The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-10-04
jim BARRY, BAD MAN, DEAD
ONCE HE TRIED TO kTLL MAURICE
BIRRTMORE, THE ICTOR.

BARRTMORE, THE ACTOR.
Missed Barrymore but shot n Member Of
His Company Dcad-Soldier. Scout and
Gambler. and One of the Handicst Men
In the West with n Pistol - Died at Last
of Heart Disease.
SPOKANE, Wash, Sept 30 Jim Cusry,
famous as orc Of the most daring scouts Of the
West aud notorious as n"bad man" during the boom
days in western Kansas and Texas dropped dead
OF heart disease in this city last Sunday morning
Curry is the man who attempted 10 kill Maurice
Barrymore the actor, but missed him nnd killed
instead Dick Porter a member OF the lattcrs com
pany. Curry was horn in Iceland but was brought
to this country in his early youth. Ills parents
settled in Indiana and Curry made his home in
that State until the breaking out Of the war. He
was attracted To The railroad business and he bCgan
working IN the rOundhuuses while still boy He
had rot yet secured his engine When hostititS
started but as soon as the first call FOR volunteers
was issued lie gave up work and enlisted
Curry served through the war and a, its con
clu$nn was discharged with honor pom his
return home lie was unable Ia secure situation
and driftet West. landing. after several weeks Of
wandering. in Hayes city Kan. which was then
a scene Of wild excitement. II MAS the terminus
Of the Kansas x Pacific Railroad and was naiur-
ally centre Of business, stage lines carrying the
traffic on from there to Denver, Santa Fc and
OTHER more Western towns, The Indians Of west
crn Kansas did not approve Of the railroad, and
devoted all their energies and time To making
existence interesting for the employees OF the
corporation Trains were ditched, ties burned
and miles Of track torn up The indians would
lie beside the tracks and wait for the trains and
would welcome them with fusil,ades Of shots To
fort of he a nd rev
The officials 81 the company had trouble finding
a man with courage enough To pull train until
Jim Curry came along. AS soon he reached
Hayes city he applied FOX II job and was assigned
To draw one Of the trains across the bad lands
post le held for several years II was the Gus
tom after leaving larker the border ui the Indian
territory, Ia put out all the lights and pull down
the blinds, So that the train would not be seen by
the Indians Without headlight Jim Curry
would 81. in the cab and pull his train across the
dangerous country into Hayes city at full speed.
In 1868 the Indians became more troublesome
than ever and that whole country was in II fever
of excitement. Curry left his engine aud organ.
lied a band of fighters. known as Jim Curry's
scouts. In August Of that year Il" fought the
and his and Of ifty men were surrounded uil
an open plain by Chief Roman Nosr and 300"
WARRIORS. Escape seemed impossible. Draw
ing his men up In small circle. Curry ordered
all the horses ked Behind the barrcade form
ell bS their bodies the scouts dug trenches and,
days they kept oil the horde Of redskins,
During all that time they had nothing to eat but
down with searching heat but they managed
Ia secure little water by digging well with
their knives ON the first nigh, Of the siege
two of the scouts stole out in search Of aid The
next night two more followed them for fear that the
Others might have been killed or captured. Late
on the afternoon Of the eighth day endorsements
upr. Tod
-. After the Indian war Curry returned to Hayes
City. and. although hc became very popular,
he soon made II reputation as n dangerous gun"
man. One day while playing poker with q gam
bier named G ilmur- he became inrensed and threat
tned to shot GilmoE,,s tongue off, Gilmore
pursued by Curry. Gilmore turned and said:
For GYds sake; Jim. don't sh9o'% but as he
pistol in and pulled the trigger The ball cut
Gilmores tongue of The gambler did not
die Of the wound
The story that Curry once backed down Wild
Bin Is not correct, said man VINO knew them
both in talking about the dead van. bill and
in Paddy Weichs saloon. Curry said 10 Bill:
This town is not large enough for both Of us
Come on! On The sidewalk and will fight YOU
you and are old time friends I do not want
TO have any trouble with you. | will not fight.
but whenever you want to shoot commence
That was all there was toit Both lived in the town
for some time afterward. although each kept
out OF the way Of the other as much possible
Kansas City, paid Hayes city visit lie was
cordially welcomed by Curry. .Jennison
wearing silk hat that pleased the Western man,
ana lie expressed a desire 10 have one like it
, When | go back To Kansas cry said the
Colonel, i will have one made and sen, to You"
In due time the hat arrived but for some reason.
probably an oversight, it came G. o. d.. a cir
cumStance which Immediately aroused Currys
wrath. \ few days later he had a msunder-
standing with negro and killed him. The body
was put IN rough box and expressed to Col. ,Irn-
nison at Kansas City, C.. o. ID.
In time Hayes City became too civilized for
Curry, and when there began To be talk Of legal
punishment for murder he moved on 10 Ellsworth.
One morning he got into street fight there and
after 1t was all over and the smoke began TO clear
away it was found that six highly respected cit
liens Of Ellsworth were dead and several more
wounded Curry YVES unframed. This Incl
dent naturally annoyed the PEOPLE of Ellsworth.
and they soon managed to make life so unCom-
Portable for Curry that he decided TO move on.
he drifted down To Texas and started a restaurant
as engineer on the Texas 4 Pacific Railroad II
was about this time that he made the attack upon
Maurice Barrymore.
The train was standing at Marshall one day
when the actor and engineer became engaged in
conversation Barrymore made remark that
aroused Curry's hasty temper, and he at once
whipped out his revolver and fired Barrymore
escaped, but the bullet struck Dick Porter, mem
Der Of his company, killing him instn ntly. Curry
fired again before he was over powered and placed
under arrest, After long trial, Curry was lib
Grated.
This incident seemed 10 take all the bravado
and dash out Of Curry. 1t was the first time he
had been in the utches Of the law, and his spirit
seemed 10 have been cowrd by the experience
After he left Marshall he driftcd about the West,
leading comparatively quiet life. and never re-
vealing his identity unless compelled To- To
guard against his old failing he gave up carrying
and since then he had conducted himself as a
peaceful citizen.