Knoxville daily chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1882, 1880-03-28
A TEXAS EDITORS EXCITING
STORY.
twritt.n by Himself for the STAR

and water, wnlcn was spdtlereu hBhiHss tho
shop windows and pedestrians by reckless
cow boys" riding at hreskneck speed
through the streets in defiance of the uni
formed police.
After many fruitless efforts to get EN-
ployment in the mercantile houses, Saltus
called at the Daily Gazette office and was
engaged as ''locsp' on that journal. As
soon as he had acquired an insight into the
| characters and habits of the denzens of
that city, he began to show up their short
| comings" through the columns of the Ga
zette in such a way that invitations to
coffee and pistols" came often to we
loke'sr desk. An instance is cited: The
challenger was gay young Lothario, by
profession an artist who had fallen awill-
ing captive to the charms of a winsome
lass living in the southern part of the city.
His visits TO the Gazstte were both untimely
and too frequent He would step up to the
| desk where Saltus was, force a sheet of
manuscript under his nose, with the request
to put it in the paper" always adding
that it was an original production and
would take like blazes Upon examination
the manuscript proved to be extracts from
Byron, Tennyson and other poets, and of
course the copied article found its way
to the waste basket, The artist continued
to bring his so-called original produc-
tions for publication till Satus could stand
it no longer, aud so he gave him benefit"
column In length, which SO incensed the
assumed poet that he Immediately chai-
lenged We local to fight. "Six.shooters"
we're chosen, and preliminaries arranged.
Both parties, accompanied by their friends,
repaired to the dark and bloody ground"
Dark it was, and raining hard. The spot
selected was snort distance from tn horth
terminus of the street railroad, outside the
city limits, Saltus was placed so that the
light from street lamp Tell on MS lace out
the artist was literally IN the uarK5not
even the outline OF MS tall form couid DC
seen.
Are you ready. gentlemen r
No response from the challenger.
Are you not ready, MT. ID
II m ready now" replied Mr.. ~, IN
tremulous voice.
Zone, two, threel rang out in the dark
ness, which was followed oy the report OF
the locaPs pistol, out the artists weapon
failed to ire. Saltus second, running up
to his principal, threw his arms around MIN
and exclaimed
Mr.. D., you have killed my friend ana
you had better get away from here r.
Without waiting for second bid ling,
he ran off in the darkness, amid the shouts
of "cstch him shoot him from this
crowd on the battle field.
Finally one OF the boys went IN search OF
the artist, and found HIM lying half buried
in mud and wster, behind some mesquite
bushes. he Was informed that the local
was then being convey d to the city, and
was not expected TO live Il morning.
But l thought it was the ito g pistol
and not mine That bred, whispered he.
No, II was you that bred the fatal shot
and now you had better get together your
traps and leave the city Immediately"
The artist TOOK MS seconos ADVICE and lett
on the mldnlght~train for parts unknown:
Saltus resigned MS position on the ia
zette, and sub equently went to BrJ an,
where he purchased nall interest IN the
Is yam Appeal ana foSt. me most unf0r
tunate blow that he experienced during his
five years residence IN Aexas oelell him
while at bryan.
The Appeal and Post was owned and
published oy Messrs: ID. and ID. The lat
ter having purcha- ed his interest from the
former, SAltus bought IL interest, which
made him partner with ". In the business,
aud IL was so conducted by them Till the
am Oh ~ DEC. 20, lotob MT. ~ having
failed to pay for his share in the business,
1t reverted 10 H. VINO then came oack INTO
the once ana was ac IS "ieuged partL er,
nuch against the VIII Oh caltus, VINO knew
the unhtness OF lhe man lor tnat business.
SaItu went lmmeoiateiy 10 austin TO as
pose OF MS interest IN tne newspaper Be-
fore leaving, hoWever' ne requested IL; 10
open All tne business letters auuressea 10
the hrh' anu atUenu w o'p e aua'rs ABOUT
Tue otnCe IA us aoeenS9 he sane uay oil
which Saltus departed LOT AUSTIN apflVate
lester au T w nun was reserved az tne
ouee' e - r. a't ai ioau' onu %
hibited to parties IN me once ana on the
Streets a lrlehu OF oaitus iolu d. tnat ne
Was actlng wrongly ana that caltus would
T.
ID. replied, tnatll oaltus salo anything soouI
the opening Oh 1hat letser ne would XIII
MN, ana mace the same remark 10 DINERS
When Saltus returned from austin MS
Srlend told ABOUT t1e opening OF the letter
end the threat OF Ii. 70 XIII nun Ia case ne
said any lning 40 VI IL;
w hen oaI'us el'1ieu ~ eui'9 ~ iat ioG.n
the mornlng ter ms return H. was IN,
but ala hot speaS. oaiSus ssseu hiln ior
that ietter' wnicn H. ore" iionn LIS
pc cket ana gave hlm'
why ulu you open my private ie'.er,
Mr.. H., ana "na1 o'u you 40 Win 'ne
envelope
u have not gov Ine envelope. L opeheu
the letter because wshteu 70 40 so, re-
Piled IL ana tneh sai1 THAI inc envelope
was addressed TO the urn. ,..
Il Will give you tlil noon 70 produce that
envelope; M Al. anu 4, ~ 70 eosou cs " =,
the hrm II let tne mater uIoP Gu' "
proves TO be addressed 10 me; or IN case
you tall TO get IL. theh shall 'ske ltgal
proceedings against you Tor opening my
private correspondence.
I'm otstand any sucn proceedings IN
this matter, and you can go To Il ior
t envelope"
Hot words passed, when ID. sprang up
nd struck Saltus IN the face. Several
blows were exchanged, when ID attempted
to draw his pistol, which became entan-