Tombstone epitaph. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-current, 1916-06-11

/ have always believed the Bad
Man" to be largely myth. SO far as
courage is concerned and | think
demonstrated this theory OF mine in
the following instance. which hap
rened while was chief OF the secret
service OF the Missouri Pacific railway.
enc OF whose leased properties was
the Missouri. Kansas d Texas.
In the year 1882 the memory Of the
lanes brothers was still green IN the
regions of their exploits. Though
Frank James was then living the life
81 a good citizen in Tennessee. and
state. the rumor of their presence in
any OF the parts where they had op-
Grated was enough to raise Il scare.
Especially was this the case in the
eastern portion OF the state Of Oklaho-
ma, then known rs the Indian Terri
tory, which had been the scene OF
many holdups and brutal murders.
In the year aforementioned / re-
Ceived a telcgrap hic dispatch from Col
oneI Eddy. the general manager. in
structing me TO proceed 10 Vilita at
once. 10 investigate a murder which
had occurred there. and 10 prosecute
al persons connected with the crime.
On the night OF September l3, as 4
nOrthbound passenger train was beng
shuntcd upon the main lie from sid
ing about mile north OF Einitl, two
men climbed upon the front Platform
Of the smoker. Chick Warner. the
conductor. saw them and opened the
door Without a word one OF the men
drew a revolver Of small Caiiber and
fred at Warmers head, the bullet pass
ing through his cheek and inficting a
painful wound. The man who had
fred was Immediately shot and killed
h. his companion, his dead body fall.
ing across the platform OF tie car. The
name OF the murderer was John Barnes
sweeney. and he had formerly been a
resident of Clay county. Missouri.
When / arrived at vinita learned
from the express agent there that
Sweeney. after shooting his conpan-
ion, had returned TO the station and in
formed him that the train had been
held Up by the James brothers and an
=
stated that the gang had been camp.
ing in the brush on Little Cabin creek
about four miles northeast OF the spot
where the train murder occurred, that
he had known all the members of the
gang before coming to the Indian Ter.
.itory. having been born in Clay coun.
~. near the former home OF the James
boys. and that he was corrected with
;hem by blood. When the gang en-
Campsd on Little Cabin creek, Sweeney
continued, be himself was staying with
his s!ste- on 4 neighboTing farm. The
James brothers had told Sweeney that
they intended to hold up and rob q
number OF trains on that line. and had
invited him to join them. Sweeney
said that he was an expert rife-shot
aud that for this reason he would
have been valuable to the gang. He
had accepted the invitation for tbs
purpose OF causing their arrest, and
the man whom he had shot dead wac
"a Miller.
INQUIRY showed that the man WHIT
had been killed by Sweeney had put il
an appearance at Vinita only a few
days before the shooting He was
looking for a job. and in the course o
Of his search, had gone TO the farm o
Sweeney's brotherin-law. who oS-ne'
The farm near Little Cabin creek
where the outlaws were alleged q
have had their camping place. Tn
brother-in-lav needed help in his corr
field. aud employed the stranger, wh
appeared 10 be a Scandinavian an
spoke English very poorly. Sweene
had made the mans acquaintanc
there and. il was believed, had induce
him to assist In Ecldup. and had SUI
pied him with the revolver Of srnal
csiiber. almost toy. with which b
lad shot the conductor. and which ha
been picked ID near the scene Of tn
tragedy.