The Elbert County tribune., 1905-12-28
DENVER TRAGEDY
MURDER OF WILLIAM J. WILSON.
MILLIONAIRE cATTLEMAN.
SLAYER COMMITS SUICIDE

Shooting Takes Place at Lewiston Ho-
tel-Was the Result Of an Old,
Grudse-Murderer Weii-known'
Cowboy and Gambler.
Denver.-Fulfilling murderous VOW
taken more than twenty years ago.
William Hensley. known on the plains
for thirty years as "Buttermfik 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
5 o'clock Wednesday afternoon. Then
turning the weapon upon himself.
Hensley fired a shot into his own head.
from the effects of which he died a 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. r. Durand, business manager of
a theatrical company, was the only
witness to the shooting. According to
his statement five shots were fired by
Hensley, with the practiced aim of
members of his calling. and FIVE empty
shells in the chamber of the .3Scalioer
revolver which lay by the murderer
and suicide bore out his assertion
Wilson was caught like rat in n
trap. In his effort to escape the bullets
of his assassin he ran into a 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 mel 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, ''Tsll my brother Andy-and-cal
DR.. Grant-this pain is awful"
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 cow
puncher on the extensive ranch of the
Wilson brother, for at that time VIII
liam Wilson and his brother Andrew
were business partners. 1t 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 mp
some land for Wilson, and according to
the mutual understanding allowed his
employer to get possession of the prop
erty. 1t 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 1 will never be taken
alive
Several times Hensley has at
leHpteu 10 carry out HIS threat OF
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 n 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 sobered
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.