Vaudeville Theater Ambush - Ambush

Ambush

On March 11, 1884, while in San Antonio on business, Fisher came into contact with his old friend Ben Thompson, also visiting town on business. Thompson was still very unpopular in San Antonio among some, since the Harris killing. A feud over that killing had been brewing since between Thompson and friends of Harris, to include Joe Foster. King Fisher would, ironically, become a victim in a situation in which he played no part whatsoever, short of being present on that day.

Fisher and Thompson attended a play on March 11 at the Turner Hall Opera House, and later, at around 10:30pm, they went to the Vaudeville Variety Theater. A local lawman named Jacob Coy sat with them. Thompson wanted to see Joe Foster, the theater owner and friend of Harris's who was now partnered with Billy Simms, and who was one of the main people fueling the ongoing feud. Thompson had already spoken to Billy Simms, with whom he'd had a cordial and almost friendly conversation.

Despite the feud and the general dislike for Thompson felt by many in San Antonio, both he and Fisher were feared men. Their reputations as gunmen, and their having proven their skills in that trade in many documented events made anyone wishing to face them have second thoughts. It is likely that this was what led to Thompson's enemies deciding on an ambush rather than an armed face to face confrontation.

Fisher and Thompson were directed upstairs to meet with Foster. Coy and Simms soon joined them in the theater box. Foster refused to speak with Thompson. Fisher allegedly noticed that something was not right. Simms and Coy stepped aside, and as they did Fisher and Thompson leapt to their feet just as a volley of gunfire erupted from another theater box, with a hail of bullets hitting both Thompson and Fisher. Thompson fell onto his side, and either Coy or Foster ran up to him and shot him in the head with a pistol. Thompson returned fire with two shots, dying almost immediately afterward. Fisher was shot thirteen times, and did fire one round in retaliation, possibly wounding Coy, but that is not confirmed, as Coy may have been shot by one of the attackers. Coy was left crippled for life, and never recovered completely.

Foster, in attempting to draw his own pistol at the first of the fight, shot himself in the leg. Foster was carried down the street for medical attention, and his leg was amputated, but he died of blood loss during the operation. The exact description of the events of that night are contradictory, as it was totally dependent on anti-Thompson witnesses, or the attackers themselves. At first, the attackers attempted to claim that Thompson and Foster had argued, and that Thompson had drawn his gun on Foster prompting Foster to draw, which resulted in an open gunbattle. That, however, was disproven over time. What is certain is that the two gunmen were ambushed with no prior knowledge of the attack, which put aside any self-defense claims by the defendants. However, to be defendants, there first would have to be a trial.

There was a public out cry for a grand jury indictment of those involved, not only from Austin and other parts of Texas, but from many inside San Antonio, who felt the ambush was cowardly. However, no action was ever taken. The San Antonio Police and the prosecutor showed little interest in the case, and eventually it simply went away. Fisher was buried on his ranch. His body was later moved to the Pioneer Cemetery in Uvalde, Texas. Thompson's body was returned to Austin, and his funeral was one of the largest in Austin's history at that time. Thompson was buried at the Oakwood Cemetery in Austin.