Weekly Trinity journal., 1858-02-06


but stern, unshrinkng determination His mind /
seemed to have no room left for passion or fore
thought OF the consequences, every faculty being
concentrated on'the all-absorbing, single purpose,
to kill
1t was the hour Of noon on one of the cloud
less, burning days of August, and the blazing,
vertical sun looked as If it would blast the sight
and wither the forms of the actors and spectators
of that terrible tragedy. The word given,
and the parties fred together. Arthur Willis
entirely missed bis aim, but the bullet Of the old
er duelist ploughed red turrow, that went to
the bone, across his breast, just above the region
! of the heart.
Both then moved forward couple of steps,
and, halting simultaneously, again discharged
their weapons. Howels ball inflicted wound
similar to the other, about two inches higher up,
on the person Of his antagonist, and the shot of
the latter pierced deeply into the desperado's
thigh, without, however, disabling him from
walking.
Again they advanced three PAGES, and, pausing,
! fired twice in rapid successon--al the four bits
of lead taking effect in different paris of the hu-
man figure, and drenching each with streams Of
flowing blood.
Then, maddened with pain, and each fearing
to fall before be could say his enemy, the COM
batants lost all caution, and rushed like raving
maniacs towards each other, dischargng their
pistols as they went, and quickly closed in with
their enormous knives. The shudderng bystand
final conflict resembed the shock of ofadverse fends
more than any mortal struggle among the frail
children Of mere flesh and blood. Their right
arms had been shattered by the hail OF bullets
| they welded the Arkansas tooth-picks with their
left hands Faint from the loss of blood and their
efforts Of awful toll, their tottering legs refused
to support the weight Of their sinking bodies it
mattered not they still tonight on their knees
At last, Jack Howell uttered wild, inexpres
sibly mournfu cry of anguish and despair, as the
point of his foes knife found its way to his heart
and Immediately expired, while the victor swoon-
| ed away upon the bosom of the esPpsel
After few months Arthur Willis recovered
from the wounds received in that dreadful strife;
but from that day he was totally different per-
son. In watching the strange events OF his sub
sequent career, one might almost be tempted to
give credence to the superstition of certain saw
age tribes, who believe that the soul of the van
quished WARRIOR after death, takes up its abode in
the living form of the VICTOR and inspires him not
only with the prowess of the deceased, but with
his evil passions also. The youth, previously so
timid, temperate and diligent in business, sud
denly plunged into seas of dissipation. His SEN
sibity to insult became so quick and tender, that
it was impossible to hold any Intercourse with
him, or even to be in his presence, without incur
ring the dangerous risk that he might miscon
strue some word or look of the most harmless, or,
perhaps, friendly meaning, into a premedilated
offence against his dignity or honor and ever,
when excited his hand wandered, without any
effort of the controlling WILL on the instant, TO
his revolver or the hilt of his bowie knife He
seemed to shoot, stab, strike and slay uncOn-
sciously, like moved by devil that pos
sessed him bodily.
Shortly after the duel, he undertook to chas-
tse one Thomas Waggoner, for having uttered
disparagng remark in reference to the combat.
The latter fed across the public square, with the
infuriated foe at his heels A brother Of the af
frighted Waggoner met him and interposed 'For
Gods sake, Willis, do not kill him y
The desperate Immediately turned The muzzle
Of his pistol, and shot the raternal mediator dead
in his tracks
Il arrest you for murder exclaimed Deputy
Sheriff Poqne, who chanced to be standing near.
'Nevcrr shouted withstand drove the blade
of his dagger into the centre OF the officer heart.
| The largest volume would be insufficient for
the details Of his bloody achievements, in duels
and sudden rencounters, in fair fight and foul
He accustomed to boast, especially in his
revels, that twenty men had fallen by his single
hand alone, and those who knew him best, thought
! that even this number was rather below than
above the truth
| His life might be well termed one ceaseless
battle filed with loud alarms. His trumpbs on
| ly increased the multitude of his enemies; for
when one foe persisted, dozen relatives started
up TO avenge his ashes. He was waylad, shot
at, pursued by stealthy feet wherever he went,
but still he escaped unhurt and his apparently
miraculous impuniy, at last led him to vainly
imagine that he was charmed against death lie
removed from Arkansas to eastern TeXas and
soon became the terror of the bravos there
Thence he emgrated to San Antonio, and still
continued to main and murder. Men feared
him like a Lybian lion, like some hairy demon OF
the desert like an evil spirit, impervious to NOR
| tai fear.
AT Bexar he insuted the beautiful wife of
poor Mexican, who bore the proud historic name
of Cortez The vindictive half-breed made ST.
lent vow of revenge, and patiently waited for
the sure opportunity. One morning, at sunrise,
Willis, without the least apprehension or presen-
timent OF danger, stepped to his door, which
opened on the main street of the city. Suddenly
flash cleaned before bis eyes, and roar sound
ed like double peals of thunder lie dropped to
the earth hteless corpse, with his bosom torn to
atoms by forty slugs of lead He, the aldread-
ed, the Napoleon of duelists, the proud player
with the dice of death, the famous hero of hun
dred fields of conquest, fell at last, like dog, by
the band of slave and coward, whom he deemed
beneath the dignity of kick with his boot t-heel