The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1946-08-05
AP Newsfeotures

nerVeQ law Officers; now the ole
courthouse in this town th1t was
too tough to die has been sold to
| private owners.
Corridors where once strobe
stage coach bandits, cattle rustlers
and ruthless killers now echo the
carpenters hammers as one oil
| the southwest's most historic
buildings is being transformed in
| to hotel.
Rooms in which were enacted
dramatic life-and- death court bat
ties when Tombstone first gave
| birth to law and order are being
renovated to house a great influx
of health-seekers.
1t is a courthouse no longer, but
all the bloody feuds and bizarre
executions which took place in its
shadow are being absorbed into
the folklore of the west, never to
be forgotten.
New Boom For Tombstone
For decade Tombstone, which
sprang into being almost over
night when Ed Schieffelin discov-
cred silver in 1877, housed more
real triggermen than any place in
the nation. Now it is being reborn
as a health center. And, Tomb
stone, once rated as important a
city as San Francisco, is having
a phenomenal boom. In the past
eight months its population has
more than doubled. Even with
trailer courts dotting the out
skirts there is a serious housing
shortage being carried into the
torrid summer months.
The boom started with the
opening of the Tombstone Medi-
cal center last August. The CEN
ter features the use of chlorine
gas in the treatment of sinus af-
ELECTIONS and arthritis, adopting
system used by Father Roger
Aull, retired Passionist priest liv-
ing near Silver City, N, M. Found
er of the center and first accred-
tied Arizona physician to adopt
the system, is DR.. Peter Paul
linn, for II years on the staff of
the Copper Queen Hospital in
BiSbee.
Newcomers Hear Tall Tales
I Health seekers have flocked to
Tombstone from every state in
the union, Canada, New Zealand
and the Canal Zone. Their influx
has brought about a correspond
ing increase in every branch of
1.-THE towns business life.
Today these newcomers are be-
ing old of the trial and execution
in Tombstone of the men convict
ed of the bloody "Bisbee mas
sacre".
Late in 1888 five men rode into
Bisbee, short distance north of
Tombstone. Two entered the Cas-
teneda Mercantile Co. office to
crack the safe. The others stood
guard, ordering all who came
near into the building. One man
refused. They shot him dead. The
bullet attracted others. Two more
men were killed. A woman peek
ed out a window, and robbers
bullet crashed through her brain.
When the bandits galloped away,
they left Behind the corpses of
five Bisbee citizens.
Posse Member Accused
Active in the posse that was
formed was John Heath, subse-
quently arrested and charged
with. a part in the crime.
Also placed in the courthouse
Jail were Tex Howard, big Red"
Omar w. Sample, Dan Kelly,
''Big Dam Dowd and w. E. De-
laney.
Before a special term court all
pleaded not guilty; and were
tried, convicted and sentenced to
hang.
Heath was tried separately,
convicted of second degree muir
der and given life. Within a week
vigilantes broke into the jail, dis
armed the sheriff and made for
Heath'S cell. Il suppose" the rec
ords quote Heath as saying, "you
want me, gentlemen? Don't drag
me, I'll go with you"
Dangled For A Day
AS the croWN headed down
.Toughnut ST., Heath asked,
where shall I stop" Before they
hanged him from telegraph pole,
Heath quietly explained he was
innocent, then asked that the
men refrain from shooting bull
lets into his body and give him
decent burial after he dangled for
a day.
Invitations were issued for the
hanging of Howard, Sample, Kel-
ly, Dowd and Delaney. A group
erected stands ground the scat
fold, intending to charge admis-
sion. The night before the big
event the "bleachers" were torn
| down.
On March 8, 1884, the five
were led to the scaffold. Each pro-
tested innocence. Then Dowd
| turned to the sheriff and said.