Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1920-01-29
NOTED BAD MAN
ARRESTED THREE.
TIMES IN '7O'S
"UncIe Dick7 Wootton, Now
Chief Deputy Sheriff in
BernaliIIo County, Has
Record of Going After EN-

=
In the Chronicle News of Trini-
dad, colo, there appeared last week
an account of some of the wild do
ings of the early Gays, in which
one noted desperate of the seven
ties figured prominently, the most
notable fact in his history being
that he was arrested during his
entire career of bad man by only
one sheriff, who at that got him
three times. The name of tn S
sheriff was r. l.. Wootton, present
chief deputy sheriff of Bernalilo
county.
Now everyone knows "Uncle
Dick" but everyone does not know
just how much of the old west he
represents, an old west which is
fast passing away, and which can
never be repeated. Fer all this hap
pened more than forty years ago.
but Mr., Wootton remembers it as
perfectly as though it were yester-
day, and can draw map and dia
gram OF just where he stood when
clay Allison came around the
corner aud-Well, according to the
sheriff. it happened this way.
Clay Allison had killed twenty
two men, and he was the quickest
dead-sh in all Las Animas coun-
ty, excepting the sheriff, who drew
a flash quicker. But Clay spent h S
time amusing himself shooting up
small towns and dance halls, and
making gentlemen dance barefoot
to the accompaniment of his bull
lets. So when r. l.. Wootton, I'M
der sheriff of Las Animas was
called upon to go down to Eel Moro,
where Allison was shooting things
up generally, he opined that the
deputy sheriff ought to do it, but
that he would if the deputy would
resign. This was in 70, the year
Colorado first became a state. The
deputy had evidently been think
ing that was the thing for him to
do, 50 presently Under-sheriIf
Wootton walked in to the dance
hall where Allison was enjoying
himself, and told him he was un-
der arrest,
Now Allison and young Wootton
had had many target match to-
gether, and the gun artist knew
that the under-sheriff could draw
just a trfie quicker than he could
So he gave up his gun, then threw
down his hat saying: IN give you
my hat, I'll give you my coat, and
by --, III give you my shirt"
Keep on your shirt said the
sheriff. NO one wants your dirty
clothes But come along
Are you guilty of shooting up
the town." says the judge.
Guilty as hell, your honor, but
don't want to go to jail, and I'll
settle up" he promised the sheriff,
land never come back here while
you're sheriff if you'Il let me off.
I'll take the night train out of
here"
SO the sheriff went around to the
hotel with him. 1t was shut up and
boarded, and everyone was hid be
hind locked doors until Clay Alli-
son was arrested. The sheriff made
them open up and give his prison.
er supper, which was done with
trepidation. Clay set
tied for the damage done to wood
work and glassWare-it cost him
about $l25-but discovered when
he went upstairs to his room that
he had shot right through his own
suitcase and clothes when he fired
from the street.
He got out that night, and for
nearly two years wasn't heard OF,
until one day when the under
sheriff was the sheriff of Las AMI
mas county, he was called on to
come to a place near Trinidad
again, and arrest Allison for
shooting up the town He was
riding around with horse and
buggy, and the streets were cleared.
After some chase, Uncle Dick got
him, disarmed him, and sent him
over to a saloon for his supper.
When he went to reJoin his prison.
er, he saw, as he entered and
stood behind a curtain, Allison's
hand twirling a pistol. But quicker
than lightning this crack shot drew
and had not Allison thrown up his
hands he would have been a dead
man.
This guns not loaded" he
swore. 81 was just showing the
how to twirl it, and it's
He trembled like a leaf. 1t
was the first time this guhman had
ever had the tables turned on him,
or had ever looked down the barrel