Pete Spence, Grant County figure known for fatal shootings at Clifton and Morenci
LEAD: Pete Spence, well known throughout Grant County and Tombstone, killed “Curley” at Clifton and survived a fatal shootout with a Mexican named Martinez at Morenci. [3][4]
In February 1883, Spence and a companion pursued stage robbers to Shakespeare but gave up the chase after failing to obtain fresh horses. [7] He later had trouble with “Curley,” a Grant County resident involved in ore stealing and a running mate of stage robber Renick, and killed him at Clifton. [3][8] On June 20, 1888, at Henry Longmore’s saloon in Morenci, Spence invited Martinez and his friends for a drink hoping to settle an old dispute. [6] Martinez refused and pulled his gun; both fired nearly at the same time, Martinez receiving his death wound near the right nipple and Spence struck a glancing blow on the forehead. [4][5] Both fell together, and while Spence was stunned, the other Mexicans fired eight or ten shots at him and pelted him with rocks. [2] Spence, nephew of the dead man, escaped with slight flesh wounds in each hand and surrendered to Justice Sias at Clifton. [1]
Sources
- nephew of the dead man, is said to have emptied… (1888)nephew of the dead man, is said to have emptied his pistol. Miraculous to relate, however, Spence escaped with slight flesh wounds, one in each hand. Coming to himself Pete found that his pistol had been shot…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1888-06-22 (1888)to the floor together, Spence stunned and temporarily unconscious. While thus prostrate the balance of the Mexicans made a savage attack upon him, some firing shot after shot at him to the number of eight o…
- Pete Spence, who is well known through-… (1888)Pete Spence, who is well known through- out the west, especially in Grant County and Tombstone, recently planted another victim at Clifton. He had some trouble with one “Cur- ley,” who also lived in Grant County…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1888-06-22 (1888)shoot- ing affair occurred between a Mexican named Martinez and Pete Spence, in which the former met his death and the latter was wounded. The following account, which is hastily gathered from Spence and othe…
- The Particulars of the Killing of a Mexican (1888)l. Both fired nearly at the same time, the bullet from Mar- tinez’s gun striking Spence a glancing blow on the forehead, while the former received his death wound in the neighborhood of the right nipple. Both f…
- The Particulars of the Killing of a Mexican (1888)The Particulars of the Killing of a MexicanLast week the Enterprise briefly told of a killing by Pete Spence, of this county, over in Arizona. The Clifton Clarion gives the follow- ing particulars: At Henry Lon…
- In February 1883 a stage from Lordsburg… (1890)In February 1883 a stage from Lordsburg and Clifton was robbed by three men. The place selected for the transaction was near the meet- ing point. The men did a complete job, and then sat down and waited for t…
- Silver City Enterprise — 1888-1890 (full OCR, Internet Archive) — 1888-06-22 (1888). He had some trouble with one “Cur- ley,” who also lived in Grant County at one time. “Curley” was to some extent mixed in some of the ore stealing then going on in this section, and later on became t…