The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1899-06-14
Facing Death for Idle Boasts,
From The san Francisco chronicle-


From the san Francisco Chronicie-
John Davis, or 'sGold Fields Jack, .
who is lying in cell in Albion, Idaho.
will be the central figure in a story
which viii be told when, on the open
Ing Of the coming term Of the United
States Circuit Court of Appeals, his APP
plication for writ Of habeas corpus
viii be heard. It is a case Of the deadly
hatred Of the cattleman for the sheep
man, the struggle of the sheepman to
secure all the available range in the
mountains, aud the refusal to do justice
to an innocent man when the guilty
man has confessed and been tried for
the killing of two enemies.
The fatal shooting took place two
years ago, and there is connected with
the case, all through, series Of cireum-
stances which are sufficient to give a
foundation for the many complications
which have since arisen. The whole
trouble started when the sheepmen Of
Eastern Idaho failed to keep au alleg-
ed agreement to stay TO the east Of the
Shoshone range Of hills aud give to the
eattIemen undisputed possession OF the
rich range on the west of the hills.
About the Deep aud Rock Greek valleys
lies the vast range which is part OF the
possessions of the Sparks-Harrell Com
pany, and it was on the land Of this
corporation that the double tragedy
took place.
When the first fiocks of the sheep
men began to be seen west of the range
of hills there was council Of war. and
the cattlemen decided to fight. There
was not pitched battle, however, for
the sheepmen were close to the govern
ment of the counties on the southern
tier, aud Cassia was no exception to the
rule-in fact, it was said that the sheep
men had friends at court, even in the
State government. However, it was a
case of armed neutrality, and when one
or two of the sheepmen could locate
some of the cowboys in the valleys or
on the ranges, they would pot at them
with entire serenity. 1t must be said,
too, that the cowboys would waste lead
at long range upon some of the sheep
herders when the chance offered.
"Gold Fields Jack boastfdl, dare
devil sort Of fellow. not over-pOpular
with his comrades, had said that he
would like no job better than TO get $40
a month for killing the sheep herders;
so, when on the evening of February ,
be rode into the settlement at Rock
Creek and said that in night battle he
had killed two herders, his story was
believed. He always carried q rife and
was dead shot. Fourteen days later
the bodies of two men were found upon
the plains. Gold Fields Jack" was
arrested and convicted upon the evil
denee of his boasts and sentenced to be
hanged, the case dragging along until |
February 2s of this year, the day set for
the execution.
When the conviction Of Davis was
known another man came to the front |
and admitted that he had killed Dan
Cummings and ]. C. Wilson, the sheep |
herders. This was JEFF ID. Gray, who |
had returned to Idaho to stand trial for /
a little shooting scrape from a San Joa-
quin ranch in this State. Gray told a
story Of an attack upon himself and
comrade by the two sheep herders at
n Don of February 4, two days after
"Gold Fields Jacks adventure. He |
described his quick work with his gun,
and how he killed the sheep herders /
with two bullets fired as rapidly as he
could pull the trigger. On the strength |
of his story a stay was granted TO Da-
Wis, and Gray was put on trial at Abb
on, the county seat of Cassia county.
Gray was acquitted on the plea Of self
defense, but the Pardon Board would /
not let Davis go. They seemed to feel
that there must be sacrifice for the
sheep herders. Then it was that the
writ was asked Of Judge Beatty, OF the
Circuit Court of Idaho, and, this being
refused, an appeal was taken.
Meanwhile the gallows has been
erected and stands outside Davis win
dow-the same one from which he
looked and heard the appeals of eoun-
sci for his freedom If he should fail
of this remedy Attorney John w. Dor
sey, who has fought the case, will take
it to the United States Supreme Court