The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1877-11-22

IOu0 HOIIlt ny ilNl vi NAN0iil AOhCANNAt
and in this last struggle against the fate
that must sooner or later overtaken him,
he was to receive what may prove his
death wound, and, fighting to the last,
escape the gallows. He was known to
Wright, the pawnbroker. who, under
instructions from the Chief of Police, in
case the emergency arose which had
then came, had sent out for the nearest
policemen.
A young man named James Morrison
had accompanied Rand to the store, but
cuts no figure in the tragic events that
followed
The clerk had found
FFICERS WHITE AND TOM JEFFERNAN,
and on the way back to the pawnshop
had warned them that they had to deal
with a desperate man.
Their entrance to the pawnshop was
sudden, and almost before Rand had
realized their presence, they had vio-
lently seized him and backed him to a
corner. Then began a desperate strug-
gle. At the first touch of the officer
Rand had with his right hand whipped
out a navy revolver of the largest size,
and cooking it with the dizziness of long
practice, struggled to gain position to
discharge it with the fatal effect he de-
sired. The desperate succeeded in
pointing it at Whites breast, while Hef-
fernan, having released all hold OF the
prisoner, seized the weapon with both
hands, and strove to wrest it from his
grasp. Rand pulled the trigger, Just as
Heffernan succeeded, by violent effort,
in pulling it downward. The charge
intended for Whites breast struck him
in the right femoral artery, and from
great and gaping wound the blood flow
ed in an unceasing stream. White, as
brave man as ever lived, chung to his
man for moment longer, and then
stunned by the shock of the wound and
weakened by the terrible flow OF blood
fell to the floor. Heffernan held tc
the pistol with
THE STRENGTH OF DESPERATION,
but vainly endeavored to obtain pos
session of the weapon. Rand succeed
ed in cooking it again, and Heffernan
observing the act placed his thumb un
der the hammer, and prevented the fir
ing of the shot that would have stretch
ed him lifeless by the side of his broth
er-Officer.
George Hess and Mr.. Wright, know
ing tie desperate character of the mar
they had to deal with, upon the entrance
of the officers seized revolvers, and witt
them covered Morrison, the companion
of Rand, fearing that he was an accom-
plice, and perhaps a bad man. Blu
during the terrible scene this man stood
blanched and terror-stricken witnes;
of the scene.
Things were in desperate condition
with Heffernan. He felt that the supe
rior strength of his antagonist mus
soon prevail, and, turning an instant to
wards the pawnbroker, he cried out
" Shoot this man, Hess, he will xii
White.' Hess leaned over the counter
took deliberate aim and fired. The lead
en- messenger crashed through the des
peradOe's breast-bone and into his lungs
He faltered for an instant, and cried ou
60 am shotl" but with redoubled fury
attacked Heffernan again. The strug
ole was resumed. 1t was the embrace
of death, and the veins stood out on th'
foreheads of both men like whip-cords
Heffernan at last succeeded in getting
out his revolver, while he held on to thu
weapon of the other. Pulling the trig
ger of his weapon at the first opportu
nifty, he fired downward, the ball pass
ing through Rand's knee. He ther
forced him to the floor, but held to hi
man, and finally succeeded in wrench
ing the pistol from his grasp. He wa'
rapidly weakening, but with his failing
breath he continued to curse and swear
80 You have got me dead to rights, -
- you;
But YOU ARE THE FIRST"
He found time to glance at White, who
lay on the floor, and said, between hi
teeth: 81 hope l have killed that -
of -ih
Then he made another mighty, violen
muscular effort, but, forced down again
he almost shrieked: " Yes, fight, -
- you, fight; but L can get away will
Il dozen - oilicersi"
The officer had his man forced to {
half recumbent position.
Hess, after his well-executed shot, haC
turned again to the young man, Morri
son, and covered him with his pistol
Heffernan turned his head that way fol
an instant to see whether there was any
danger in that quarter, and, as he die
so, with movement of lightning
rapidity, Rand, with his left hand, whip.
ped out another revolver, the counter
part of the first, cooked it with the same
dizziness, and pointed it at Heffernan's
heart Just as he turned his head again
He saw his danger. With one hand he
seized the wrist of the hand containing
the weapon and, by violent effort,
knocked it from his grasp and threw il
away, in the same instant striking his
prisoner blow on the head with his
own weapon. Rand looked at him with
eyes cleaning with hate and Kissed, "a
half minute more and you were gone
too. Won - of 8 Pr
At this moment Officers Flynn, Ly
mag, Burke, Sergeant DALEY and one
or two others entered, and, compre.
hending the situation at a glance, seiz.
ed. disarmed and rendered poweries.
the desperate on the floor, who, lying
there in the face of death, continued t.
shrek forth his curses at the police ant
to vaunt his ability to kill a dozen o
them in an open fight.
This scene was dramatic. Near thu
door Morrison, the companion of Rand
and spectator of the terrible scene
covered under The blackened muzzle o
Wright's pistol, which covered hin
with a grim suggestiveness. Lying up
on the floor, his head supported by
brother officer, White lay in pool o
blood, while physician who had beef
summoned vainly attempted to stancl
the life-blood which gushed from tn
great wound in the artery. Held b,
three or four officers a few feet distant
Rand cursed and struggled and revile'
the dying man, applying epithets to hin
that made the bystanders shudder. Tn
two heavy navies which had played sue