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06/26/2003 Archived Entry: "Accident or no accident, the killer of Sheriff Whitney is coming back to Ellsworth"

ACCIDENT OR NO ACCIDENT, THE KILLER OF SHERIFF WHITNEY IS ON HIS WAY TO ELLSWORTH

Ben and Billy Thompson were brothers who hailed from Texans and had a reputation for fancy action with guns. Ben was also a highly respected gambler with Spanish Monte being his game of choice. He was a smoother operator than his younger brother Billy who was pretty rough around the edges.

Billy always seemed on the wrong side of disagreements and while in Ellsworth in the early days, one of his dishonorable deeds was to accidentally shoot Sheriff Chauncey Whitney on August 15th, 1873. The town folk haven’t forgotten that and have for years produced a summer pageant about the shooting of Sheriff Whitney.

King Fisher, also a noted gunman, was a friend of Ben Thompson’s. He had an interesting past and has been the subject of research and study.

You have an opportunity to learn about these men who were part of the history of early Ellsworth from Tom Bicknell of Crystal Lake, Illinois who is passing by this way and will make a single presentation here. He’s a researcher/historian who will present a slide show and recount the lives of these famous gunmen.

Tom is a member #289 our of C.O.W.B.O.Y. Society (Cockeyed Old West Band of Yahoos Society) and a member of the National Association for Outlaw and Lawman History, Inc.

The place to be for this interesting presentation is in the Methodist Church basement on Monday July 7th at 7:00 p.m.