Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-07-02
Rows Defense.

stood with newspaper in bis hand, rayng and
'sWhat's the matter, Wolf % asked new
conner, who was evidently familiar with the
irate man.
"NlatterP" returned Wolf for that was his
name, matter enough, an rough enough it'll
be for some folks. Them young whelps that
prints this paper have gone an published
somethin bout me. ., ~ NIX EN-! Ihey,d
better never ha' been bornl They'd better go
an kill themselves after ten minutes; it'll be
an easier death iur EN-"
Wolf was a noted desperate, who, it was said,
had killed more than twenty men, and but few
knew him who did not fear him. He was at
that time chief OF a gang of loafers and gam
blers that were nearly always to be found
loungng in the vicinity alluded TO, and disturb
ing the peace of the whole neighborhood daily
with riotous conduct. If there was any law in
those days it was seldom executed against such
characters, and in the full consciousness that
they were feared they did pretty much as they
pleased.
The newspaper which had given deadly offence
to Wolf was little weekly journal, and its office
was in the second Scory of n building on the
same street with the hotel | have mentioned,
and only a few rods distant. 1t was published
by two young men-or, might say boys, for
they were only eighteen and twenty years
old, respectively-named Darrell and Haynes
The paper and its youthful proprietors were
already well known in the city of San Fran
cisco.
The article which had excited the wrath of
the ruffian Wolf was a bold denunciation OF
himself and his crowd, and in particular men
toned him by name, characterizing INN as
clustering bully" 1t was the work OF young
Darrell, a fearless boy hailing from the western
states Before leaving his home in the Missis-
sippi valley, he had acquired fair education, SO
that he could at least edit newspaper III those
early days; and he possessed, besides, that cour-
age and daring which may be natural IN the
A. -. nfrIl IN
| velOped by exposure to danger and hardships.
| Young HAYNES was quite different kind of per-
son in point of courage, being of an unusually
timorOuS nature.
To return TO the scene on Sacramento street
| Working himself up into his very worst mood
and his best was bad enough-Wolf tore the
| paper to atoms and started for the publication
| office. He was followed by curious rabble,
most of whom were elated with the prospect of
| murder though there were some present WHO
would have demonstrated with the evil-hoe
| man, had they dared. as he reached
"Jest you watch" said w their bloody car
the door, eff We wapfhe window. 1t won't be
casseS tumbespend much time on SIGH fellows"
| lOngnhs The intention of the cruel-hearted nan
1 actually TO cut the Threats of the bOyish Journal
| lists and throw their bodies ont of the window,
| for the qualification OF the crowd, and the
| further eXaltation of his already fearful name
| So the mob on the street awaited the issue with
| feyeriSh expectation, as Wolf, hOurishng his
knife and revolver, entered the rude frame build
| ing and rushed up stairs.
All unconscious oftheir danger, the two young
editors were buSlly pursuing their usual work
in their primitive office. If they had heard the
| noise without they paid no attention TO it, sup
posing it was merely street row such as they
are accustomed to hearing every day. Darrell
| was sitting at rude table writing, and HAYNES
was at the counter arranging some papers for
| the mail
They heard the clatter of heavy boots on the
stairs, but supposed il was some rough miner
| coming to subscribe for the paper, or, perhaps,
| 10 see a lawyer who occupied couple of rooms
| on the same floor for the building was only a
two-story one, and the second floor was occupied
| exclusively by them and an attorney-their
| rooms being separated from his by narrow
hall way that was reached by the flight OF stairs
| alluded to.
"Ah, hal I've got We, my young imps!" ex-
| claimed the desperate, bursting in.
