Bisbee daily review., 1907-03-06
WHEELER GIVES STATEMENT ID
 PRESS
Tracy'S TreacheD Almost Proved Death of the
 Ranger Lieutenant.

Following the sensational shooting last week at Benson between Ranger Lieutenant Harry Wheeler and J. A Tracy. which resulted in the death of Tracy, the following statement was made by Wheeler:
 T was eating breakfast and was called out by H. E. Castaneda and he informed me that a man and woman were in trouble with a man that had followed them and had threatened to kill them. He took me to their room and 1 met Mir. Si.verton In the hall. way and he told me that this man Tracy had followed them and was waiting for them with a gun in his pocket. This man had threatened to kill them previously, that they wished to leave, but were afraid to go to the train, and asked me for my gun for self-protection, as he feared that this man would kill him as he was a des- perate man and had killed men be- fore. 1 refused and asked him if he was telling me the truth, and he him. self claimed to be unarmed. I asked him where this man was. and at this instant the negro porter of the ho-
 
 him that this man was laying for him. Silverton took me down 10 the east end of the platform of the depot and pointed this man Tracy out to me, who wss walking up and down be. tween the passenger train and a box car. He, Silverton, again asked me for my gun, saying that he was very much afraid of this man. as he knew that Tracy would kin him and his wife. refused told him I would go and see this man, and for him and his wife to get on the train and to be sure that l would protect them and would see that they would not get hurt. l walked up to this man Tracy, who was standing on the car step, and about this time MT. and Mrs. Sill verton started towards the train. 1 was then about five feet from Tracy and to one side. I was between him and the Virginia hotel, and as Sill verton and wife came into view, l was so situated that to look at him had to lean my head. The instant that he saw me he jumped of the step and pulled a gun about four or five inches from his pocket and start. ed toward MT. and Mrs. Silverton. SpOhS lO hlii, dIIeSl gDu, give u16 that gun He shot at me which struck my coat and backed of to. wards them. The next shots, his second and my first, were about simul. taneous. He kept backing away shooting at me and I at him, his third and fourth shots hitting me l believe that I had cartridge left in my gun when he called out to me saying My gun is empty. and I am all in l started toward him as I did not want to kill him as he had told me his gun was empty and he was all in. l laid my gun down, and to the best of my knowledge and belief he shot at me twice after telling me that his gun was all in. By this time had left my gun with cartridge in it and started toward him He shot at me and I threw rocks and sticks and anything I got hold of. He repeated again I am all in; my gun is empty l knew it was empty az I heard 1t snap. I went up to him and put my hand on his right shoulder and arrested him, again I demanded his gun. We were both very weak he tried to keep his gun from me bystanders assisted me in taking the gun from him. I delivered the prison CT to Deputy Sheriff W. Shillian, then sent for both Doctors Powell and Morrison"