Weekly journal-miner., 1910-08-31


 the most cowardly attempts at as sassination that ever disgraeed the criminal annals of Northern Arizona occurred here tonight, when N. B. Chavez, a Mexican, shot and seri- ously wounded Night Officer Charles King. The injured man now lies in the United Verde hospital with the bullet lodged immediately under his heart. The attending surgeons say that he is doing as well as can be expected under the circumstances.
 The leaden missile entered his back to the right of the spinal column, which it missed by fraction ot an inch. It ranged along the ribs around the right side to the front, where it stopped immediately under the skin. It has not been removed.
 There is great indignation among the citizens. Soon after the news of the shooting spread large crowds gathered on the street corners and feeling is at a high pitch. This was intensified further when it be- came known that a 15-year-old Mex ican girl, living in a house in the vicinity of the attempted assassina- tion, was also struck by one of the bullets fired by Chavez. The bull let entered the lower part of her abdomen, and she is suffering great pain. It is believed there is little hope of her recovery.
 Chavez is now a prisoner in the branch county jail. He is protected by a strong guard. It is believed that wiser counsel will prevail and that no attempt will be made to mob him.
 Adding further to the general in dignation of the citizens is the rumor that three shots were fired as a decoy to attract the attention of Officer King to the scene of the shooting. It is alleged that the shots were fired to bring him to the place with the intention of shooting him as soon as he arrived. The plan worked as intended : with the exception that the shots were not fatal.
 MT. King was on his usual rounds in the Redlight section of the town, about 9:30 o'clock, when he heard three shots near a stone house oc- cupied by a Mexican family. He i'm mediately hurried to the scene of the shooting. Arriving in front of the stone house, where several Mexi- cans were gathered, he was shot from behind, the bullet entering about the middle of his back. A second shot was fired which went wild of its mark, entering the front door of the stone house and lodging in the ab- domen of the 15-year-old girl. Hear ing the second fusillade many citi- zens ran to the place and were amazed at seeing Officer King shot and severely wounded. He was taken to the hospital and placed in the care of surgeons.
 George Sherman and George R. Doty, who were among the first to arrive, arrested and held Chavez un- til the arrival of Marshal Fred Hawkins, who lodged him in jail.
 At this hour it is impossible to learn all the particulars of the crime as the only witnesses of the shoot ing were Mexicans, who refuse to discuss it. It is maintained by some that Chavez did not do the shooting, and that it was done by another Mexican. It is also claimed that there were eyewitnesses who will testify that ne is the guilty one.
 MT. King has been a peace of feer of Jerome several years. He is a brave and very efficient officer, and while very popular with law abiding residents is despised by the lawless element. He has been the means of ridding the place of many unde- sirable characters, and it is generally believed that the attempt to assass- mate him grew out of some of his official investigations of crime re- gently committed in the town. He has always been fearless in the dis charge of his duty and mas never been known to finch in the face of danger. Only a few years ago he entered saloon where several Span iards and Mexieans were engaged in a race war, armed with pistols and knives, and succeeded in arresting ten of the principals, although se- verely wounded in the affray.
 Chavez Served Prison Term.
 JEROME, Ariz., Aug. 2s.-Q a. m) Attending surgeons say that Officer King is resting easy and that na- ;of+anopf will Inc made to remove