b"ADA RICH PRIZE night air in Ada, making the concrete floor of Millers cell Word had been passed to Miller in Las Cruces that $2000uncomfortably cold for the hired gunman.was waiting for him in Ada for the killing of a prominent businessman and sometimes lawmen Allen Augustus GusHe got the best lawyer in the territory, Moman Pruitt. The Bobbitt. It was said the blood money was put up by saloonace criminal lawyer had won acquittals for 304 of the 342 operators who were running a wide-open area of townaccused killers he had represented. None of the 38 found catering to cotton workers. Ada was surrounded by cottonguilty had been executed. Millers long record of evading farms cashing in on the current boom. Jesse West and Joejustice in Texas and New Mexico despite being suspected C. Allen were the saloon owners named. in numerous killings did not build confidence in the legal system among many in Ada. AMBUSHED BY THE GATEDeacon showed up in Ada sporting his usual humble blackOn Sunday, April 19, about 40 men stormed the Ada jail. garb and praising the Lord to local church people. BobbittThe irony that he was being seized by a lynch mob on the was on his way home at dusk in his wagon. His neighbor,Sabbath could not have escaped Deacon Jim Miller. As the Bob Ferguson, was following not far behind on the trail. Asmob took Miller, West, Allen and Burrell out of their cells, Bobbitt approached the gate to his ranch, a shotgun roaredthe prisoners passed the two lawmen that were to protect SHERIFF BUD FRAZER from behind an elm tree. The buckshot tore into Bobbittsthem, neatly bound and gagged on the jailhouse floor.legs. The shotgun roared again, the shot tearing into he had picked up with his earnings in the range wars. HeBobbitts left side. HISTORIC LIVERY STABLEdropped Jarrott with one well-aimed rifle slug, and thenThe livery stable was in an alley directly behind the jail. kept pumping bullets from the Winchester into him as theFurguson jumped from his wagon and took cover. HeThe mob moved quickly. Inside the abandoned stable, lawyer lay helpless on the ground. Miller is quoted as sayingwatched as a man on horseback charged out of the thicketthey bound their prisoners with baling wire. Four ropes Jarrott was the hardest damn man to kill I ever tackled. from where the shots had been fired. Bobbitt died in aboutwere tossed over the dusty rafters and secured, the nooses an hour, his wife cradling him in her lap. Ferguson toldhanging limp in the gloom of the poorly lighted stable. U.S. MARSHAL WAYLAID lawmen that the killer had passed Bobbitt and him on theThe nooses were quickly slid over the heads of West, Allen, In the Chickasaw Nation in Indian Territory, soon totrail a short time earlier and gave them a description. Clad inand Burrell snugged up against their necks and pulled up become Oklahoma, a young U.S. marshal named Benblack, riding a scruffy horse that looked like it had been on atowards the rafters.Collins had cracked down on a couple of outlaws knownlong ride, and covering his face with a white scarf while at the as the Pruitt brothers. Ben had arrested the Pruitts aftersame time tipping his black Stetson to them as he passed. Millers three accomplices twitched violently before his eyes a shootout in which one of the brothers was crippled byand the life faded out of them. The mob had waited to hang Collins bullets. The Pruitts vowed revenge and got word toEASY TRAIL TO FOLLOW Miller in hopes of getting him to confess to his crimes. He Miller that $1800 was waiting for him in Indian TerritoryThe posse that left the Bobbitt ranch with Fergusonswas stoic, saying only, Let the record show Ive killed 51 if he would do away with Marshal Collins. That was thedescription had no trouble tracking the Deacon. Perhapsmen. Miller then calmly pulled off the diamond ring that biggest contract the Deacon had ever been offered. he had gotten away with so many killings he was gettinghe bought with the money he got for killing lawyer James overconfident. He had headed back to Ada to the home of aJerrott and asked that it be given to the dead lawyers wife. In August of 1906, a shotgun roared near the gate of aman named Williamsona