The Bisbee Massacre

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Authors: J. Roberts
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had only been found guilty of being an accessory, so he was sentenced to life. The people of Bisbee and Tombstone didn’t like that.
    But what was done, was done.
    Or was it?
    Â 
    Some days later Dodge had to ride out of town to negotiate the return of two six-guns belonging to J. B. Hume. Hume had used the guns in thwarting a stagecoach robbery. Since Clint was the only one who knew that Dodge was also a Wells Fargo man he was asked to go with Dodge, and agreed. So they were out of town for several days.
    As they returned to Tombstone they realized immediately that something had happened. Even from a mile and a half away they could see that something was going on.
    When they reached town most of the crowd has dispersed, and they saw something hanging from a telegraph pole. By the time they reached it, they could see that it was the body of John Heath. The coroner, Pat Holland, had taken charge and was having the body taken down.
    â€œWhat happened here, Pat?” Dodge asked.
    â€œLynch mob,” Holland said.
    â€œWho was at the head of it?”
    â€œJohn Shaunessy.”
    â€œNo.”
    â€œWho’s Shaunessy?” Clint asked.
    â€œForeman of the Grand Central Mine—and I thought, a good friend of mine.” Dodge looked at Holland. “You sure?”
    â€œI seen him,” the man said.
    â€œWhere was Sheriff Ward?”
    â€œWard made it real easy for them, Fred,” Holland said. “The people here and in Bisbee was upset about Heath gettin’ off with life. Ward practically gave them the keys to the cell.”
    Dodge sat back in his saddle.
    â€œThis is what he was plannin’,” he said to Clint. “Figures by lettin’ the townspeople have Heath, he wrapped up the next election.”
    â€œAnd maybe he did,” Holland said.
    â€œNot if I have anythin’ to say about it,” Dodge said.
    Â 
    As they rode into town they could hear the mob celebrating at Pony Brown’s Saloon. They left their horses at the livery and walked over to the saloon.
    â€œYou don’t have to come in with me if you don’t wanna,” Dodge said.
    â€œYou going to try to arrest them?”
    â€œNaw,” Dodge said, “can’t arrest a whole mob. And if I take Shaunessy in, Ward would probably just let him go.”
    â€œSo what are you going to do?”
    â€œGive ’em a piece of my mind, I guess.”
    â€œI’ll back you,” Clint said.
    â€œOkay,” Dodge said, “let’s go.”

TWENTY-ONE
    When Clint and Dodge entered Pony Brown’s, Clint followed his friend right to the bar. There was a table crowded with men who were laughing and pounding one another on the backs. Clint knew this had to be the celebrating mob.
    â€œTwo beers,” Dodge said to the bartender.
    â€œYou hear about—” the barman started, but Dodge cut him off.
    â€œI heard, Ike,” Dodge said. “Just bring the two beers, huh?”
    â€œSure, Fred.”
    As Ike went off to get the beer, Dodge said to Clint, “Ike Roberts. He’s a constable.”
    â€œGuess he didn’t do anything to stop these fellows, either. That them?”
    â€œYep,” Dodge said. “That’s Shaunessy right in the middle of ’em.”
    â€œHow do you want to play it?”
    â€œLet ’em come to us.”
    Clint nodded.
    Roberts returned with the two beers and set them down in front of them.
    â€œThanks, Ike.”
    Suddenly, the men at the table quieted down, as if they noticed Dodge at the bar.
    â€œHello, Fred,” Shaunessy said.
    â€œHello, John,” Dodge said, and nothing else.
    He and Clint sipped their beers. Eventually, the men at the table couldn’t take the silence anymore.
    â€œWell,” Shaunessy finally said, “you boys saw the work. What do you think of it?”
    Dodge turned to face the man.
    â€œYeah, we saw the effects of your work, John.”
    â€œWell?”

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