The Canon City record with which is consolidated the Canon City cannon., 1914-01-01

was created in Canon City as well as
the various coal camps OF the county.
Sunday morning by the report that
bridge watchman on the line of the
Santa Fe railroad between Rockvale
and Radiant, named Z. w. Farmer,
had been assassinated the previous
night and n companion named Libby
wounded Sheriff Newcomb was ap-
prised OF the murder soon after its
occurrence and with Tim oLeary of
Pueblo, chief of the special service
of the Santa Fe railroad company.
and two assistants. c. S. Railsback
and William Langdon. hastened to the
scene of the killing, arriving there
about Q o'clock Sunday morning.
The story of the AFFAIR as we OBJ
taIned II from the officers follows:
About 1870 O'Clock Sunday morning
while E W. Farmer and G. W. Libby,
both OF Colorado Springs, were pa
trolling the Santa Fe track near the
bridge across Oak creek. about a mile
from Rockvale. the former was shot
by some unknown man from ambush
and instantly killed. A shot gun was
used and the assassin appears TO
have been secreted within n few feet
ing at the mine of his death. as a part
of the wadding OF the gun charge was
found In the wounds made by the bull
lets.
According to Libby. who managed TO
get on with nothing more serious than
n broken arm, he and Farmer had
been engaged in conversation a few
minutes previous to the killing OF the
latter and had no idea OF the presence
OF danger of any kind. On separating
he started down the track in one
direction and Farmer in the other. the
latter remarklng that 1t was about
time for his lunch and that he would
go and get something to eat. Libby
walked leisurely towards the bridge
and had gone perhaps a hundred
yards when he noticed two men at
the foot Of the grade. One OF them
called out to him in unbroken Eng
lish Come down here. my pals
drunk and / cannot get him TO move
on; maybe you can help me-" Libby
was suspicious and fearing a trap, re-
fused the request. a minute later two
shots were fired at him in the dark
ness by the men at the foot OF the
grade. He returned the fire and then
ran down the track as rapidly as he
could. He stumbled at the approach
OF the bridge and fell in such a way
as To roll down the grade. breaking
his right arm In doing so. Neither Of
the shots fired by the assassins
touched Libby and the only wound he
received resulted from his fall while
endeavoring to get out OF harms way.
Libby did not hear the shot fred
that killed Farmer and did not know
of his death until he discovered the
corpse lying on the railroad track an
hour or more after the crime had been
committed. Libby reported the affair
10 the authorities at Rockvale and
Farmers body was taken there at
daylight Sunday morning to be held
pending an investigation by the coro-
ner. Libby himself went to Pueblo,
where he was placed in hospital ia
order that his wounds might be treat
ed.
Farmer and Libby were employed by
tho Santa Fe Railroad company as
track walkers between Rockvale and
Radiant with special instructions to
prevent the destruction from incen-
diaries OF the bridge across Oak creek.
without which 1t would be impossible
10 run trains into Radiant. The bridge
across Oak creek was burned by un-
known parties the night OF November
Gath. but was temporarily replaced
by the railroad company In order thai
: connection with Radiant might he