On December 26, 1889, The Coward Robert Ford survived an assassination attempt in Kansas City, Kansas when an assailant tried to slit his throat.
Within a few years, Ford settled in Colorado, where he opened a saloon-gambling house in Walsenberg. When silver was found in Creede, Ford closed his saloon and opened one there. Ford purchased a lot and on May 29, 1892 opened Ford’s Exchange, said to have been a dance hall. Six days later, the entire business district, including Ford’s Exchange, burned to the ground in a major fire. Ford opened a tent saloon until he could rebuild.
Three days after the fire, on June 8, 1892, Edward O’Kelley entered Ford’s tent saloon with a shotgun. According to witnesses, Ford’s back was turned. O’Kelley said, “Hello, Bob.” As Ford turned to see who it was, O’Kelley fired both barrels, killing Ford instantly.
O’Kelley hence became “The Man Who Killed The Man Who Killed Jesse James”. O’Kelley’s sentence was commuted because of a 7,000-signature petition in favor of his release and a medical condition, and he was released on October 3, 1902. O’Kelley was subsequently killed on January 13, 1904 while trying to SHOOT a POLICEMAN.
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