Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1913-02-21

for the above incident that he
wanted to do things to Fran COTS.
He vas a cowboy from the 7. S.
range. He had seen cowpunchers
come and Co.. but never before had
he seen a man in Carlin. CARRIED in
a khaki suit brass buttons, leggins,
a sombrero hat drapej with a red
bandana, a Spanish belt loadedlwith
pistols, knives and tomahawk and
il was too much for him He could
not refuse the challenge.
The fun began while Francois
was resting in the Depot Hotel.
Bill got some 20 miners. who were
in from the Lynn district and tC-
gether with as many more town
men and boys from the range and
arranged the setting for the IN
doing of the great singer and
walker.
A snort time afterward the light
in the hotel went out. Bill and
six Of the boys rushed into the
hotel and told Francois that some
muckraker had climbed one of the
poles and cut the wires. Francois
jumped to the window with an
automatic in hand and said that he
would not tolerate such business
and threatened to shoot the culprit
if he could be found. Presently
Bill rushed to the window and fired
several shots at a nan who could
be seen "n the pole. Failing to
bring the man down, he turned to
Francois who fired five times and
the man dropped from the pole.
The shooting brought a crowd to
the street and they rushed to where
the man fell, put him on a stretcher
and rushed him to anearby doctor.
Their attention was next direct
ed to the men who did the shout
ing. Bill and Francois were both
arrested and Francois was held for
the murder. In his attempt to
rov an alibi he had reloaded his
revolver. Bill admitted shooting
but he did not fire the fatal shot.
Francois shivered as the motley
throng surged toward him. He
was taken to a saloon where the
news was received that the man on
the pole was fixing the wires and
that he had died from the shots
fired by Francois.
The town was at the mercy Of
the angry crowd which by this time
had grown to several hundred men.
A rope was secured and placed
aroun the singers neck but inlsome
manner he broke away and it might
be said that if he kept up the pace
he made he would reach New York
tn rec years ahead Of his schedule.
No less then 20 shots we're fired
at him as he ran. He was finally
caught and begged not to he taken
back ct the mob. He lost his hat
IN the race and two or three
bullet holes were put in il as it lay
on the ground.
When No 2. arrived in Carlin
Sunday morning, Francois was slip
ped away from the mob and put
on the trian to the music of a
fusilade Of shots that frightened
the sleeping passengers and scared
porters so that they were afraid to
come out Of the cars, minus his
Spanish belt. guns. hat and noisy
attir @ and locked in one Of the
v~etsibules for safe keeping. Those
who befriended him had arranged
for his transportation to Ogden and
the firing tease as the train pulled
out. In Ogden Francois told he
police If his narrow escape in
Carlin. Nevada. lie showed them
the bullet holes in his hat and said
he felt the bullets go through as he
was running away from the mob.
In Carlin they are telling how
Bits plan worked. The man on
he pole was a dummy with a rope
attached and it was dropped when
Francois shot, il was substituted
for a live man on a stretcher. whom
Francois saw when he was being
rushed by to the doctors Office. II
was real enough for him. He will
probably lose his wager to walk
from Oakland to New York, as he
neither walked in OF out of Carlin.
The above account Of Francois
adventure in Carlin was given To