Little Falls transcript. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1876-1894, 1878-11-07
MIR. GIBBS OF COLORADO.

the Blue Eyed FrontIsrsman who
Fought Bravely for Ast =, Ono Asala It
Eleven-A r. rrable Hide Across the Pra-
iries to Denver Jatl. 100 Miles Away.
A New York correspondent writes from
Denver, Col, as follows: In 1874 l. was en-
ployed on the Rocky Mountain Ne,es of this
city, and enc autumn evening OF that year was
detailed TO visit prisoner in the local jail
MIR. Gibbs, ,hGres-apaper man come to see
as entered ofte of the cells. "Be sure an
mister, Gibbs" he added. in an under tone.
He's mighty particular bout the only title an
American ken have Whenever he goes to a
hotel in the States, he always signs himself on
the blotter, Mr.. Gibbs of Colorado Never
no initials, an always the Mr. an OF
Colorado He's known everywhere only as
Mr.. Gibbs, an"
The jaiIor stopped as Mr.. Gibbs advanced
and held out his hand. The visitor knew that
within the previous twenty-four hours the
blood of four men had Redeemed it. But it
was a firm, earty grip tuat Mr.. Gibbs
gave. His appearance was not unprepossess-
ing. Good nature beamed from his clear blue
eyes. His rosy checks and round face, tanned
by exposure to prairie sun, might, but for the
yellow moustachr, have been those VI a healthy
baby. Stray dogs would instantly have
sought in him friend.
One midnight in June. 1874, the prairie about
ed UP by the flames of burning barn. The
figure of the barns owner was clearly reveal
ed as he va'nly tried to put out the fire.
Crouched-i in a dry ditch in the outer darkness
was an assassin with leveled rifle. He fired :,
and the barns owner fell like a log with a
Gibbs, who was The dead mans neighbor, had
had dispute with him the week before, re-
speeding the boundary line between their
ranches Mr.. Gibbs was arrested and tried in
Denver for murder The dispute was proved,
but there were no corroborating circumstances
and the jury brought in verdict Of acquittal.
5a n e9 9bs rsnds Of the 'a dsad
did not accept /: the jury's + decision
and determined to take the law in their own
hands. This was how they Jared in their at
tempt, as Mr.. Gibbs told the story in the Den
vertjuil: 81 =, s.
The previous midnight the Gibbs family was
cabin, that threatened to burst it Open. Grasp
ing sls rifle; MIR. Gibbs cautiously looked
from a convenient window and saw eleven
armed men whom he knew to be friends of
his lately murdered neighbor.
'What do you want"' he asked.
"Ynu,' was tn. short answer. !
"What do you want with me?" :
"To put you to a better use than the Denver
jury did'' ~ 80 -! -,
j: Mr.. Gibbs was always man OF few words
Leveliug his rifle he warned the vigilantes away
with an expressive ''Git.' X.
The vigiiantes now retreated around the
corner of the cabin, where they were out OF
range. Presently two brothers named Booth
returned with the ultimatum: "5urrender, or
We'll roast your woman and your babies in
one oven." 80
''And kill: YOU by the light of your own
ranch, as you did poor Drummond," said q
voice from around the corner: ~
They were in earnest. MIR. Gibbs heard
them piling brush i'll the rear of the cabin,
loophole through which he could fire. In the
stiffness of the autumn night he heard the
scratch .of the. match. There followed q
cracking sound as the flames spreH over the
dry wood. Then there was great roar, and
the fire leaped up to the roof OF the cabin,
binding smoke poured through the .crevices
between the logs.
This WAS. the work six of the vlgilantes.
The other FIVE. meanwhile, had taken posts
behind trees and fences in the front, ready to
fire at Mr.. Gibbs when his house grew too hot
to hold him. There they waited, each man
with his rife leyeled.
Mr. Gibbs all: this time had not been idle.
Long before the ire had spread over the
brush, he had torn the plug from a long cis-
used loopbole, cut for just such an emergency
as this into the rear wall. Telling his terri
CHllUTtu 10 3iCuOWN OH HlC uOOF, AUu UT
dering his wife to load his three rifles as fast
as he fired, Mr.. Gibbs began bis desperate
fight. Through the loophoIe, himself unseen
he could see the six vigiIantes who had fired
the brush, watching their work few yards
distant. The light of the burning brush
threw their figures in relief against the dark
ness that formed the background. They saw
CLEANED from the sloophole.: A light puff OF
wild drove The smoke away for an instant. A
Hash followed from the sgleamlng barrel, and
. bailet piercef the "brain Of 0Ee Of toe Booth
brothers. There was another flash, and the
second Booth fell MORALLY wounded Snatch
ing the third rifle from the nimble hands of
his wife who had already reloaded the first,
Mr.. Gibbs again took aim.
The first shot had come upon the vfgifan-
tes like lightning from q clear sky.r Seeing
no window in the rear OF the ranch, they Inn
agined themselves perfectly safe. Panic
brought down third victim. When the re-
maining three got around the corner, they
found they had but exchanged the fire for the
frying pan. They had forgotten that on the
cabins side was Window, through which
Mr.. Gibbs fired his fourth shot, sending ball
through the outstretched musket arm of q;
fourth man, breaking his bone.
s..tSop said sMrr Gibb-, crit,eising his failure
to Score acentfes. II must keep cooln Then
he saw the five who had been lying ia wait
Or him start up from their hiding place aTA
bail buried itselfin the log against viii b he
was leaningsasshe spoke. 1t was the first gun
pfthSe netpy ehanging his aim, N !. Gibbs
scomposediy pt pped TIL the foremost Of these
fiye came within the light Of the fire. now
blazing high above tho cabins roof. Then
another vigi1ante fell dead. Before the shot
could be retuned. Mr. Gibbs placeda lie bail
in the right shoulder OF the second Of the nd.
YaNc4np four. q