La Junta tribune., 1911-07-08
NEGRO MURDERS CITY MARSHAL
Bob Harris Kills Marshal Craig Of
Rocky Ford and Wounds Deputy
Marshai-Meb Violence Frustrated
HARRIS In Jail in Pueblo.

Ford. shot and instantly killed Chief
OF Police J. u. Craig. OF Rocky Ford.
In that city last Tuesday night about
10 o'clock and seriously wounded
Night Marshal Jacob Ripper. Harris
was captured In the parsonage Of the
negro church In Rocky Ford about
Z O'Clock Thursday morning. after
man hunt lasting nearly thirty-six
hours. and within an hour was be.
hind the bars In the Otero county
Jail. At 2 o'clock Thursday afternoon
two automobiles started from the
county jail In which were the negro
prisoner. Bob Harris. Sheriff Potter.
s. n. Rose. NJ. A. Lee. Frank Nixon
and County Commissioners Cowden
and Harsin. They arrived In Pueblo
abou, 7 o'clock In the evening, aud
the negro who had a narrow escape
from being the hero OF second
lynching bee in La Junta. is now
safe behind the bars OF the Pueblo
county Jail.
Fourth OF July Bob Harris went to
Pueblo and filled up on bad whisky.
He caused \ lot OF trouble on the
train coming back that afternoon and
the conductor threatened several
times to put him off He was Ia a
Quarrelsome mood then.
He brought with him a plentiful
supply OF beer and whisky and as
soon as he got to the house. he and
his wife and his father and mother
began carousing.
About . O'Clock young Harris and
his wife began quarreling and the
two others took hand In H.
There was general all-around
rumpus and the cursing and abuse
became so loud that neighbors tele-
phoned the police.
At the coroner's Inquest Night Mar.
shall Ripper told the story OF the
shooting as follows:
"A phone call came In about 9 30
o'clock from neighbors who said the
Harris people were raising all kinds
of disturbance Chief Craig. who
had just returned on II late train
from La Junta. where he had taken
q prisoner. was In the office and
he went out with me
we went up to the door and
knocked | asked. what's going On
In here.
old man Harris answered. 60
Get out 81 here
We went In though I got hold
of Bob Harris. The two women aad
old man Harris kept Chief Craig
from getting to me got Bob liar.
ris down and was trying 10 handcun
him. when old man Harris hit me on
Knocked me- unconscious. fen To
the floor | was unconscious only
minute When | came TO. | was dix,
ny. Bob Harris had run into the
other room. | saw him coming back
Sith a pistol In his hand got on
my feet and started toward Craig
| wanted to protect the chief He
Was trying to get his revolver out but
the women folks and old man Harris
kept him from doing H. Then he
got 1t GU, just ~ Bob Harris reached
him. Bob Harris grabbed IL and
twisted II away from the chief
had pretty nearly reached the chief
when Bob Harris fired The chief
said;
oh. my Cod. I'm shot And he
sank back against the wall | had
my gun out Then Bob Harris turn,
I'd to me and fired The bullet hit
m. In the head | don't know whcth-
or shot or not cant remember
I could hardly walk. | staggered out
and ! heard another shot That IL
all know"
For the next thirty .four hours the
Rocky Ford district was given over
10 mnn-hunt In which hundreds Of
men armed with rcyolycrs and rifles
took part 4 dozen posses working
under sheriff Potter secured the ter
ritory Ia every direction. In Rocky
Ford hundreds of men In charge of
George Bryant and Alec Nant search.
cd every barn. street and alley. hunt.
,ng In vain for IN. murderer.
sheriff Potter aud tndershcrlff DE,
vine left La Junta In automobiles
abou, midnight. and at Rocky Ford
Potter took charge Of poss. cover.
Ing the roads 'adlng west to the
north OF Rocky Ford and Dcyin.
south Of town. The country over as
Tar as Fowler Mas searched with not
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