Haynes recognized him and turned pale. Be-
ing at the counter, which faced the door and ex-
| tended across the room, he was naturally the
| first mark for VOLTS vengence.
eye young rascalsl' he Kissed, scowling like
a mailman, yell never write nor print nothin'
more bout me-" Here he hourished his knife
| and revolver above his head. "Ive got sure
| thing on both of yep Saying this he look ed
| about him with a careful scrutiny, to see that
| there was no means of escape for the quiet youth
| at the table, who, of course would not dare to
|
would cover down in a corner and take his turn
| at being killed; then he reached across the
| counter and seized Haynes by the hair, which
was unfortunately very long.
| Coling the terrified young mans locks
| around the great, coarse fingers of the left
hand, Wolf laid the revolver upon the counter,
without the slightest apprehension that his
| youthful adversary would snatch it up and use
| it on him, as he might have done had he pos
sessed the nerve, then fourished his big gleam-
lpl.k a1.,
| prolonged Haynes terror and pain.
| "Now, pray, you young UNI" he Kissed
| you've got a couple o. seconds Or so left--iest
| while Pm clppin' yer ears off. I'll take 'em
| off first, clean and smooth, then I'll cut yer
| throat an throw yer out o the winder. Dye
| hear that?"
Such was VOLTS reliance on the terror
| his name everywhere inspired that he never
dreamed of resistance. lie simply intended to
butcher the two young men, and such thing as
an obstacle to his will was not to be thought of.
| Had Darrell possessed no more nerve than
| have been murdered then and there in the exact
| accordance with VOLTS programme.
"Time!" he said, grinding his ;eeth in an
| ecStacy of rage, and drawing Haynes white
face closer to his own repulsive countenance.
! There waitin to see yer carcass drap down
| into the street." Here he fiourished his knife
and selected his mark, Fright ear first. Watch
how clean an smooth I'll take it off. won't
| even touch a hair"
Haynes bawed for mercy. "o-0-don't )"
| the poor fellow shrieked, trembling with terror
| 60 don't, Mr.. Wolf! didn't write that, on my
soulp and he whined like a schoolboy.
| "None O yer lyinP said Wolf fercely. eyer
| both wrote it, darn vel an both of yen pay
| for itp Here he executed decided circles with
his flashing knife, having apparently prolonged
| the torture as much as he desired. "Here goes !;
| look out when l count threeP The knife was
ready to descend. "One-two"-
He stopped and started. He had not observed
| the movement of young Darrell during the last
| few seconds, and Just as he was on the point of
clipping off Kayness ear in the polished man
| ner he had descanted upon, he found the muZzle
| OF a rifle thrust almost into his face.
1t was loaded rifle, which, luckily, q friend
of DarrelPs had left in his keeping that very
| morning while he went out to make some pur-
| chaSes. 1t had stood in a corner of the room
| near his table, and Darrell had seized it, cooked
| and leveled it with such dexterity that he had
| Wolf covered before his movements were OBJ
| served; and he stood motionless as a statue-his
| cool eye glaucing over the sights, and steady
| finger on the trigger.
"You great bullyP he said; "drop that knife
instantly. Mind, | came from the country
where they shoot squirrels Onlyithrough the eye.
| can hit any hair of your big head at a hundred
yards. Drop that knifeP
The rufian was fairly paralyzed. He relaxed
his grip on poor Haynes, who sank faintng on
| the floor, and his murderOus knife fell upon the
| counter. So unexpected was this bold attitude
| OF Darrell that Wolf was more startled than he
would if dozen of the toughest men in Califor-
| mia had assaied him.
There stood the boyish editor, motonless as
| the wall, and the muzzle of the rifle did not
| move the breadth of a hair. Darrell held the
| desperadOs life in his hands.
You cowardly bully" he repeated contempt
| uousy; don't dare to move: can send bull
let through your eyeball without touching the
| white. Don't move the eighth of an inch or
| III do it, and throw your filthy carcass out of
| the windowp
Wolf glanced at his revolver lying upon the
counter, within two feet of his eye, but did not
| venture 10 reach it.
"Dare to touch that revolver-so much as
| look at it again" said Darrell land I'll make a
red picture on the wall there behind you. You
clustering, Dragging knayel you are coward
at heart-a despicable curl You come up here
| to murder two boys because you thought it a
nice, easy task, and now you are trembling with
| fear. l would kill you in your tracks but that
| don't want your dirty blood on my hands.
Go, now. Turn Instantly. Leave your knife
and revolver where they are. III keep them.
Go down to your friends on the street, and tell
them boy whipped you--disarmed you and
kicked you down stairs Do as 1 tell you in.
stantly. If you hesitate you will never see the
| sun set"
Wolf, trembling from head TO foot glanced
once more at his revolver, but did not dare to
| asg hss ha.A lie fora al nd lie