The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1877-11-03
Justice In Texas.

A correspondent of the Cincinnati
Enquirer, writing from Dallas, Texas
say that the roa,. 20 justice in Texas is
sometimes very short, and attended
with very little expense, as was illus
trated by an occurrence in this place a
short time ago. A gambler had been
bathing in the river in company with
some others of his ilk, who had driven
down in an express wagon. Wishing to
ride up town, he proposed that if they
would take him up he would treat, an
offer which was accepted. When they
reached the square they went into a
saloon, had their drinks, and then the
| gambler discovered he lacked fifteen
cents of having money enough to pay
the bill. The bar-keeper became quite
noisy about the shortage, insisting that
the drinks should not have been ordered
until the purchaser knew the exact state
of his cash account The gambler re-
marked that he thought the bar-keeper
was making sight of fuss about
fifteen cents, and turned TO Colonel
Long, United States Commissioner, who
was sitting at a table, and asked him if
he did not agree with him. He replied
drinks when he ordered them.
Well" said the gambler, 81 will be
back in few minutes and settle this
matter" and passed out
In less than five minutes he returned,
and as he entered the door drew a revol-
yer and fired at the bar-keeper, and the
shot took effect in the shoulder OF one of
his own friends. He then turned and
fired at Colonel Long, who was still sit
ting at the table, the ball entering his
breast and lodging near the spinal col
umn. Colonel Long rose up, walked
two squares to his home, laid down on
the bed and died in minute.
After firing the three shots the gam
bier fled across the bridge, and into the
timber in the bottoms on the west side.
The yells of the bar-keeper drew large
crowd, who at once started with police
man in pursuit. As they gained on the
murderer, he turned and fred upon his
pursurers, which had the tendency TO
decrease their ardor in the chase; but
just then a cowboy, mounted on pony,
rode up and told the policeman to
give him his pistol, and he would cap
thre his man. The officer complied with
the gambler to halt, but the command
was responded to with shot. When the !
herder found himself within the range
he brought his pistol down with jerk,
and fired within fatal effect. The gam
bier ran a few steps and fell dead, and
his pursuer coolly rode up, disinounted,
took the dead mans pistol and returned
to town to learn that his victim had
killed one of the best citizens in the city. |
saw the cowboy about ten o'clock that |
night, and heard him remark that che |
thought the country ought to pay him
So any how, as he had saved it the ex-
pense of a trial"
Criminal trials in Texas, by the way,
are sometimes very expensive. The |
other day, while travelling on horseback
to Montague County. ! fell in with
horseman who was a fair representative
of the frontier Texan. He wore SLOUGH |
hat, flannel shirt, which was open at the
neck, disclosing below his shaggy beard,
a heavy coating of hair on his breast, |
and the usual army overcoat fastened to |
his saddle. He seemed communicative,
and soon informed me that he was re-
turning from Dallas where he had been
to defend himself against the charge of |
shooting man about four years ago. He
remarked that the mistake he had made |
was that he had not killed his man. He |
said he had travelled over the one hun
bred and thirty miles between Dallas
and his homeeleven times, making over
three thousand miles, and he didn't in
tend to make but one more trip, because
he would rather kill the cuss than |
fool away all of his time attending
Court"
Somehow / could not help treating
him with respect on account OF the long
journeys he had made, but l didn't |
banker after his society enough to go
out of my road to keep his company.