The San Francisco call., 1905-04-09
.LY YNCHERS
RACE WITH
A SHERIFF
Fooled in an Attempt to
Avenge the Brutal Murder
of a Former Treasurer
of a Colorado County
SEQUEL TO ARREST
MADE IN OAKLAND

TRINIDAD. Colo, April s.-The
assassination OF former County Treas
uTer John H Fox by Deputy Sheriff
Joseph Johnson; an attempt at lynch
ing, frustrated by Sheriff Richard
Davis and posse, and, later, a race be-
tween the Sherin and posse with the
prisoner for a special train and a mob
OF 1000 men bent upon vengeance,
were the wild scenes enacted IN Trini-
dad this afternoon.
The assassination OF Fox was the
most cold-blooded murder ever COM
mitted in Las Animas County. Fox
was standing at.a desk in the lobby OF
the postofhce reading a newspaper,
with his back to the door. Johnson
entered, six-shooter in hand, and,
without the least warning, sneaked up
behind Fox and fired. The bullet en-
tered behind the left ear and came out
Of the forehead, passed through glass
door into the elevator lobby, grazing
the head Of a man standing in the ele-
vsltor. Fox fell backward, dead, and
Johnson coolly walked from the post
Office and started toward the County
Jail. He was arrested by another Dep
uty Sheriff and placed in the County
Jail.
The news Of the assassination spread
like wildfre and soon a mob of 1000
men gathered in front Of the postof-
fee, making threats Of lynching. When
the body Of Fox was carried by the
mob and placed in an undertaker's
wagon the sight seemed to turn them
70 frenzy, and a rush was made for the
County Jail, amid loud cries of Lynch
the murderer" In the meantime the
Sheriff swore in fifty deputies. who
surrounded the jail, and when the mob
reached within a half-block Sheriff
Davis halted il and said:
AS Sheriff I am sworn to protect NV
prisoners. I viii kill the first man
who attempts TO come up those steps.
If you get johnson it will be over my
dead body"
This had the effect OF checking the
mob, which lacked a leader, and, after
muttering vengeance for an hour. it
left ana reformed in front Of the post
Office, when plans for q lynching were
openly discussed. Several prominent
citizens addressed the gathering and
during the time Sheriff Davis secured
q special train on the Colorado and
Southern. Later Johnson, surrounded
by deputies, started from the fail on
a dead run for the waiting train three
blocks away.
This news reached the mob, which
started pellmell after the posse, grow
ing in numbers en- route, until fully
300 men had gathered. The Sheriff
succeeded in getting his prisoner on
board, but when the train started the
mob was less than twenty yards away.
A thrilling experience occurred after
the train had started, the excited mob
cUrsing and throwing rocks, but fortu-
nately no shooting was done. After the
train had run about 800 yards a coup
ling broke. When the mob saw the en-
gine leaving the caboose II rushed for
q nd axyfr o%-
tention to the command Of the posse to
halt. when the engine was again coupled
and made a successful dash.
Before being placed on the train
Johnson was asked for a statement.
He said:
I killed Fox because 1 was mad He
prevented me from going after Shoblo
because he said I would aid him to es-
cape. We had some words this morn
ing"
Joseph johnson was a deputy Sheriff
and il had been proposed to send him
to California with the reQuisition for
Vidal ShOblO, who had been arrested
there on the charge of having embez-
o. zled $1,000 Of the county's funds when
clerk in the Treasurer's Office. Fox
had made an objection to sending
Johnson on this errand, on the ground
that he was related to Shoblo.
Fox was prominent politician and
had many friends. He served three
terms as Treasurer Of Las Anfmas
County and was a candidate before the
Democratic State Convention last fall
for the nomination of State Treasurer.
Johnson acted as bodyguard for Sen
atOr Caesar Barela during the cam
paign last fall and while the Legisla-
ture was in session at Denver. Barela
was a Democrat for many years, but
vas reelected State Senator last year
as the Republican candidate.