Cherokee County, from The Advocate, 2/06/1895
Cherokee Co. OK Archives 
Copyright c 2003 by: Mollie Stehno, e-mail: shoop@orcacom.net
This copy contributed for use in the USGenWeb Cherokee Co. OK Archives. 
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SLAUGHTER KID AND JIM FRENCH SHOT DOWN WHILE RAIDING A STORE

February 6, 1895-The Cherokee Advocate-Claremore, I. T. February 7-Last night 
Jim French and Slaughter Kid undertook to rob the general merchandise store of 
W. E. Patton, at Catoosa, about twelve miles south of here.  The bandits were 
recognized as they rode into town.  They dismounted before the store of W. E. 
Patton, when a Texas cowboy from within opened fire on them, instantly killing 
Slaughter Kid with his second shot.  He fired a third shot at Jim French but 
missed.  Having no more cartridges, he secreted his revolver.  French entered 
the store, and accused the cowboy of killing his partner in crime, but the 
cowboy protested that he had no gun hence he was not the one.  French turned and 
shot manager Irwin chief clerk of the store, through the body.  Irwin drew a 
revolver and returned the fire shooting French through the body and through the 
right eye.  French managed to reach his horse and mounting, rode to a house a 
short distance away.  The man informed the town officers of French's whereabouts 
and a crowd assembled to capture the dying bandit, who, hearing them 
approaching, raised up and look out of the window, and at that instant received 
a load of buckshot in the face, almost tearing his head off.  Mr. Irwin's death 
is expected hourly, as the Winchester ball ploughed through his body from side 
to side, just below the waist.  The death of these two outlaws entirely wipes 
out the Cook gang with the exception of Bill Doolin.
	   Jim French is a half-breed Cherokee, his mother being a white woman.  
He showed few traces of his Indian blood.  He graduated with honors at the Male 
Seminary at Tahlequah, and his conduct was irreproachable while at school.  He 
learned the saddler's trade:  Several years ago, in an altercation, he killed a 
Negro at Fort Gibson.  From that time on he stole horses and sold whiskey until 
after the big Indian payment, when he joined Bill Cook.  He is implicated in the 
Red Fork, Chouteau, Carroll and Pryor Creek train robberies, and also in the 
holdups at Lenapah, Watova, Fort Gibson (three times) and Checotah.  These 
robberies following one after another so rapidly, often two in the same week, 
seem like fiction, but now the Territory has been ridden of this gang.
	    The town feels a sense of security they have not felt since the strip 
payment. There have been standing rewards for the capture or death or both Mc 
Williams and French.