Milford chronicle., 1916-05-26
HORSE THIEVES MURDER
A FORMER DELAWARE BOY


Cheyenne, Wyoming and was sheriff
Of Laramie County, Wyoming. a form
er Sussex County, Delaware, boy. wa
murdered by two horsethieves on tn,
morning of May 1st, 1916. Sheriff
Roach was but AZ years of age, an,
was born in Sussex County, Della
ware on March 18th, 1874. He wa!
the son of Mr. and Mrs. James Roach
He was educated in the public schools
of Sussex County and went to Wyo.
ming in 1894. Much space in the
papers of Wyoming has been given
to the eulOgy of Mr.. Roach. who Sc
cOurageOusly laid down his life in the
performance of his official duty, and
the accompanying letter, sent to
George H. Draper from a friend in
Cheyenne, will doubtless be of inter
est to many Delawareans. Mr.. Roach
came to Delaware last January to re-
new old acquaintances and while here
was the guest of Mr.. Draper.
Box 317, Cheyenne. wyo.
Mr. Geo H. Draper,
/ Milford, Delaware
! Dear Mr.. Draper
You will perhaps be surprised to hear
/ from me at this time but I felt that
should write you and let you know the
CURED here last Monday morning You
have no doubt heard that Frank Roach
was murdered by horse thieves but 1
or not. told Lon Roach about our
meeting on the train last fan and told
him / would write you if il was agree
able to him. He said that he and his
vile were going to try and write some
of the old friends back there but that he
wished / would write you, inasmuch as
had become acquainted with you. as
he was afraid he wouldn't be able to
write very clearly. / am sending you,
under separate cover. a file Of the pa
pers that cover the entire dOings better
than a letter can. OF course there are
still some things rnenfioned in ~ -, ,,.,re
nearly every day but the ones / have
mailed you cover the principal things
On April 3Oth, one week ago today,
FRANK was called out in the hills about
20 miles west of town by a rancher who
had had three horses. saddles, ETC. stoi-
en- the night before. He left here in an
auto with driver only, but upon arrival
at the ranch where he had been called
one Of the ranch-hands went along to
identify the horses if they were found
They followed the trail OF the thieves !
southeast into Colorado (just across the /
state lne) and stopped when IL became |
dark. at the Webster ranch. The thieves 4
We're camped in meadow about mile 1
away and Frank wanted to go on and 4
capture them but some of the posse 1
(they had gathered up quite a few on the /
Wayg dldnt want TO 90 until il was light /
IA tilG nlbAAAAHE so frank gave way TO ]
them and stopped at the ranch About /
three IN the morning Frank got up. took /
his rifle and started out, probably with
the intention OF getting to the thieves
camp before they We're astir and bring
ing them in early so as to get back to
town as soon as possible. just what
occurred after Frank left the cabin
where the posse STAYED during the NIGHT /
is not known only BY the confessions Of
the thieves and no one here who knows
Frank thinks they are telling the truth
al. anu IN Iact we know they are not in
some thlngs. one Of the murderers says
ne told Frank to throw up his hands and
Frank told him to wait until he laid !
lown his rifle and then that Frank got
ms hand in his overcoat pocket and fred
from his pocket with his six-shooter We
know that is a lie because Frank had his
5lN-shooter in belt scabboard under his
lNercoat and il had not been fired at ali
The other thief intimates thai FlraDl
lred from the rifle while STOPPING Thai
s possible but highly improbable. Frank
%as as one OF the best rife and revolver
shots IN the west and quick beyond be-
iet almost, in drawing and shooting with
any KIND OF gun, and to us who know
nm We cannot conceive Of his having
NY chance at all and not hitting his
mark when the other men did hit theirs
ne people who have been over the ;
round and made the closest study of
ne situation think that this man pear | !
on went into the barn and found Nelsor,
ND brought him out and turned him ov-
y 10 Burns. then going down TO the GA h. |
II, - @ .5le posse was sleeping to see !
sho was there if possible About this | /
lme Frank started out towards the barn
ma TINS man Pearson crept nm bebind !
,nI. nm ana shot him in cold blood. If
talh aim hau MS gun ready for action 1.-THE i
aIety of, etc) the contraction Of tbe
muscles OF his hand or the action In d
saLIllng would have discharged the gun 4
,oecb ygpiI'on g3n on Is that when Nelson saw a
reak ana that Burns shot him in the y
dck while he was running That yvouid f
~. lor the three shots that every b
00uy tnought there were fired at first 4
,ney an thought that three shots were v
- ~ mere was until those thieves began $
,ahlhs ,s.hi confessions and telling about so d
lucH shoouns, then no one seemed sure
ow many shots they had heard There h
as trail Of blood from Nelson's bodv a
ward ,9. the barn showing then he went
~. 11.e NayS toward Roach after he was il
le heau: the bullet coming out near the n
snter OF the top of the forehead His "
4 az IN, must must nave been instantaneous and v
e all hope il was. The other poor fell h
W, no doubt, suffered for awhile at
Frank and Mrs. Roach had a son born N
them three weeks ago last Friday. He ds
as 10 days old when Frank was killed
RS. Stoddard and myself called on Mrs ! "
lacn last evening and saw little Frank ~
le has named him Frank Alexa nder
ID will cali him Frank. He is briebt 70
oking little fellow and in some wavs ul
sembles Frank very much but. Of ul
% urse IS 100 young yet to tell much ~
Frank told me all about his visit with In
~ iolks He enjoyed IL very much be
e are 50 glad he went back now in
ew OF what has happened He told me
az Mrs Draper injured herself in a fan
me ne was there. l trust that she has
lly recovered by this time. Lon and M,
inter Roach were here soon after the ii,
attn OF Frank, but Harry, in Portland.
e, could not come. II is impossible n,
describe the feeling around here since Pt
ank was shot. Men as well as women a.,
EN- to make little effort to conceal fhe o'l
irs; everyone seems to feel the utmost or.
le1. He was certainly loved by nearly 81
cry person who knew him and the fun in,
u given MIN was one Of the finest fri =,
tes nave ever seen given the memory Ce
anyone. The flowers sent were won IN
rtui, there seemed to be wagon loads m
them, and the funeral procession M
lehed nearly TO the cemetery from the Or,
use. Mrs Roach is a wonderful woman
d has borne her grief as have never fne
N person do before anl r
hrs Stoddard joins me in kindest re-
n oil