Fair play., 1873-08-14
4 Fight 10 the Death-Sanguinary
Hand. to. Hand Conflict.


on the evening of July 1. in the Indian
Territory. II Medicine Ledge. point
which Is a great resort for hunters durip.
the colder months. The parties engaged
in this desperate fight We're Hugh Ander-
son of Texas and Arthur McCluskey al
Kansas, both deSperadoeS well known OF
the frontier for their recklessneSs of life.
Anderson had killed brother of McClus.
Key in dance house fracas. and the latter
sought him out for the express purpose OF
taking vengeance upon him. 4 Texan
guide named Richards acted As second for
McCluskey. huge kentuckian of the
name of Harding fulfilling similar office
for Anderson.
THE AGREEMENT.
BY the terms agreed upon between
Richards and Harding the antagonists
Were 10 fight with revOlvers and bowie
knives-tO be placed back TO back at an
interva! Of twenty paces-tO wheel a q
fire at a given signal, and after the first in
terchange Of shots 20 conduct the fight as
each one sheuld deem it best TO his alvan-
ta.e. The spot selected for TIE encounter
was in the open prairie. The grass had
been clOSel: cropped by the cattle, leav-
ing the turf firm. yet elastic. and just the
thing for rOugh-and-tumble business.
| The men left long after sunset in the pres
ence Of crowd Of hunters, trapperS.
railroad surveyors. oamblers and Indians.
The combatants were duly placed, and the
crowd awaited with breathless interest the
result.
| The giving Of the signal had fallen by
lot to Harding. Stating to the principals.
who by this time began to show signs Of
/ impatience, that this would be the report
| of n pistcl. he drew his own wcaDOD and
\ y. .-x.l,- - -.
| and receiv;n" the usual answer that both
were ready.
THE FIGHT.
NcCluskey was the first to fire. wheel.
i'm. AS he did so. though the smoke had
scarcely curle.l up from his pistol before
the report of AndersOn's weapon fol-
lowed. A mOmentarv pause ensried. each
of the antagonists closely scanning the
other TO note the ,.ff .ct of the shot, Across
An,lerson's cheek a deep furrOw. from
which the blood slowly iepan to trickle
down, told the work Of his antagonist.
while McCMskey remained standing in
his original posture, to all appearances
uni,armed. But this was not the fact.
Those nearest to him fanciea they saw
sudden spasm, rs of pain pass through
his frame. and his face certainly blanched
to a deathlike pallOr. but lust wher. the
ball had taken effect they could not tell.
At the second fire McCiaskey again an
ticipated his opponent, and taking more
deliberate aim succeeded i'm breaking his
leit arm Anderson uttered a sharn cry
and sank on one knee. but. Quickly recov-
eripo himself. returned the fire. and this
time with horrible effect. The ball, pas
sing through McCluskey's mouth carried
with il several of the clenched teeth and
portion Of the tongue. finally lodging
i'm the base of the skull. McCluskey stag.
.ered forward wildly a few steps, and
made ,lesperate efforts to steady himself
The blood poured i'm torrents from the
wound, and stained his hunting shirt and
dripped from the muzzle of his pistol !;
but with heroic courage he continued 10
advance. splitting out mOuthfuls of blood
and teeth at every step.
During the interval thus gained Anaer-
SON. who in his crippled state had every
reason to shun a hand-tO-hand encounter.
had not been idle. but fired another we'll
aimed shot which broke McCluskey's left
shoulder. As if this was not enough. he
sent still another ball after him. which.
striking him in the pit of the stomach.
caused linn to fall forward heavily
on his face. McCluskey was NV
mOrtally wounded and mOmentarily
growing weaker from loss of blood. Tear
ing open his shirt in his agony, crimson
where Anderson's first shot had taken
effect. He still. however. retained his
grasp of his pistol. and by an effort super
human in its GOODNESS and deliberatiOn.
fired at his antagonist his third shot. The
latter had been closely watching for this,
and en,IeayOred to save himself by sud-
denly dropping on the ground. Too late.
however. McCluskey's finger was al
ready on the trigger and his eye along the
sights. and when his adversary's body
reached the earth it was heavier by q
Colts pistol ball. A scream Of pain fol-
lowed. and the spectators saw the figure
of a man clutching wildly with his hands
at the grass and writhing and twisting in
horrible contOrtions. The bullet had
struck him full in the abdomen, ami like
his antagonist, Anderson was now fast
diving man.
At this iuncture it seemed as If the
crowd would interfere, but Harding
stern,y bade them keep back and leave
the men to settle the matter their own
way. As none cared to dispute with the
gigantic hunter, the mandate was Obeyed.
though a universal expression Of horror
ran through the spectators. Still. horri-
BILE as was the scene, no one thought of
leaving the spot. An irresistible fascina-
ton to see it out bound one and all alike
to the bloOd.stained locality. But the
finale was at hand-the curtain almost
ready to drop.
McCluskey, summoning by supreme
effort his remaining strength, drew his
knife and began to crawl feebly in the
direction of his antagonist. The latter.
who had raised himself to sitting DOS.