The Murder of Robert Ford
Robert Ford befriended outlaw Jesse James in 1882, when he and his brother Charley joined his gang. They lived with James and his family for a time. Ford shot James in the back of the head to collect a state bounty of $10.000. By 1892, he operated a tent saloon in the silver mining camp of Creede, Colorado.
On June 8, 1892, while Ford was preparing to open his saloon, O'Kelley walked into the tent with a shotgun. Ford was turned away from the front entrance. O'Kelley called out, "Hello Bob." As Ford turned around to see who spoke, O'Kelley fired his shotgun, hitting Ford in the neck and killing him instantly.
O'Kelley never explained why he had shot Ford. It has been alleged that Soapy Smith, the infamous Colorado con man, had convinced O'Kelley he would be a hero for killing the unpopular Ford. Another theory involves the accusation that O'Kelley had stolen Ford's diamond ring, and the dispute escalated. For the crime, he was given a life sentence which was reduced to 18 years, but he only served about 8 years at Colorado State Penitentiary.
Read more about this topic: Edward Capehart O'Kelley
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