No Inheritance from Father
Kansas Charley, after being let go following the theft of two watches from the Pohls in Lyons, New York, finally made it to New York City. His first contact was a friend of his father's, a Mr. Holz. But Holz did not have any money that Charlie's father might have left him. And neither could the Children's Aid Society or the New York Orphan Asylum assistance him. Since New York City had nothing left for Charley he hopped a "free" ride on a train bound for Philadelphia. There, a gang of boys had been robbing freight cars. Because of this, and the Pennsylvania Tramp Act of 1879, Charley was arrested. He spent the next six weeks, beginning July 2, 1890, at the House of Corrections in Holmesburg, Pennsylvania. When he was released, in August, the only money he had was the small amount he had earned from working at the prison vegetable farm. He also had received a well-rounded education on the ways of criminals and outlaws. It was an education he now took west with him.
Gang Rape and a Pistol Bought
Somewhere between Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Kansas City a gang of tramps turned on him, brutalizing him in a manner approximating a gang rape. It would be difficult to determine just what long-lasting effect this incident had on Kansas Charley. Afterwards, Charley bought a secondhand .32-caliber pistol while he was working as a dishwasher in Kansas City. He paid $1.25 for the gun, more than half of his spars weekly wage. But this gun was not the weapon he later used to commit murder with.
Disaster for Charley Begins in St. Joseph
In Kansas City, Charley washed dishes for a demanding boss and supplemented his meager wages by stealing scraps from the hotel kitchen's unwashed plates. But consistent to his usual pattern of behavior-he again ran away. He took another 'free' ride on a train, this time headed for Omaha, Nebraska.
Yippee-Ti-Yeah, I Want To Be a Cowboy
In Omaha he heard that there were jobs to be had riding horses and tending sheep at the Gleason's Ranch just outside of Cheyenne, Wyoming. Somehow, he'd have to make it the five hundred miles that lay between Omaha and Cheyenne. The season was getting late, as it was September of 1890, but there was only one way he could afford to get to Cheyenne. Again he hopped on a freight car.
As the train sped on towards Hillsdale, Wyoming Charley lifted the whiskey bottle and, on a very empty stomach, began to drink. What happened next, Kansas Charley later could never entirely explain.
Kansas Charley, with pistol in hand, climbed over railroad ties to where Emerson and Fishbaugh lay sleeping. At close range, he shot Waldo in the head, through his right temple. The sound of the shot caused Ross to stir and Charley turned and shot him, almost in the exact location that Waldo had received a deadly bullet.
Ill-Gotten Gains Gathered
Charley then went through the two young men's pockets. Charley only went through Emerson and Fishbaugh's pants pockets. He entirely failed to check the pockets of their coats. From Waldo, he gained a knife and a silver pocket watch. From Ross, who was still alive though barely, Charley took forty-five dollars in paper money, two silver dollars, a knife, and the .38 revolver the young man had been flashing about back in Sidney, Nebraska. The pistol taken from Ross was far superior to the one Charley possessed, therefore Kansas Charley left the actual murder weapon tucked beneath Emerson's lifeless body.
Murder on the Union Pacific continues with Kansas Charley A Deadly Outlaw.
Previous: Kansas Charley Becomes the Victim A Disaster for Charley Begins in St. Joseph.
