Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-11-20
Life Stou Of Tom Horn Who Shot Men for So Much Head

OFF AT THE GATE LEADING FROM
THE NICkELL PASTURE, AND
KILLED HIM TO PREVENT HIM
RUNNING TO THE HOUSE AND
RAISING A HE'LL OF A CoMMO-
TON"
SHOT IN THE BACK.
Willie Nickel received two bullets In
tho back, the shots being fired from
.S0-.s0 Winchester smOkeless powder,
from distance of nearly 400 yards.
The ASSASSIN was secreted behind a Pile
OF rocks on a little hill overlooking the
gate The boy had seen the murderer
and was hurrying back 10 the house.
He dismounted from his horse to open
the gate and he received the fatal
wounds just as he was about to mount
his horse. The animal wandered on
the prairie for two days, and was found
by a younger brother, who reported the
TACT TO his father, and II was then that
the body OF the murdered lad was
found.
After killing the boy, the murderer
moved the body down the road dis
lance of 600 feet tore open the shirt
and examined the wounds and then
placed q small stone under the head.
All tracks were obliterated by the muir
derer
THE MlLLERs SUSPECTED.
AT first the members OF the family OF
James Miller, next neighbors OF the
NicRells, We're suspected, and the faith
er and two sons were arrested and
brought to Cheyenne. They established
an abb and were released County At
torney Stoll set at work on the case,
to8 10
as the guilty party this theory was fol-
lowed out and little at time damaging
evidence against him was obtained. The
Millers and Nlckells had had frequent
fights. and both sides had threatened
the other with death, and for these rea-
sons the suspicion against Horn was
not strong until after the prosecution
gave an inkllng OF It's evidence against
him.
BECOMES GARRALOUs.N
After the coroner's jury had returned
verdict that While Nickel came -
his death at the hands OF persons un-
known Horn having testified and told
a straightforward story, the cattle de-
tective became bold and spent much Of
his time IN drunken carousals about
town.
LA FoRS' CLEVER TRAP.
Joe La Fors. deputy United States
marshal, had been working on the case,
and believing Horn to be guilty he set
about laying trap for him. Under the
belief that La Fors had secured Il posi-
ton for Horn In Montana, the latter
went with the deputy to La Fors' Of
fee on the afternoon OF Jan. H. 1902.
Deputy Sheriff Snow and Stenographer
Ohnhaus were secreted In an inner
room and heard all that Horn and La
Fors said. La Fors talked about kill
ings on the ranges and by way OF lead
ing up TO the Nickel murder said:
HORNS CONFESSION.
"IIow about that murder, Tom?
have keat track Of you on the other
cases. but | must confess that after
working on this case for a long time
could not ascertain how you come to
Kill that boy"
well, | suppose It was like this"
remarked Horn. THE kid was coming
up the draw that leads to Nickells
house, and when he saw the man that
was there to do the killing he tried to
get back to the ranch, The man realized
that the kid would create a disturbance,
got back behind pile OF rocks and as
the kid came along gave II to him"
Questions were put to Horn by La
Fors. and little by little the detective
drew from Horn every detail of the
crime. Some of Horns admissions
follow.
II never leave a trail / always go
barefotted when on a case Of this
kind No. the ground did not bother
me My feet were cut up some but
/ usually have ten days to rest after
job of this kind.
81 was about 800 yards away when
l shot the kid.
HIS DlRTIEST. JOB.
Il used 1890. | like It better than
any other. 1t carries true to the mark
/ thought once that the kid would get
away from me- but nailed him. 1t
was the finest shot | ever made and the
| dirtest job | ever done,
Yves, get hungry on these trips
some time, but | get used TO Il. | get
so darned hungry sometimes that
could kill my mother for some grub.
mo, / did not leave any shells behind
| for the id officers 90 pick up. did
| that once, but the officers didn't have
sense enough then to follow the trail.
HIS FIRST VICTIM.
"The first man | ever killed was a
second lieutenant In the Mexican army
| | was then 26 years old and new at the
business, but | got accustomed to 1t
after awhile"
How much did you get for killing
Powell and Lewis2" was asked
81 got $500 each for those Jobs"
he was paid the money on the train
between Cheyenne and Denver. When
asked how much he got for the Nickel
killing. Horn said
S2,10O IN BLOOD MONEY.
II got $500 for that. or t2l0O for kill
ing three people and shooting at one
man Ave times" Powell and Lewis
are supposed TO be the dead men, and
! Kels Nickel, who was Aired upon by a
| hidden assassin q few weeks after his
boy was killed, and wounded In two