Arizona weekly journal-miner., 1903-02-11
A PRINTER SHOT
Frank Spence Shoots l. ]. Simmons a Prinier-Miner, in
 the Head
During Drunken Quarrel at Spsnce's Cabin-Both Men m Jail-Sim-
 mons Hiii Recover.

About F o'clock last night. just
 after the force at the Courier office
 had completed the work on this morn
 ing's issue, and the printers were sit
 ting around the stove, Frank E. Me
 Laughlin, a pre- nan, who had been
 in Prescott few days, came rushing
 into the office. without hat or coat,
 with arms in the air, hair standing
 on end and coveIo! with ice, and af-
 ter few moments was able to get his
 breath sufficiently to tell that
 Shorty Simmons had been shot and was probably dead. He was at once taken to the sheriff's office where he told his story, which was to the effect that he and Simmons had started to walk to Phenix about ' o'clock last night, going down the railroad track. When they had gone about five miles they saw light at cabin short distance from the track and thought they would stop and get a drink of water. While they were at the we'll man came to the door and invited them to come in as it was too cold for man to be out at that time of night. As the thermometer was hugging the zero mark pretty close they gladly accepted the invitation. They found another man in the cabin and all four of them were soon hay ing jolly time before the big blaze in the fire place with jug of whiskey in the center of the group. Several rounds of hot toddy were indulged in until the party were becoming drowsy under the influence of the liquor, when they all laid down on some skins and blankets before the fire Simmons and Frank Spence, for it was he who had invited them in. got into drunken quarrel over some tri- vial matter when Simmons applied vile epithet to Spence who sprang up like a flash. grabbed a Winchester rife and fired the ball missing Sim mons and striking a log in the fire, scattering fire all over the hearth. In a moment another shot rang out and the blood spurted from Simmons head, showing that the ball had hit its mark. By this time Mclaughlin had escaped from the room and after going few feet stopped a moment, when Spence came to the door and called out that he wanted to 'kill 1 sufficient to put speed into McLaugh- lin's legs and he star 'd sor town as hard as he could rUn, uever stopping | till he landed in the Courier office.
 Under Sheriff Platt and Deputy Joe Campbell started at once in 8 rig for | the scene of the shooting and on ar irving there went up to the door of | the cabin and called to Spence to come out. He opened the door. con trary to the expectation of the off cers and told the officers to come in. l On entering the officers saw Simmons | lying on the floor in a pool of his own blood. while blood Utterly GOV cred the floor and old blankets on which he lay, and blood was still | running from two ugly looking | wounds in the head. one in the back, | where the ball had entered and one in | the forehead. where the ball had | travelled around the skull, under the skin and came out.
 On being asked what was the trou- ble Spence said that some one had | struck Simmons in the head with | coaling fork and that he had come up to his cabin bleeding like stuck pig, but it only took a glance to see that | the story was too thin and Spence | was arrested.
 A search of the premises revealed 1 two rifles, the one which had just | been used and which still contained | several shells, and an old Spencer rife.
 The prisoner and his victim were loaded into the rig and brought to town. Spence was locked up and physician summoned who dressed | Simmons wounds, which were found not to be or serious nature.
 Spence's preliminary hearing was being conducted by Justice Talbot this afternoon at time of going to | press. Simmons was able to be put | on the stand but knew very little of the circumstance as he was intoxi- | cated before the shooting and knew nothing after the shot was fired until he was loaded into the rig to be brought to town.