Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-03-13
MARSHAL SHOT
AT BRIGHTON
KILLED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO
ARREST MEN BREAKING
INTO PosToFFicE.
MURDERER ESCAPES
LARGE REWARDS OFFERED FOR
CAPTURE OF THE GUILTY
PARTIES.

Denyer-A dispatch from brighton.
nineteen miles north of Denver, FRIDAY
night sayn: Made target by an un'
known man concealed behind an ASH
pit, while sttempiin. 10 arrest Two
other men In the act Of breaking in'o
the postoffice, J. Del Ellis. night mar
shaI OF Brighton. was fatally shot NJ
.: 80 o'clock this morning and died Two
hours later on train while being
taken TO Denver to be placed In hos
pitai.
Posses have been searching the sur.
rounding country all day and several
parties ARE out tonight.
The jail ut Brighton tonight con
iains no less than Two dozen suspects
who have been arrested throughout
this section of the country today ana
tonight by various ssarchin. parties
and dc,ectiyer. and oflicsrs are NJ work
trying to secure any information that
may lead to the finding OF the guilty
parties.
Several Of those apprehended were
examined by Deputy District Attorney
e. a. Garard tonight with the result
that two men arc being closely guarded
and will be held for further csamina'
,ion.
been stirred to such n pitch of excite
mcnt ax nj present and nearly $1,000
was raised BY the town and residents
today as a reward Tor the arrest and
conviction OF tee guilty parties. In
addition To this there Is $500 stand
ing government reward for parties
guilty Of burgiarixinr or breaking into
n postofficc.
Every power possible is being used
to bring the guilty parties TO Justice.
The assistance OF the Denver police
aud detective force has been enlisted
and every town In this section OF the
stale md Wyoming towns have been
notified.
The shooting took place In tho rear
of the postoiilcc building aud the
Farmers 4 Merchants State bank.
Might Marshal Ellis WAS on one Of his
usual rounds Of inspection and entered
the alley ut the rear OF the buildings
when he came upon two mon trying
to break Into the rear door OF the post.
Office. ... .l..
He was seen by them firEt, however.
and one Of them. dropping the tools
with which he WIN working. said 10
Ellis:
"Throw up your hands. you!" nj the
In rcply, Ellis flashed his lantern In
the direction Of the two men and with
HIS risht hand reached for his revolver
which he carried In his right hip
pocket.
Just ut this moment. tho third man.
who was concealed to Ellis side and
rear behind nm ashpit. opened fire. one
OF the bullets striking Ellis In the
groin and passing upward,
ELLIS, although wounded. turned his
revolver in the direction from which
the shots came and fred four times
In quick succession before he sank to
tho ground weakened by his wound.
He retained consciousness. however.
and saw the two men near tho ONCE
door, run toward the railroad trnck.
Joined by the third man. It was so
dark that they were soon out Of sight.
Ellis managed to drag himself TO the
door Of the telephone exchange build
ing. about twenty yards away. knocked
on the door and asked to be let In.
Miss Roberts. the telephone operator.
had heard tho shots and was too much
frightened to open the door. but she
called DIR. Godfrey and DR.. Moore and
arrival the wounded man was taken
into the telephone ofiice where his
wounds were cared for.
Ellis WIS still conscious and was
able to tell Of all that had taken place.
but he was unable to give a good de-
scription Of the three men.
Ellis did not lose consciousness until
a few minutes before his death. The
bullet lodged between the seventh and
eighth ribs. II is believed to be OF .3S
caliber. the same caliber a. tho re.
volver with which Ellis returned the
fire
Ellis was thirty-flve years Of age.
had lived In this vicinity for a number