The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1899-03-30
SAYS HE is NOT DEAD
Tom McClintock Was Not
Killed by Curtis Smith.
HOW He HAS REFORMED
Writes the Eagle From Los
Angeles, California.

Thomas McClintick, formerly Of wich-
tia but now in California, writes the Eagle
that he is not dead. A few weeks ago
the dispatches stated he had been killed
ed by Curtis E. Smith Smith in a saloon
in Los Angeles on the afternoon Of Feb
ruary q, while Smith as on spree, and
the Eagle gave a full account Of the trou-
bic. 1t now appears that McClintick's es-
cape from death was almost miraculous,
but nevertheless a reality, for he lives to
tell his own story. What will be more
pleasing to many, however, is McClinticks
word that he has reformed and is not the
bad man he was while he lived in this
city, at which time it is said he was one
OF the toughest characters about town.
McClintick's letter to the Eagle Is as fol-
lows:
''Los angeles, Cal, March 18th, 1899.
To the reporter of the Daily Eagle Dear
sir from clipen was sent TO me from the
eagle I see that you have got my case
wrong now L am going to tell you all
about it and I win tell you the truth
which you can depend on for 1 am not
as I ust TO be have reformed have been
working ever since 1 have been heare I
was a motorman for years and for
about half and now I am running Shoe
shop on 5th street I have been married
one year and a half and 1 don't drink
once in a while take a glass of beer on
feb 21st Smith was drunk and came to my
shop and wanted me to go across the
street and take a drink 1 did so Smith
was back and was trying TO pawn his
watch to man that was going to start
to utah the next morning and I did not
want to see him loose his watch so took
it and told him would give it TO him the
next morning and they was no words
passed atall and ne went out and came
back with 2 guns and pointed one at my
head and demanded the watch and 1 gave
it to him then he STEPPED back and shot
me / was setting in a chair when I fell
on the floor he was going to shoot me
again but was caught by the saloon keep
err and he took one of the guns from Smith
and he tried to shoot the saloon man with
the other gun but he and the bar keeper
took the gun from and as for me taking
it that would be impossible for took 1t in
the presents of or men and never had
anything of his a tall or neither did
give him 70 cts on the watch I did not
give him cent now as far as him having
trouble in wichita is not so for we never
had word In my life We were always good
friends and he made my shop his loafng
place he was in my shop every day nearly
half of his time when he wasn't working.
Smith told my friends when I was in the
hospital that 1 was the best friend he over
had now this will come out in the trial
If we have ever had any trouble 1 will try
and get the particular of the trial and
send them to you that is If you want them
Well I don't think it right that 1 should
be rosted as 1 have been by the Eagle for
I have been working hard to support my
mother and wife but I don't blame the
Eagle L suppose you publish just what
you hear Well am still alive was IN the
hospital one month from the 21st of feb
to the 21st OF march and am now at
home and UP so as to walk up town ever
day I will send you some of the clippens
and If they Is anything published about
me you will do me favor by siepd me
one of the clipens so I will close yours
very Resp J T McClintick 4S7 San pedro
Street Los angeles Cal"
At the time of the shooting IL was
thought McClintick had been killed. He
did not regain consciousness for quite a
while after the wound was inflicted. and 1t
required the most remarkable surgical op-
Grafton to relieve him. as the following
taken from a Los Angeles paper will |
show:
Thomas McClintick, the man who was |
shot in the abdomen by his friend, Curtis |
2. Smith, on the afternoon of Tuesday, |
February p, at a saloon on the corner of |
Fifth and Los Angeles streets, has passed |
the critical stage and is rapidly recover |
Ing.
His case is a remarkable one His in |
testines were punctured in seven places /
by the bullet from Curtis's pistol. Three 4
Of the punctures were sewed up by the /
operating surgeon. DR.. Ralph Hagan. and /
1 section of the intestines four inches in /
ength. containing four punctures. was re-
moved entirely, the ends being joined to- /
yether by a Murphy button.
''As only about one patient in every 500 |
who have received wounds in that nature I
EVER recover. Or. Hagan held out little I
nope to the friends and relatives Of NJ /
but yesterday morning at the I
Good Samaritan hospital. where the oper-
alton was performed, The Murphy button /
vas recovered from the patient showing |
hat the internal wounds have healed. and /
he is now considered out Of danger.
The button thrown of by nature after
he joining and healing Of the severed in
estine. was recovered from the patient /
llst ten days and a half after the opera
ion was performed, and Dr. Hagan. Nc
-lintiek and Curtis can ali be congrasu-
ated on the successful outcome CT the
Doctors skill