SHOOT OUT at SILVER KING SALOON

Llano, founded in 1856, has a colorful and often violent past. It has been surmised that if a citizen of that past could somehow be transported forward to the present, they would have little difficulty in recognizing the area around the town square, as it has changed little over the years. Even today Joe’s Bar and Grill, West Main St, is found just one door east of where, in 1889, the Silver King Saloon stood. It is here where Ben F. Beeson, a past sheriff of Llano, died after a shootout. If you should visit the town today and walk among the quaint and interesting shops now housed in the old buildings, keep in mind the events that, not so very long ago, unfolded in these very streets.

The story begins with the report below: (attributed to a past Llano Newspaper, The Llano Iron City News)

[Last Monday Ben F. Beeson and M. C. Roberts, two ex-sheriffs of Llano county met in front of Swanson’s Clothing Emporium, on the north side of the Public Square, and a duel with pistols ensued. Seven shots were fired, five of which took effect, Mr. Beeson being instantly killed and Mr. Roberts receiving a painful and perhaps dangerous wound.

Beeson was shot four times; two of the balls making scalp wounds, another disabling his right arm, and the fourth passing through his head, just in rear of the ears, causing almost instant death.

Roberts was hit but once the ball entering the right cheek near the nose and ranging down, broke the upper and lower jawbones, knocking out several teeth and lodging in the neck near the surface. At least a part of the ball lodged there. The contact with the teeth cut the ball in two pieces, one of them passing to the middle of the back and lodging between the shoulders, just under the skin.

This sad occurrence is regretted by the whole community, as both men had many friends in the county.

The shooting was the result of a misunderstanding of several years standing.

Justice W.R. Hadley, Monday afternoon held an inquest over the body of Mr. Beeson and from the evidence rendered a verdict is that the deceased came to his death from a shotgun wound inflicted by Mr. Roberts.]

The article above is reproduced as written in FRONTIER TIMES magazine, Vol. 10—No. 4, under the heading, A Duel to The Death and lists the Llano Iron City News as the source.

The incident is well known among local historians and most concur the actual gunfight took place on 30 September 1889. It is true that it was on the north side of the public square, along the block of what today is West Main Street. There have been conflicting reports as to exactly where along this stretch of downtown Llano the mortal conflict began; but two are largely accepted and are in very close proximity – One as in the above article, "in front of Swanson’s Emporium", and the other "in front of a saloon owned by J .C. Phillips and M. C. Roberts."

While this writer found no reference to "Swanson’s Emporium" in Almond and Franklin’s Cobwebs and Cornerstones, page 09, paragraph 01, states, "In 1884, the building just east of present day Lantex Theater, was converted from a livery stable to a business house owned by J. A. Swanson." It stands to reason that by 1889, the livery stable could have been converted to an emporium, however it seems the following clarifies, at least to this writer, just where the tragic events unfolded:. Continuing, we read on Page 09, paragraph 04 (Cobwebs and Cornerstones), " in 1889 the building just east of present day Acme(1976) was the Silver King Saloon, owned by J. C. Phillips and M. C. Roberts." The research of authors, Almond and Franklin has proven accurate and this writer can safely state that the shooting happened one door east of the present (2009) Acme.

The beginning of fall 1889 found Llano booming. However, it was gradually becoming apparent to the more farsighted and cautious investors that the speculative business deals and brisk growth of the past year were not coming to fruition as expected.

In world news of the era, newspapers were printing chilling facts about the murders d terrorizing London for the past year, the macabre murders attributed to an unknown assailant dubbed, Jack the Ripper. Just a couple of weeks prior to September 30, 1889, the naked, mutilated, legless, and headless body of a young woman having been discovered and attributed to "The Ripper"

It was such time as this that the two men mentioned prior became embroiled in their fatal and final conflict.

In well documented facts, it is learned both men were from well known early Texas families. Beeson’s father, Abel, had been among Austin’s first colony known as the "Old 300" and of Beeson’s Ferry fame during the revolution.

Roberts’ father and uncles were in involved in the Battle of Plum Creek, fought under Matthew Caldwell and became well known Texas Rangers. Matthew Caldwell Roberts is said to be the first white child born in what became Caldwell County. The father, Abraham Roberts, honored his old commander by bestowing his name upon his son.

Further research reveals the two men were not only brothers-in-law, but also stepbrothers! Roberts was married to Beeson’s sister and Roberts’ father married Beeson’s mother. Caldwell County, TX records show M. C. Roberts married Nora L. Beeson on 13 Dec 1866 and four months later Roberts’ father, Abraham married Delorous Beeson, the mother of both Nora and Benjamin.

The convoluted family relationships, conceivably, may have contributed to the conflict. There are numerous possibilities relating to this cause, however, family difficulties may only be one contributing factor as we further examine facts.

What is known:

Abraham Roberts died in 1882, buried board Branch Cemetery, Llano County, TX Delorous Beeson Roberts died in 1884, buried Board Branch Cemetery.

Ben F. Beeson was first elected Llano County Sheriff in 1884 re-elected in 1886

Ben F. Beeson re-elected to second term 1886

Sheriff Beeson fined $25.00 by Commissioners Court

Ben F. Beeson resigns as sheriff before term ends

M. C. Roberts appointed sheriff by Commissioners July 1887

Llano County Commissioners minutes reveal Beeson, was fined $25.00 for ignoring order not to allow use of courthouse for anything other than county business. (He allowed a debate to take place there.) Ben F. Beeson resigns as sheriff; 1887Llano County Commissioners must appoint a new sheriff. They debate between a Mr. Banks of the Kingsland area and M. C. Roberts. Banks got one vote and Roberts three. M. C. Roberts took office in July 1887, serving until 1888 when Ben A. Ligon was elected. We can make one of two assumptions, either Roberts was not well liked by the populace or he did not like law enforcement, as he chose not to run in 1888 and Ben A. Ligon was elected sheriff. (Note: credit research of Llano county researcher, Karylon Russell for information from Llano County Commissioners Court minutes)

Another newspaper article from the era and attributed to the Austin Statesman, Oct. 3, 1889:

[On Sept 30, 1889, at about the hour of 9, your reporter was startled by a rapid succession of several pistol shots on th north side of the square. On going to the scene of action, the following particulars were gathered:

M.C. Roberts was sitting in front Roberts & Phillips saloon. Ben F. Beeson came up. Some words passed between Beeson and Roberts relative to some trouble they had yesterday. Beeson remarked that he was not fixed, but that he would fix himself, and went to his hotel and returned with a pistol in his hand.

Roberts drew his pistol. Both parties commenced firing and advancing towards each other.

Roberts fell first. Beeson approached with his pistol in hand, when Roberts fired a shot which struck Beeson in the head. Beeson fell lifeless. Roberts was shot in the face, the ball lodging in the jaw. His wound is serious but thought not fatal.

They were brothers-in-law and had had trouble before.]

M. C. Roberts’ wound never completely healed. He died in 1896. But not before he saw the death of his only child a daughter, Lula Bell Roberts.

Ben F. Beeson and M. C. Roberts are both buried in Llano City Cemetery. They rest not far from each other, in death as they were in life. In another twist, Beeson’s gravestone states his death as September 31, but September has only 30 days. In September 1889, the 30^th was on a Monday as stated in the first article above.

The last sentence in the Statesman’s article seems to convey the reporter’s feelings that the trouble was related to family. However, this writer has found nothing to date proving this. That sentence also gives rise to the notion that, perhaps, Nora Beeson Roberts was the most tragic character in the events described. But then, that is another story.......END

~Winnie J. Tate-Morgan~

Some graphics from “Out West”