The Coconino sun., 1919-06-20
DEATH TAKES NOTEDs
 SHERIFF PERRY OWENS
 OF THE FRONTIER DAYS

l iiioh iCNChSiyt was OIlc VI Llle InOSl courageous, daring and efficient crimi- nal officers ever known in the South west, When sheriff of Apache coun- ty his personality was of spectacu- lar nature, which was in harmony with the border days of criminal lore.
 He wore his long waving hair fall ing gracefully over his shoulders. And ! yet this man was of a particularly pleasing personality, with physical bearing to attract comment and a rather dignified carriage.
 He was born in Indiana about 65 years ago, and he entered Arizona from either Texas or New Mexico in 1882 to accept situation as range foreman of cattle company located at Navajo Springs. It was while thus employed that his fearless nature and deeds of bravery attracted admiration and approval and sent his name broad- cast as one of the most valorous of men.
 Commodore Owens at this time won fame when, single-handed, he killed three Navajo Indians who had left the reservation to drive off range cattle of the company of which he was en- 1 ployed. Other clashes followed. ani many Navajos bit the dust. Owens, in all fights, escaped injury, although he was often outnumbered ten to one. Finally, whenever the Navajo entered territory where Owens reigned, upon seeing the paleface they would inyari- ably stampede, their superstitious be- lief being that Owens had charmed life.
 Thus recognized as one of the very bravest of men, the law w-abiding ele- ment of Apache county demanded his services in an official capacity, and in 1886 he was elected sheriff. Off, cially associated with him in the cleo tion was Attorney Robt. E. Morrison, now of Prescott, as the county judge. At this particular time the outlaw ruled in Apache county, and with Nor I rison on the bench and Owens in the saddle the cattle thieves and murder CTS were defied by the strong arm and firm will of the law-abiding. A special grand jury was impaneled by Judge Morrison to clean up the law less element and Sheriff Owens got in action to cooperate. The legal ac- tion resulted in indictments being re- turned against sixteen of the most noted of the outlaws who had up to that time made Apache their haven of rest and rendezvous of the most vicious and startling of criminal mis- deeds, in which cold-blooded murders blackened the country.
 While the grand jury was report ing true bills, l2 of the indicted crim. inals fled the country before bench
 warrants could be served. Three re.
 sisted arrest on the Blue river and they were shot and killed by Sherif. Owens and the posse, among them be. ing the notorious Ike Clanton ot Tombstone fame. When his brother
 Finn Clanton, leader of the gang, re
 turned to the rendezvous and wa.
 neatly trapped by the sheriff's posse
 he slowly threw up his hands, anC
 gritting his teeth in defiant man
 ner,. submitted. He was tried, con
 victed, and sentenced to serve 10 year. in the penitentiary, and thus was tn, !. Clanton gang wiped out.
 , Another thrilling episode in whicI ! Owens figured single-handed was tn,
 thrilling Holbrook shooting. In thi ] affair he rode into town one day am : was informed that a notorious outlay had gone south of the railroad tracl and entered a certain house. Thithe , rode the sheriff, and tying his hors, nearby, walked up to the door an, , rapped for admission. As it opene, l he saw his man and dmanded his sur , render, Owens holding his rifle in hi
 right hand by his side. The crimi
 nal started to pull from a scabbar
 his revolver, when the sheriff fire, without changing the position of hi
 weapon. Andy Cooper was the ma I wanted, and he fell badly wounded s At that instant another shot rang ou : from the gun of a companion of And t Cooper, which missed by a fractio [ of an inch the head of Owens. Wit h his back to the man who shot, Owen : threw his rifle backward over hi !. right shoulder and fired. His victir a fell backward mortally wounded an - died few minutes later. Retreatin e few feet, Owens saw form throug r. the window of the front door movin
 around as if to get in position |
 shoot, when he again fired, and tn
 outlaw inside fell to the floor and die E in few moments. It was Coope
 whom he had shot in the beginnin r. of the fight At that stage of tf j. shooting boy of 16 years of age ra j. out of the front door with pistol IS his hand and was raising it to fiji IS when he was instantly killed | ,t Owens. The boys mother came int l. the opening and grasping her son y her arms, returned to the inside. Tn
 was the cleanup of the criminal ne
 in Apache county, and there was r in lief from further criminal operation r, Commodore Owens, it was oftt d said, would shoot not only lat u al drop of the hat, but before the h. le was dropped" He was wonderf 'k shot, quick and accurate, with al
 weapon. Usually he shot from u hip with his winchester, when in
 tight place, and the bullet never fail'
 to hit the object, even to a distan
 of 200 yards. He served but one ter 4 as sheriff of Apache county, and
 brought, in two years, every crimin
 to his knees. Afterwards, for a sho L = uyoI,, T,o R, ~