WILL CRAVENS
Arizona Republican Newspaper
November 8, 1901

Last Tuesday morning about 3 o'clock Deel and Company's 
Saloon in Naco was the scene of a tragic incident that 
exemplified at the same time the inevitable fate of the 
robber and the stern performance of his dangerous and 
unpleasant duty by a brave officer.  The Bisbee Review 
gives the following story of the incident:

A number of people were in the saloon when two men, masked 
and armed, entered from the back.  The onlookers were ordered 
to throw their hands up and get in line.  Their command was 
obeyed with one or two exceptions, one being Livvy Robinson. 
Livvy jumped behind the bar and grabbed a pistol, an empty 
one as it turned out, and snapped it several times at the 
bandit who was on guard.  Finding the weapon useless he got 
behind the bar.  One of the robbers went to the roulette 
table and commenced putting the money in a sack.

While this was being done, S. Ross, the bartender, crept 
behind the men who were lined up.  E.P. Ells, the deputy 
sheriff and deputy constable, had just stepped into the 
room and was for the moment compelled to line up.  But the 
bartender, Ross had secured the sawed off shotgun and was 
crawling back. He gave the shotgun which was loaded with
 buckshot to Deputy Constable Ells, who stepped forward 
and fired at the man robbing the roulette table.  The 
robber gave a single cry of pain and fell dead, shot 
through the heart.

His partner turned and ran for the door. Ells fired at him 
but a man sat in the way at the lunch counter and the officer 
had to aim to the left.  The fugitive half turned around and 
cried out so it appeared he was hit. However, he got off.

Justice Greaves was called an a coroner's jury summoned.  
Evidence showed the fact of the hold up and Mr. Deel, who 
gave evidence, thought the dead robber was a man he knew 
well at Safford.  This opinion was also agreed on by another 
witness, but afterwards, E. Acord, who had arrived in town 
last evening positively identified the man as Will Cravens, 
a cowboy of Dog Springs, New Mexico. He described his boots 
and clothes.  Acord had worked with him at Dog Springs.  The 
deceased is well connected and his people are reported 
wealthy.

Several shots were fired at the retreating robber by G.S. 
Crockett, but without apparent effect. The action of Ross 
and Livvy Robinson was certainly just luck.  The jury 
returned a verdict of "death by gunshot at the hands of 
Officer E.P. Ells in the performance of his duty".  The 
large crowd assembled to hear the reading of the verdict 
gave Mr. Ells three rousing cheers and thanked him for his 
prompt and brave conduct.

Constable Hudspeth was on the scene at once on hearing the 
shots fired and took charge of the proceedings, forming a 
posse which left in pursuit of the escaped robber.

The horse of the dead man was found and pronounced a fine, 
well trained animal.  A Winchester rifle, sack of food and 
other necessaries were attached to the saddle.  The man had 
on a blue mask with eye holes and a long bottom part.  He was 
a tall, well built man, young, with red hair and moustache.