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circulation, in the March-Aprii 1974 issue. The Ledger expresses appreciationto True West magazine and to Bill Leftwich, the writer, for permission to usethis interesting article.By BILL LEFTWICHIllustrated by Bill LsftwichTHE DEATH OFANN* »• •4 ■I -k7T'Nmien-His demise was just another case ofManntn Clsmsntsoiling a pistol with boozeTPIME and retelling: of how gunfights happened (by the sons and grandsons of men who were “in town” that day) have clouded the facts of western history from the OK Corral to an old barn in Ada, Oklahoma.A newspaper account of the death of “Mannen”, “Manning”, Emanuel Clements, written six days after the fracas, recently found in the April 2, 1887 issue of the Ballinger f Texas) Engle, should clear up some of the unanswered questions concerning how and especially why Mannen met his death that spring afternoon.Regardless of previous difficulties between the participating parties, if any the political situation or ancient feuds his actions that day alone justified Deputy Sheriff Joe Townsend’s act of apparent self defense Violent deaths in the Clements family seemed to be the rule: (1) Mannie, Jr., son, also killed in a saloon— The Coney Island in El Paso, Dein-law, hanged by a mob at Ada, Oklaho rna on August Ilf, 1909.Mannen, Mannie, John We.-ley, and Jim Miller lived during a time of potential violence when each pi r on pro video his own security, but the mixture of whiskey and gurq owder was a poor one that u: ualiy led to a cemetery The following newspaper account is testimony thereof:M \ VMM, lt;I. EM KM S h I Cl.FI)A pistol shot Ha-, heard near night Tuesday afternoon in the Alamo saloon on 7th street, and it was soon learned that the ever-present six-shooter had got in its deadl work on Manning lt;lentents, a stockman of Met ulloch county, who has been in Ballinger several weeks ship ping stock. ( leinents was a first cousin of John Wesley Hardin, and like the noted John Wesley had sent more than one man to his long home, tor the lastOf)1 fifiUor (i anesday morning discloses substantially the following facts:Deputy Sheriff Joe Townsend, SheriffI of m wait and Manning Clements were in the Alamo saloon. I he two latter had been drinking, and I ormwalt had fired off his pistol in Hamilton A Conner’s saloon a short while before. Townsend nas endeavoring to secure his pistol. I ormwalt was drawing his pistol, and lownsend seized it. when Clements with an oath ordered him to stop, arid was leveling a pistol which he had in the meantime drawn, on lownsend. Retaining his hold upon Formwalt's pistol, Townsend instantly fired, the hall entering about an inch above Clement's left eye, ranging backward and upward.( lements fell to the floor in a silting posture and immediately expired. His pistol was in his hand at full cock after he died, show ing [ that I in all probability lownsend only escaped death by depriving (’lements of his life.Tht* Odd Fellows of whirh a,wrietv he
Newspaper Details
Ballinger Ledger
Ballinger, Texas, US
Mon, Apr 01, 1974
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Anonymous
USA 26 Apr 2018
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