The copper era., 1903-05-21
KILLING AT DOUGLAS.
One Officer Killed and Another
Seriously Wounded.

I-iitf--El 10 Rev Jew
At $50 Saturday night Deputy Con
stable Thomas Vaughn was instantly
killed and Constable Graham received
two bullet wounds in an attempt to ar
rest an unknown white man at Doug
las. The shooting was done with
lightning-like quickness, neither cf
the officers succeeding in drawing
their guns before they were shot. It
Is supposed that the murderer's name
Is Smith.
At 9.45 Mr.. Leroy. q Ninth street
merchant, called on Date Graham and
requested him to arrest suspicious
character in the neigh borbood OF his
place OF business. Officers Graham
and Vaughn Immediately went TO the
place indicated. and seeing the man on
Ninth street. in front Of Mrs. Wen
thoff's millinery establishment, placed
him under arrest: but before they
could secure him he jerked away,
pulled his pistol ana like flash opened
fire, killing Vaughn and gripping
Graham before either Of them could
reach their weapons. Presumably
they were expecting no resistance on
the strangers part, which made his
unexpected fire so successful.
As soon as he had accomplished his
deadly work he took to his heels and
made good his escape.
Graham recognized him as man
named Smith, who was formerly sus-
pected of an assault to commit murder
in this city. He is tall man, is very
slim.
Vaughn died before he struck the
pavement. Graham was at once taken
to his home in the north section Of
the city. Doctors Nye and Utz were
Immediately summoned, and after an
examination Of the wounded officers
hurts, pronounced his injuries not
necessarily fatal. The more serious
wound is the one caused by the ball
that lodged in Dates shoulder; the
wound he received in his right side
proved a mere scratch, having only
grazed his ribs. No spectators of the
shooting have been discovered; Ora
ham was the only witness of his fell
low officers death.
The man must have been an adept
with o sixshOOter, even allowing for
the unexpected suddenness OF his as
sault, for Date Graham is conceded to
be without peer in the southwest as
a man OF rapid action in tight places.
His courage is a known quantity in
this region. And the murdered
Vaughn was equally game. Had
either been forewarned. or even sus-
picious of the nature of the man they
attempted to arrest, no such result
could have occurred.
There is much excitement in Doug
las over the shooting. and if the out
law is captured the chances are that
he will be handled pretty roughly by
the crowd.
The facts are that Douglas, being
new and a booming town on the line,
is headquarters for hard lot of ras-
Gals, who operate along the line and
in Mexico 1t is also a fact that local
officers have not received the proper
encouragement and support from the
citizens OF the town. Tough char
acters have many friends in business
in Douglas, who do all they can to
protect them, and do not hesitate to
critlcise officers for doing their duty !
Douglas is fast gaining an uuenviable /
reputation along these lines, which
BODIES no good for its future. The
sooner the law-abding citizens OF
Douglas get together and make an J
EFFORT to stamp out the outlaw element
the better for them and the town. 1t |
will have to be done some day, and the J
longer it is put off the more trouble it |
will be to make the cleanup.
FVprythinu neat and clean at Central :