The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1879-02-06

tons in Placerville, and continued there
with great success until the day follow
ing, when in consequence OF relieving
q prominent citizen of $4,000, the pop
ular voice was raised against them, and
they were compelled to uan,ose Instant
er, to keep from being swung up; that
they had sleptin the open air that night,
not daring to apply to any house for
lodging, and had commenced the jour-
ney to Sacramento on foot, when they
were overtaken by the stage.
While he was informing me of this,
noticed that we began to attract con-
siderable attention and occasion some
whispering among the passengers which
Lucky Bill noticed with deal of uneas-
mess. This continued for some time,
until / began to suspect the reason OF it,
and thought of making myself less IA
miliar with Charley and his thimble-rig-
ging companion, when little wiry-
looking, middle-aged man, who had
been intently cycling Bill for some time,
rose partly up and asked him if he did
not 60 by the name of Lucky Bill.
Bill looked at the stranger moment,
and then, in civil tone, asked why he
inquired.
"For nothing in particular" replied
the stranger, taking his seat; ''if you
are not he, beg your pardon-if you
are why
"Why what?" interrupted Bill.
Why, l might have something more
to say to you," continued the stranger.
swell, suppose that l was to say
that am Lucky Bill-what thenP'
"Then l would tell you," exclaimed
the stranger, looking savage, "that you
are - thief; that you as good as
stole fifteen hundred dollars from a
brother of mine two days ago, and if
you didn't refund every dollar of it to
me, I'd cut your rascally heart out of
you right in this stage;'' and with these
words he drew long butcher-knife from
his belt, and leaned over seat towards
Bill for an answer.
"Then my reply would be, that two
can cut out hearts at the same time"
and as quick as thought Bill had drawn
large navy pistol, which he was just
in the act of cooking as l caught his
arm.
The passengers then interfered, but
the stranger was not to be pacified, and
continued to swing his knife around, to
the danger of every one near him, and
to make every attempt to get within
reach of Bill, who still held the pistol,
unlocked, in his hand. Finding it
would be impossible to keep them apart,
it was proposed by some of the passen-
gers that they should get out of the stage
and fight it out. The stage was accord
ingly stopped, and all the passengers
alighted, which was no sooner done
than the stranger made q dash at Bill
without further ceremony. Some one
stepped in front of him before he got
within reach of his victim, but could not
prevent him from throwing the knife, and
with such precision that the point of it
passed along BiIl's right side;infiicting
severe wound. Bill then cooked his pistol
and fired, just as the other had drawn
a revolver from his belt. The stranger
fell, with ball in his right shoulder.
He was taken into the stage, followed
by Bill, who was not injured so much
as to prevent him from walking, and
after a careful drive of three miles, both
the wounded man and Charley were left
at hotel some fifteen or twenty miles
below Placerville
In three weeks after, l saw Bill "rope
inn teamster for two yoke of cattle, on
the corner of j and Fourth Street, Sac
ramento City, and then sell the loser
one yoke for sixty dollars, which was all
the money he had, and loan him the
other pair to get his wagon into the
mountains.
Bill had a heart, and kind one, too,
if it was touched in the right place; and
it was no uncommon occurrence for him
to contribute fifty or hundred dollars
towards raising fund for the relief of
destitute family, or to enable some
unfortunate individual tie return to the
Atlantic States; and scarcely a day
passed that he did not refund to some
one money which he had won from him,
upon ascertaining that it left the loser
destitute. In one instance I know of
his winning three hundred dollars from
an old man, on his way home. After he
had lost it, he turned away with such a
look of misery that Bill called him back
and asked him which way he was travel
ing, and if he was out of funds. The
old man thought he was being ridi-
ca,ed, but answered that he had
nc money left; that he had been six
months in laying up the three hundred
dollars which he had just foolishly lost,
aad with which he expected to have
paid his passage home, but that he sup
posed that nothing was left him now
but to return to the mines. Bill inquir-
ed why he was SO anxious to return to
his family, and with scarcely money
enough to pay his passage. The other
answered that a short time before he
had learned that his wife was dead, and
that three of his children were without
home. Bill did not ask another ques-
ton, but handed the three hundred dol
lars back to the old man which he had
won from him, and two hundred dol