Arizona republican., 1905-04-10
A TRAGEDY Al TRINIDAD
The Bloody Revenge of a Deputy
 Sheriff.

Trinidad. Colo, April S-John H. Fox, former county treasurer was kill ed in the pOstofice here yesterday by Joseph Johnson, 2 local politician
 Johnson shot Fox in the back of the head when he was reading a letter. Johnson was deputy sheriff and it had been reported that he was to be sent to California with 9 rccuisition for Vidal Shoblo. who had been arrested there on a charge of having embezzled SIOO0 of the county's funds when a clerk in the treasures office
 Fox had made objection to sending Johnson on this errand on the around that he was an intimate friend of Sho- blo's and the fact that both were Mex jeans, the deputy might be influenced to allow the alleged defauIter escape. This opposition on the part of Fox had the effect of cancelling the appoint ment by the county commissioners and another man was sent in Johnson's place. Johnson resented this action and this is supposed to have been his motive for killing Fox.
 Johnson placed a revolver to Fox's ear and fired, the bullet passing clear through the latter's head, crashing through a glass door and grazing the head of man riding in an elevator in the further part of the building. A young woman and little girl were the only witnesses to the tragedy. John son, immediately after shooting Fox surrendered to Sheriff Davis and was placed in jail under a strong guard as a mob of 1000 persons quickly form ed with the avowed purpose of lynch ing the murderer. The frenzied men were met by Sheriff Davis and a guard of deputies armed with rifles and re- volvers on the court house lawn and ordered to disperse but they stubborn ly held their ground.
 In the meantime Sheriff Davis en- gagged a special train for Pueblo and ordered his chief deputy to swear in fifty additional men to assist in re moving Johnson from the jail to the depot. With a cordon of deputies thrown about the prisoner forming a complete protection for him. mad rush was made for the train, before the mob at the further end of the building had been made aware of the plans of Sheriff Davis. When the flight of the prisoner and deputies was observed the angered men made wild dash and were hot on the heels of officers and before half the distance to the train had been covered there Wre fully 2500 men in the crowd. Johnson was rush ed on the train and a signal given to start when the mob was scarcely twen- ty yards away. After the train had run about 300 yards a coupling broke and the men who had been left be- hind observing that the engine had cut loose from the caboose made a mad dash ahead but for the second time were foiled. The train this time pro- ceeded without mishap and the mob reluctantly dispersed.
 Johnson will be lodged in the county jail at Pueblo for safe keeping. John H. Fox served three terms as county treasurer of Las Animas county and was a candidate before the last demo- cratic convention for state treasurer. Johnson acted as a body guard for Senator Casimero Barela during the campaign last fall and while the legisla- ture was in session in Denver.
 When on the train Johnson said. "I killed Fox because I was mad. He prevented me from going after Shob- To and said I would aid him to escape. We had some words this morning. but I will not tell anything else at this time"