The Wilmington morning star., 1941-01-05
BY Gladys Best Tripp

P"AtJ 111dfcS d 1ellOW,
Irish Koran, veteran Snowman,
who with his wife and young son,
spent the holidays here, certainly
topped the ladder as he talked oil
his association with the late Tom
Mix, with whom he was planning
an Australian tour the day before
Mix was killed in an automobile
accident.
Mix was a genuine cowboy"
said Irish. That was why some
folks failed to understand him. The
only polish he had was normal
courtesy because he grew up in
the rough way on a ranch. He
didn't talk much, for he was a
backward sort, and added to his
years of experience as. ranch boss
and owning his movie company
with the constant necessity of Civ
ing orders, this made him seem
surly to strangers"
When Iris handled Tom Mix's
publicity, he tried to protect the
cowboy from harsh criticism in the
press. IF you're going to inter
view a college professor" he
would say, "go somewhere else.
But if you want to talk with a
real cowboy whose typical to the
heels of his boots, Mix is your
man."
Thus when Irish's own show,
Jimmie Lynch's Death Dodgers,
was closing in Ell Paso, Texas,
this year, Tom Mix was right
there to talk over plans with Irish
for the Australian tour, only two
days before the fatal automobile
accident. Mix's pictures were as
well loved in Europe, the Oreint,
South America and Australia as
they were in the United States.
Wherever Tom Mix appeared he
was given the same warm recep-
tion-and a South Carolina town
even declared a legal holiday the
day of his funeral.
IAN untimely death is the
opinion a great many people gave
when Mix was killed" unused
Koran, and then added quickly"
I know it was his choice Of the
way to die. He used to say, I
want to go out quickly with my
boots on, and my pockets full of
money. For that reason 1t les
sened the shock considerably for
me.
Funny thing-Will Rogers was
his neighbor and he felt the same
way about it. Neither of them
seemed to have any sense Of
danger"
Irish expressed an ardent desire
to obtain the writings Of Tom Mix,
which he did for his own enjoy
ment and never for publication.
Mix promised the scripts to him
several years ago, said Irish, but
of course with no written promise
the writings are still in the hands
of the estate.
s'Tony's still around" said Irish,
as he referred to the famous horse.
"stumpy Sims, formerly an out
standing jockey, who has looked
after Tony for more than 80 years,
has him on the Tom Mix ranch
Los Angels. Tom bought him
before he went into pictures-and
strange enough, named him for the
fellow who formerly owned him.
'Tony's pedigree was horse
Just plain horse when Mix say
him as a young colt tied behind
an Italian tinware merchants
g The italian wanted SIS Tor
the colt, and Mix offered $40. And
thew decided to run a footrace to
decide the argument. Mix won, but
settled for $3.50. That was back
in the days when Tom Mix was
sheriff in a Texas county. His only
break came when a movie pro-
ducing company wanted a gooa
looking cowboy who could ride"
Irish gave the situation as TINS:
Fresh from the cactus plains, Mix
was sent to interview the COM
pany's officials in Chicago. He was
part owner of a small ranch, but
money was neither readily made
nor acquired in the rough Texas
country. When the movie people
offered him 5000 a week as salary,
and $40 a day for the use OF his
steers and horses, Mix naively
said: It'd be a lot Of trouble to
bring feed for all them all the