Arizona silver belt., 1906-12-02
DEFIANCE WAS
 THE ACCRESSOR
Another Story of Kelvin Mur- der Throws More Light
 on the Affair
Trouble Between DeVance and Roberts
 First Begun at Christmas Camp, Where DeVance Had Pulled Gun on Roberts-Busybody Cause of Killing.

The killing of John Roberts at Kel- win last Monday was precipitated by a busybody of that camp who managed to stir up an old enmity in the mind of Robert DeVance, otherwise known as Roach and Texas Bob, against Roberts, says the Republican. That the killing of Roberts was premeditated there can be little doubt At any rate, there is Go doubt that DeVance came to town to have trouble and was armed. as he always was
 Further details of the affair were brought to the city yesterday by per sons from Florence and Kelvin. II was stated by them that DeNance was not cowboy and had not been one for q long time. He had recently had no spe cial employment and was known as a gambler.
 The first trouble between him and Roberts occurred at Christmas camp Two men were engaged in fighting il, saloon and Roberts who had just en- tered, tried to separate them. De Vance pushed the muzzle of revolver against his breast and compelled him to desst. Later that day he insulted Rob erts. who told him that while he did not want trouble. if DeVance would lay his gun aside they would have if out with their fists. In further quarrel he struck DeVance in the face. They were then separated by bystandcrs,
 | ~ |, T.. ,f.s against Roberts, but they would prob | ably never have amounted to more than ! threats but for one thing. A great many people about Kelvin have re marked that they believed that De
 Vance was of negro blood. The village busybody told him that Roberts said he was half nigger.
 | On the midnight of last Monday he came into camp and tried to engage in a quarrel with Billy Gamble, the broth | eriulaw of Roberts. Gamble told him he was not fighting man, but that if ! he were forced into trouble with him 1 it would be made a very serious mat 1 ter. Then DeVance announced his in 1 tention of fixing Roberts.
 Gamble immediately informed Rob. ! crts of DeVance's threat and advised ] him to get a gun. Gamble had an old | smith X Wesson revolver loaded with 1 cartridges which had been in it for | three years. Arming himself with this 1 gun. Roberts went back to the saloon
 where he was employed and soon after ! " | to insult Roberts, who made no reply, | but going to an officer who was sitting | behind stove, he told him that De | Vance was armed and to take his gun away from him. The officer did moth. | ing. There was an altereation between | the men and DeVanee went out of the door, As he did so he began to pull
 his weapon. l. caught in his clothing,
 and was finally brought out with q
 jerk, when it was discharged It was this shot that killed the old Mexican l near by.
 DeVance then re entered the saloon
 with his gun drawn. Roberts met him at the door with his revolver in his ! hand. It was 10 be a fight to the death
 and Roberts put the muzzle of his gun against DeVance g breast and snapped | it. He snapped it the second time with
 the muzzle against DeVance' s head
 Then he received the fatal shot. Rob.
 crts fell to the floor and crawled behind | the bar, where Colt s revolver was
 kept He got it and crawled back to
 the door. DeVance was standing out
 side. some distance away, but within
 easy range. Roberts drew a line on him l but at that instant Justice of the Peace
 Hickey and Deputy Sheriff Peyton
 came up and also got within range.
 Roberts held his gun on the group and
 told Gamble that he would like to shoot
 but was afraid he would hurt an inno
 cent man. Gamble advised him not to shoot Roberts by that time weakened
 by the loss of blood rolled oyer in a | faint
 Roberts is said by all who knew him
 to have been of most peaceable dis
 position. His name, by the way, was
 not Roberts, but being stepson of Will | liam Roberts, who lives in the southern
 part of town, he was known by no other name from the time he was a small boy. DeVance was not arrested for the | killing, that is, he was not taken into custody, though after Gamble had sworn out a warrant charging him with | the killing of the old MeXicon, for Rob. erts did not die until the next day, the | local officers established a sort of sur veillance over DeVance. It is thought that his preliminary examination took place last night