Froman
THE WEATHERFORD ENQUIRER THURSDAY 3 DECEMBER 1891
TWO MEN KILLED
Will Rivers and Bid Froman fight to the Death
Another death dealing fight occured in this County nine miles east of Weatherford, Friday morning.
From the best information The Enquirer can gather, Mr. Will Rivers had been putting out poison to kill wolves, and on Friday morning he and his wife, her sister and a young man named Kyle were in the pasture hunting the wolf scalps.
Mr. Bid Froman found his dog dead, and was incensed about it. He armed himself with a shotgun and in company with two friends, Messrs Carley Carr and Mr. Rogers, started across Rivers' pasture to Rivers' house. He came upon Rivers in the pasture and thus accosted him.
"Oh yes, _____ you, so you killed my dog, have you?" to which Rivers replied "How do you know I did, you can't prove it." "You are the ___ __ of a ____ that killed my dog."
Rivers replied, "you have the advantage over me, but if you will wait till I go to the house I will come back and shoot it out with you.
Instantly Froman emptied both barrels of his gun into Rivers breast, over fifty buckshot taking effect.
Rivers dropped to his knees and fired twice with a pistol, the first shot taking effect in the heart and the other near the center of the breast.
Froman expired instantly, while Rivers lived about two hours.
Another statement is that Rivers accompanied by his wife, his wife’s sister, and a young man named Kyle, was after the scalps of some wolves which he had succeeded in poisoning during the night, and when about half mile from home met Froman carrying a double-barrel shotgun in his hand. When Froman approached within fifteen feet of Rivers. he raised his gun, saying "you are the ____ ___ of a _____ that killed my dog." Rivers replied, "you have the advantage over me, but if you will wait till I go to the house, I will come back and shoot it out with you."
Froman then, evidently supposing Rivers to be unarmed lowered his gun but continued abusing him when the latter suddenly drew a Colt forty-four and apparently without taking sight, fired the bullet piercing Froman's left breast, passing through his heart killing him instantly. Simultaneously with the pistol came the report of the double barreled shotgun and Rivers sank into the arms of his shrieking wife, with a charge of squirrel shot in his left breast, from the effects of which he died in thirty minutes.
Still another statement given by Mr. Eugene Miller who arrived on the scene within twenty minutes after the shooting is as follows:
Mr. Rivers, Mr. Kyle and two ladies were out in the pasture hunting wolf scalps.
Messers. Froman, Carr and Rogers came to the Rivers crowd.
Froman said "Rivers you have killed my dog."
Rivers replied, "you have the advantage of me, but if you will go down to the house with me. We will step off ten steps and shoot it out."
Froman said "no, I don't want to shoot". and turned and said to his crowd come on, ‘ess go."
Froman turned and started when Rivers proposed to go a piece of the way with him. Froman replied. "no, if you follow me, I'll shoot your head off."
Froman started off and Rivers fired one ball from his pistol which missed its mark. Froman whirled and eye witnesses says his shot gun and River’s pistol fired simultaneously. Froman fell forward upon his face with both arms fully stretched out. The pistol ball entered at the left nipple and went clear through his body piercing the heart and went on into his right arm. Broke the arm and lodged next to the outer skin.
The bird shot from Froman's gun filled River's chest. He was removed to his house at once and died within thirty minutes.
The County Attorney and the sheriff went to the scene immediately.
It seems that Mr. Rogers who was with Froman rushed to Froman when Froman fell. Rogers also had a gun, and it is alleged that he meant to give Froman the gun. Rogers was arrested but immediately gave bond.
There had been for a long time a feud existing between Froman and his women folks, and Rivers and his women folks. They have long been quarrelling. The tragedy however is the direct results of the poisoning, or killing of Froman’s dog, and yet it is not known that Rivers either poisoned or killed it.
Both men stood well, while Froman was wealthy and prominent.
Rivers was reared in Weatherford where his remains were intered Saturday. The only surprise expressed by the Old Citizens is that the tradgedy did not come off long ago.