relative of Jims. He had put hisHe pulled off his diamond shirt stud and asked that it be small farm the marshal and his wife owned near Orr,uncle up before and after the killing. Williamson didnt fairgiven to his jailer for his kindnesses. He then asked for his Indian Territory. Four revolver shots also were heard in thetoo well for his good deed. A group of townsmen stormedbroadcloth coat. I dont want to die naked, he explained. farmhouse and Collins wife ran outside to the gate, only tohis house and beat him until he told them what his uncleThe noose was then placed around his neck and he was find her husband dying from a shotgun blast to the bodywas doing in town. Miller had stopped at Williamsonshoisted into the air, coatless. that had knocked him from his horse and another to theonly briefly to exchange face, fired after he fell. Collins managed to get off four shotshis scruffy horse for a from his revolver as he was dying. None hit his assailant.fresh mare and rode off to There was an intense investigation. It wasnt long beforeArdmore, Oklahoma, the Oklahoma lawmen had fingered a couple of conspiratorsnephew related. who told of the payment of $1800 for killing Collins.The trail in Ardmore then NEW MEXICO CALLING led to Millers landlady and Deacon Jim rode back to Fort Worth only to find that aa lad named Peeler who relative in Las Cruces had a job for him that would paysaid he had been paid to $1500. And some fame might well go with the contract.take Miller to Ada. The Associates of his New Mexico relative wanted Pat Garrett,posse also learned that the now retired lawman who had gunned down Billy theWest and Allen had paid Kid, put out of their way. It was 1908. Miller his $2000 blood money through a livestock Later, New Mexico mounted police investigators suspectedspeculator named Barry wealthy and powerful Dona Ana Company rancher W. CoxBurrell. Burrell was arrested of channeling the $1500 through underworld friends in Elin Texas and returned to Paso, one of whom was Little Mannen Clemens, DeaconAda. Miller was nabbed Jims brother-in-law. They believed Clemens hired Miller toalong the Trinity River near kill Garrett from ambush. Fort Worth. A Cox friend named Wayne Brazel walked into the LasAllen and West had fled to Cruces sheriffs office and handed a .45 Colt to DeputyTexas but returned to Ada Lucero. Brazel said he had killed Pat Garrett with the gun.when they received a wire Brazel had in tow Carl Admanson, a relative of the Clemens'supposedly from MillerCome enjoy a great time and and Jim Millers wife. Garretts body lay on a road nextasking for $10,000. Miller to a barren wash outside Las Cruces. It was determinedhad not sent the wire, thedelicious menu at the depot!Garrett had been shot from ambush in the back of the headsheriff did. It wasnt longOPEN DAILY 2pm11pm (or later if the by a Winchester while he was standing next to Brazel andbefore Miller, West, Allen,party is still going!)CLOSED on WednesdaysAdamson near the buckboard the three were riding in.and Burrell were in cells Garrett was in the act of urinating when the Winchester slugin Ada. Miller, through HAPPY HOUR 4pm-6pm on Beers, slammed into the back of his skull. It also was determinedthe connections of AllenDrafts, Drinks, and Appetizers in the autopsy that a .45 slug entered Garrett from the frontand West, lived the good KARAOKE Every Thu. and Sat. from 7pm-11pmafter he was down, entering his stomach and exiting hislife in jail. He shaved twice shoulder. A couple of rifle cartridge casings and some horsea day, had fresh sheets POOL TOURNAMENT on Sundays at droppings were found in the wash some distance off the roadevery morning, ate steaks2pmCall to sign up!TO-GO Orderswhere Garrett was murdered. Brazel went on trial and wasbrought in from the Elite acquitted. Cox sat next to him in the courtroom. Adamson,Caf, and had carpet put on27200 S State Hwy 89 Congress, AZ 85332the only eyewitness to Garretts murder, was not even calledhis cell floor. It was April,928-427-6355by the prosecution to testify. After the killing, he was not seenand there was still a chill until he turned up in Ada, Oklahoma.ArizonaRealCountry.com March 2023 19"