Robert Ford received threats after killing Jesse James in 1881. People didn’t like that he’d shot the outlaw in the back of the head—or tried to profit from it.
One man went a step further. In 1889, Ford was gambling in a Kansas City casino; the man verbally assaulted him all night. Ford leaned back in his chair and stretched—and the unnamed guy pulled a knife and tried to slit his throat.
A Ford companion partially blocked the thrust, which hit only a stiff shirt collar. The assailant then ran and was never caught.
https://truewestmagazine.com/some-bad-beef-between-robert-ford-and-jefferson-davis-hardin/