapai county, Ari-
.ona. and met some parties who were
n r0u,e to Skull valley. in the same
.ounty. and they told Us that a ranch ,
nan near the latter place wanted 10
lire some herders. Wilson and l were
1T of work and hard up, and w de {
ided to apply To the man for job 10
ide lis over UDil something better
urned up. Upon arrival at the ranch
mans pace we found him to he a
oarse. ignorant and brutal fellow. who,
IS we afterwdrd learned. had been /
to fly from his native place
o escape punishment for crime. He
vas a sullen fellow with stiff bushy
lair. swILhy complexion and black.
liprcing yes l disiked him md dis
rusted him from the instant l saw him 1
nj so did Wilson. We hired out to
Jim. however. aud Went To work the {
text day. We were not long in find
ng out the kind Of fellow our half
reed boss was.
We ;, had been at Warl- enl- Swo
avs, when he gave Wilson 4 tongue