The Glenwood post., 1905-12-23
DENVER TRAGEDY
MURDER OF WILLIAM J. WILSON,
MILLIONAIRE CATTLEMAN.
SLAYER COMMITS SUICIDE


tel-Was the Result of an Old
Grudge-Murderer a Well-known
Cowboy and Gambler.
Denver-Fulfilling a murderous vow
4 taken more than twenty years ago,
William Hensley. known on the plains
for thirty years as "Buttermilk Bill"
cowpuncher and frontiersman, killed
William J. Wilson, millionaire cattle
man and brother of Andrew Wilson
and John Wilson of this city, in the en-
trance to the Lewiston hotel. Eight
eenth and Stout streets, shortly before
O'Clock Wednesday afternoon. Then
turning the weapon upon himself
Hensley fired shot into his own head,
from the effects of which he died few
minutes after he had been taken TO ST
Luke's hospital. Three shots entered
Wilson's back, perforating the kidneys.
He lived just long enough to gasp the
| name of his assassin, and plead that
something be done to relieve his agony.
f.. X. Durand. business manager of
theatrical company was the only
witness to the shooting. According to
his statement five shots were fred by
| Hensley, with the practiced aim of
members of his calling, and five empty
| shells in the chamber of the .2S-caliber
revolver which lay by the murderer
and suicide bore out his assertion.
Wilson was caught like rat in
trap. In his effort to escape the bullets
| of his assassin he ran into blind pas
| sageway to the right of the stairway
| leading to the second floor OF the ho-
! tel. Hensley was close upon him. gun
in hand. Seeing that his victim could
not possibly escape him, he deliber-
| ately raised the weapon and with an
oath began firing.
Just as Wilson was falling Officer
Keyt and former Coroner Horan ran
| into the building. But before they
; could reach Hensley he had sent the
| fatal lead into his brain, and reeling
| fell, with his head on the lower step
| The officer ran to Hensley and took the
.3S-caliber revolver from his nerveless
hand Horan knelt over Wilson.
THAT gambler is killing me, Take
him away! For Gods sake. won't some
one stop him." gasped the dying man.
and in response to query he told his
name. And then he almost whispered,
| for his voice was ebbing away with his
| life, "Tall my brother Andy-and-csll
DR.. Grant-this pain is awful"
The trouble which eliminated in
| Wednesdays tragedy, according to
friends of both the principals in the af-
| fair, had its origin twenty years ago in
| the valley of the Republican river in
| the southeastern part of the state.
| Hensley was employed as a COW
puncher on the extensive ranch of the
| Wilson brother, for at that time Will
| liam Wilson and his brother Andrew
We're business partners. II was the
| custom among ranchers to have their
| employees locate on government land,
| and later for the former to buy out the
latter at a nominal sum.
Hensley is said to have taken up
| some land for Wilson, and according to
| the mutual understanding allowed his
| employer TO get possession of the prop
erty. It was the claim of Hensley that
the financial consideration of 5000,
which was to have been paid to him by
Wilson in consideration of his services,
was never forthcoming. Feeling that
he had been unjustly treated. he vowed
vengeance.
Il will kill that man and then kill
myself he is alleged to have fire.
quently declared. He cannot es-
cape me, and | will never be taken
alive"
otNeEdl times 11GUSlGy mas al
tempted to carry out his threat For
the past five years he has been drink
ing heavily, and when on his sprees he
| would come to Denver and hang around
the haunts of Wilson, with the de
clared intention of ending his life.
Twice the desperate cowboy has
been arrested at the solicitation of the
millionaire stockman on a charge of
threats. Four years ago he was taken
into custody in the hallway of the Err
nest & Cranmer building, whittier he
had traced his victim. He was heavily
armed. He told Captain of Detectives
Armstrong, who was at that time chief
of police, that he had been deeply
wronged by Wilson, and that sooner or
later he would kill him. Hensley was
never prosecuted for the alleged
threats against the life of Wilson, but
in every instance after he had sobcred
up he was released from jail. For sew
eral days, however, in 1902, an officer
was detailed from police headquarters
to shadow Hensley in order to forestall
any effort on his part to take Wilson's
life.