Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-09-21

burial place for those who checked out with
their boots on.
Two factors combined to make TascoSa a
Iusty young offspring of the Panhandle One
of them the fact that it the north
trail, the other that half dozen big outfits
were running cattle within riding distance.
When the cowboys jingled in after the Spring
roundup Rome howled.
Jim East, who had helped Pat Garrett cap
ture Billy the Kid, New Mexicos notorious
outlaw. became in due time sheriff of Oldham
County. During his incumbency the town had
its widest night. Usually killings arose 6ut of
a moments savage impulse. Bit this one had
its origin in an anger that had been growing
for some time.
Among the LIS were Fred Chiffon Frank
Valley and Ed King. They had been hired. it
claimed, to ride the range with rifles on the
lookout for rustlers. In the course of time they
fell afoul of group of hard-eyed men which
included Charles Emory, Lem Woodruff and one
known as the Catfish Kid"
TT is said that King came to town looking for
those of the other faction. With him were
Chiffon and Valley. The separated. If
King on the hunt for trouble, he certainly
found it. Out of a peaceful quiet the night
woke to rear of guns with Woodruff and
Emory in the center of the stage. King fell,
mortally wounded, but the iron of the frontier
was in his blood. He half raised himself from
the ground, took aim at Woodruff and wounded
him severely. AS Emory forward, bullet
stopped him in his stride. He stumbled and
fell, badly hurt.
Fair enough" gasped King hardly I'll
teach those sons of wolves to buShwhack me-"
With which comment, he ceased forever to
take interest in mundane affairs
The word was carried to Chiffon and Valley
They a-smokin'. Jess Sheets indiscreetIy
ventured out to learn the cause of the shooting
Promptly the two newcomers killed him.
woodruff had taken refuge in nearby cabin
The two gunmen sent bullet after bullet crash
ing through the door. Woodruff returned the
fire Unknown friends rallied to the support Oh
the besieged man. From little hillside not
far away spits of fire flashed in the darkness.
Chiffon and Valley were both shot down.
Neither of them lived the night out.
About this time Sheriff East, aroused from
sleep, put in an appearance. He came on the
rum in time to see from distance the last Oh
the battle The men on the hillside vanished
into the night Woodruff surrendered. The
sheriff found Emory much the worse for very
serious wound. Some years earlier those Two
had been on the man hunt which Melted Billy
the Kid and others. Now the old comrades were
on different sides of the fence.
There were two funerals next day when the
four victims were buried. The innocent by
stander who had been the victim of his own
curiosity was taken to the cemetery where went
those who died in their beds. scant dozen
were in attendance, for at the same time the
three LIS men were being planted at Boot HILL
Tascosa preferred the more dramatic ceremony
dozen armed men, some attached to one
party and some to the other. stood grimly at
wary attention beside the graves There was
always a chance that some one might decide to
renew the feud and drag out gun
Emory claimed self-defense when brought be-
fore jury, and he and his friends were
acquitted.
In the Dodge City Times April 6, 1878, may
be read news item not quite SO innocent of
sinister significance as it seems. Jesse Evans,
it appears leaving Dodge with SO riders to
gather from the Pecos Valley range 10000 cattle
that had been bought by Evans and a man