The Farmington times and herald. (Farmington, St. Francois Co., Mo.) 1902-1905, 1903-08-20
LESS ROSS KILLED.
Doe Runs Tough Character Shot by
lobe Francis at 0'Sulliyan's So.
loon tuesday.
TESTIMONY is BAD FOR FRANCIS.

At 12:l2 o'clock Tuesday after
noon Doe Run witnessed another
tragedy and another of st. Fran
co.'s county's noted characters pas
sed in his checks. Less Ross was
shot three times by lobe Francis
and died almost instantly. The
shooting occurred in the road in
front of Dan O'Sullivan's saloon
the old Bono stand, and according
to the testimony produced at the
coroner's inquest, was evidently
premeditated by Jim and TObe
Francis. Ross seemed to be on
the defensive until hard pressed
when he offered a desperate resist,
anCe.
The killing grew out Of fight
ten days ago between Bill and
Less Ross and Jim Francis, in
which Less Ross hammered Fran
els over the head with the but end
Of revolver. Francis swore re
venge and Tuesday morning he
and his brother. lobe, started out
to get it.
About 1890 O'Clock Tuesday
morning they put in an appearance
At Sullivan $ saloon at Hamilton
town, a short distance from Doe
RIM. Less Ross was at the bar
drinking, when the Francis boys
came in. They at once began
drinking and making threats
against Ross. John Sullivan, who
was tending bar, told Ross to leave
which he did.
- Jim and lobe Francis then grew
boisterous and began to brag about
what they were going to do to
Ross. Sullivan talked to them
and warned them not to start any
trouble.
After a half hour they left the sd.
loon and went back to Doe Run to
the saloon kept by Dan O'Sullivan
and inquired for Ross. Ross was
in the restaurant just across the
road kept by Lige Lumpkey. With
him was his sweetheart, Matte
Martin. O'Sullivan sent word &c
him to stay inside, as the Francis
boys were looking for trouble.
The Francis boys remained in the
saloon drinking and making threats.
Finally Geo. Bourgeois took them
out hack OF the saloon and gave
them long talk. This had no eff
feet, and when they came back into
the saloon they became very bois-
ferrous. Bourgeois then got his re-
volver fom behind the bar and Or
dered them ont, at the same time
pushing them to the front door.
AS they came out of the door at
the saloon, Less Ross, with a bottle
of beer in his hand, came out OF
the restaurant accompanied by Mat
tie Martin.
When the Francis boys saw Ross
they started across the road cursing
him. Ross waved them back three
times while they were approaching
him, and told them he did not want
any trouble. They kept coming
and finally, when but few steps,
Jim told Tobe to shoot him. lobe
pulled his revolver half way out of
his pocket and Ross threw the beer
bottle at him, at the same time
crouching low and running into
him to clinch. The testimony diff
fers as to whether Ross opened his
knife ut this time or not. Matte
Martin says that she did not see it,
while Bourgeois states that it was
open.
Just as Ross and lobe Francis
clinched the latter fred his revol-
yer, according to the testimony of
Matte Martin. The bali struck
Ross in the left side between the Sth
and 9th ribs and ranged down.
Then Ross began cutting at Fran
els. Several gashes were inflicted
on the right side of Francis throat
and on the right temple. Francis
shot second time and third time,
when Ross fell dead. The second
ball entered on the right side be-
tween the 9th and 9th ribs aud pen
etrated the body, and was taken out
of Ross back at the inquest. The
third ball entered the top Of the
right shoulder and ranged down
through the lung, stomach and
bowels. Either of the three shots
were probably fatal.
Immediately after the fight Tbos.
Dees, constable. arrested the two
Francis brothers and held them un-
til Sheriff Murphy arrived from
Pennington. They were brought
in about $50 O'Clock and placed in
Jail.
The inquest was held from 4 tC