Rocky Ford enterprise., 1905-12-29
DENVER TRAeEOY
MURDER OF WILLIAM }. WILSON,
MILLIONAIRE. cATTLEMAN.
SLAYER COMMITS SUICIDE

~''~~'w 'e~Ss s'esS ~ ~vWtshSV
tsi-Wss the Result Of an Ole
orudse-Murdsrsr . ws'i.kne~n
Cowboy and Gambler.
Denver.-Ruihiiing a murderous vow
taken more than twenty years ago,
William Hensiey. known On the plains
for thirty years as ''iiuttermiik Bill
eowpuneher and fronIiersman, killed
william j, Wilson. millionaire cattle
man and brother of Andrew Wilson
and Joha Wilson OF this city. In the en-
franc. 10 III. Lewiston hotsi. Eight
zenith and Stout streets, shortly before
o'clock "Wednesday afternoon. Then
turning the weapon upon himself.
iicnsiey fired a shot into his own head.
from the effects of which he died few
minutes after he had been taken tn 81,
i.uke's hospital. Three shots entered
Wilson's back. perforating ths kidney
He lived Just long enough to gasp III.
name OF his assassin. and plead that
something he done to relieve his agony.
y. IT, Durand. business manager az
a theatrical company. was IN. only
witness TO the shooting. According to
his statement nv. shots were fred by
iicnsl.y. with III" practie.i aim az
members OF his calling. and nv. empty
shells In III. chamber of tho -iscalib"F
revolver which lay by the murderer
and suicide bore out his assertion.
Wilson Was caught like rat Ia a
trap. In his effort To escape th- bullets
oi his assassin he ran Into u blind pas
sas.~ay to the right Of the stairway
leading to the second floor OF the h"'
tel. Hcnslcy was Gloss upon him. gun
In hand. Seeing that his victim could
not possibly escape him. he dclib"f'
at.ly raised the weapon and With an
oath began firing.
Just AS Wilson. was falling Oric"r
k.yt and former Coroner Koran ran
into tho building. hut before they
could reach H"nSlcy no had sent III"
fatal Lead into his brain. and rceiinE'
fell. with his head ON the lower HtoP.
The officer ran to HcnSicy and took ih.
.;S.caiibcr revolver from his ncrSclcss
hand Koran knclt over Wilson.
THAT gambler IL killing moi TAKE
him away! For Gods sake. won't some
one stop him." Raspcd the dying man.
and In response to u query he told his,
name. And then he almost whispered.
for his voice was cbbing away with HIS
life. "Tsli my brother Andy-and-chl
DIR. Grnnt-this pain is awful"
Tn. 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 Ia
the southeastern part Of the state.
Hcnslcy was employed mn n COW
punchcr on the extensive ranch OF the
Wilson brother. for mt that time WI
liam Wilson and his brother Andrew
were business partners, II was tn"
custom among ranchcrs TO have their
employees locate on government lane.
and later for tho former to buy out I'll.
! latter Mt nominal sum.
Hcnslcy liz said to have taken mr.
| some land for Wilson, and according TO
the mutual understanding allowed his
employer to get possession OF the prop
cr,y. II was the claim Of Hcnslcy that
| the financial consideration OF $500.
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.
II will XIII that man and then kill
myself" he is alleged to have FIRE
| quently declared. He cannot cs-
| cape me. and I will never be- taken
alive
Several times Hcnslcy has at
| tempted to carry out his threat. For
the past Ave years he has been drink
Ing heavily. and when on his sprecs he
WOulu come 10 benNeT anu nhIg aTounu
the haunts Of Wilson. with the de
clnred intention of ending his life.
Twice the desperate cowboy has
been arrested ut 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 4 Cranmer building. whittier he
had traced his victim. He was heavily
armed. He told Captain OF DetectiveH
Armstrong. who was at that time CHIEF.
OF police. that he had been deeply!
wronged by Wilson, and that sooner OF
later he would kill him. Hensley waE
never prosecuted for the alleged
threats against the life OF Wilson, but
In every instance after he had sobereo
up he was released from Jail. For ser-
eral days, however, IN 1902. an Office!
was detailed from police headquarters
to shadow Hensley in order to foresta3
any effort on his part to take Wilson's
life.