Particulars of the double murder which…
source date: 1888
availability: public-domain

set fire to it. The robbers proved themselves game by coming out fighting. A regular battle occurred between the authorities and train robbers in which all the robbers, Sheehan, Johnson and Hart, were killed. The attacking party lost one man, a sargeant of the Mexican troops. Particulars of the double murder which occurred near Springerville, Arizona, in the Luna valley, recently, have been received and are as follows: There had been a horse race, after which the crowd gathered at the store of Sperling Brothers & Taylor, and were drink- ing and playing cards, when a man named Pitman and Billy Smith got into a wrangle. Pitman drew a six-shooter and threw it down on Smith, who, being unarmed, threw his coat open and told him to shoot. Pitman, on learning that Smith was unarmed, told him to go and heel himself. Smith thereupon went into the store where he had left his pistol, which he secured, but friends interfered and prevented his returning. Pitman, on learning the cause of Smith’s not coming back, began to threaten ( 6 )