J. A. Tisdale, who lived sixty miles from Buffalo, had gone in to purchase winter supplies for his family and, after a few days’ visit, started home on the evening of the 30th, spending the night at the Cross H ranch, four miles out. Tisdale stated to friends in Buffalo that he had overheard Frank M. Canton tell Fred Hesse that he (Canton) would take care of Tisdale, and that he feared he would be killed on the road home. He was nervous and uneasy, and as a precaution bought a double-barreled shotgun to carry. A local writer speaking of this incident, says: “Tisdale still showed his uneasiness at the Cross H ranch, and that night had the window blinds all closed and told one of the boys there that he thought the cowmen were going to kill him. He started the next morning on his journey home. Three miles on his murderer was lying in a gulch within twenty feet of the road, waiting for his victim to approach. Slowly but surely Tisdale, with his heavy load, was going to meet his death at the hands of the cowardly fiend. He approached, passed, and when twenty-five feet by, the murderer’s rifle belched forth its deadly contents. The first shot, from appearances, struck the handle of his six-shooter, which he had under his coat on the left side, and glanced off. He had evidently tried to cock and shoot his shotgun then, for one of the cartridges was indented slightly, as though he had drawn the hammer back part way, and it had then slipped from his thumb, he having received a death shot in the side before he had time to fully cock it, and the poor fellow fell back on his load shot to death.” To avoid immediate discovery, the wagon and team were driven half a mile below, the horses shot and the wagon and dead man left out of sight from the road. But Charles Basch, approaching from the south on horseback, had witnessed at least a part of the murderous deed, and he rode to Buffalo and gave notice of same. Basch charged Frank M. Canton with being the murderer. Sheriff Angus sent a deputy and a small posse after the body and it was taken to town. The village was full of country people, and excitement ran high. About the time of the arrival of Tisdale’s body, Jones’ brother reached town, having grown nervous over his non-appearance. A searching party was quickly organized and in the evening the body of Ranger Jones was discovered in a gully near the crossing of the Muddy, as detailed above, having lain in the buckboard for three days. Here was cause for still greater excitement, but the officer of the law had no trouble in preserving order. Charles Basch having accused Frank M. Canton with the murder of Tisdale, it was generally believed that he also ambushed and murdered Jones, though a few persons thought Fred Hesse was the guilty party, taking the cue from Tisdale’s remark that he had overheard Canton tell Hesse that he would “take care of Tisdale,” thus implying that that was his share of the bloody work, and that others were to do their share.