Rocky Ford enterprise., 1912-08-09
DESPERATE KILLED
near LA JUNTA
Shot Himself After Being
Wonded by Officers
HAD SHOT-UP SOUTH
PLATTE SUMMER RESORT
Stole Horse In this City to Assist
Him in Escaping to New Mexico
Meant to Join His Wife.

George Ballcw, the man who last
Friday night shot up the South Platte
summer hotel and wounded four per-
sons. two OF whom will die, met death
about noon Sunday by his own hands
and as the result of two shots hred
into his body by the officers and an
other party The shot that killed
him was fired from his own gun as
he stumbled into a ditch. but he was
already nearly dead from the. two
previous bullet wounds. The shot
ired by Ballew entered his right eye
and nearly tore the right side OF his
head off. The other two shots enter
ed his body from behind and would
rave eventually caused his death.
lhe officers are of the opinion that
the shot fired by Ballew was not
really for the purpose OF committing
suicide but that it was fired by acci-
lent as he had been running for
some distance with the gun il his
nand. They think that in falling, the
gun was discharged. Others think
that it was plain case of suicide as
he had previously told the officers
,hat he would not be, taken alive.
The first inkling that the officers
had OF the presence OF Ballew in the
'icinity was on receiving information
from this city that horse had been
stolen during the night from the barn
Jf {. l.. Govrelu. Following up this
Ease led the party including Sheriff
II. w. Potter, Deputy Sheriffs De-
vine, i. NJ Rose and Nose Lee to
take an auto and go in the direction
OF Omega. small station three. miles
southwest of La Junta on the Santa
Fe.
Before reaching this point the par
ty stopped al a house to make in
uirics. Devine went in at this place
and the remainder went on to another
nouse short distance further. The
farmer informed Devine that a party
with a horse answering that descrip-
ton had been seen there during the
morning and that he would be found
nearby Devinc walked to the rail-
road and saw the party down the
track. He answered the description
II Ballew and Devine ordered him to
halt Ballew refused to obey and
Devine fired into the air. This caused
Ballew to pull his gun as he lodged
behind a telegraph pole.
Ballew told Devine that he would
not be taken alive and Devine having
nothing to hide behind could not al
lord to engage M battle. at that
time. This was realized by Ballew
who took off in a side direction
toward the home OF J. w. Wilson,
colorcd. Wilson was just hitching
up when Ballew came along. The
latter demanded that he, Wilson,
take him down the road. Wilson re-
fused and would not let Ballew get
into the buggy. This refusal was met
Dy. DIN you, get out. from Bal
lew. Wilson got out and Ballew got
into the buggy. In the meantime
Wilson's boy had run into the. house
and secured 3S-rcvolver. Wilson
took shot at Ballew, hitting him in
the back. Wilson continued on to-
ward La Junta. but in the meantime
the other officers came up and joined
The chase in the. auto.
Ballcw saw that he could not Ngct
away and left the rig and entered in
to a wheat field. The officers made
a circle and closed in on the. man. Be
fore Bailew left the buggy. however,
Rose raised up in the front seat OF
the auto and took . shot at Ballew,
striking him in the back just over the
groin. The. chase took the men over
ditch and through another field.
Meanwhile the party was closing i'll
rapidly on Ballew. On reac hing the
second ditch. Ballew stumbled and
fen. Here it was that the fatal shot
WIS lTCu. ne ItNOlNtI ustu DN bdi-
lew was a 45-caliber and the bullet
went entirely through his head.
The Identification of Ballew was
beyond question. On his body were
found ~ cartridges. The revolver
still contained four loaded shells and
two had been empticd. He had SEQ. 80
in his pocket, a Waltham watch and
stage ticket on the South Platte line
besides letters and other articles
which tend to prove his identity. lie
also had 4 street car transfer ticket
dated at Colorado Springs Saturday
morning at o:3o o'clock, showing that
he was in that city while the officers
were. out securing the country for
him.
Ballew came to the station of Or
mega about 5 o'clock Sunday morning
and asked that Santa Fe No. l going
south be stopped, This was done and
Ballew got onto the train. After rid
iDg for few rods he jumped off and
came back stating that the train was
not going towards Trinidad where
he wanted to go. On being told that
it was the right train he was Greatly
put out. He tried 10 catch a freight
about 10 O'Clock but could not jump
it as it passed through. He had only
left the station few minutes when
met by Devine
The body was taken to La Junta
! and coroncr's inquest held resulting
in the following verdict:
we the jury find that the deceased
/ f.ap,s 10 bfs death from n guns hot