The Republican journal., 1881-05-19
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A Black Hills Duel

A BLACK Hills Duel
| shall never forget the night which
closed the day that Jack McCombe sold
the 'Maid of Erin mine on Carbonate
Hill, Leadville. The consideration was
S63,O00. Tie "Maid of Erin" was not
the only one of Jacks mines He was
interested in the Highland Chief, "'Cal-
itornia Tunnel" and dozen others, and
his heart was just as big as his purse.
He was one of Leadville's first six alder
men, and made it a point to know every
man in the mines, and ioller fellow
cannot be found from Denver to >ayna-
che pass. Jack determined that a por-
ton of the proceeds of his last sale should
be devoted to his friends, and as conse-
Quence it was Il gala night at Carbonate
Camp. Drinks and cigars were free ut
Johnny Shea's Gem saloon in Harrison
avenue anG the programme was conclud-
cd with the stage box, an unlimited
quantity OF champagne served 10y pretty
| waiter girls, at Tom kemp's Grand Cen
tral Theatre, the largest variety house
ever erected in the West-or east, either
for that matter Being "a newspaper
man, as Jack put it, the party would
not be complete without the writer, so
dropping my work and accompanied by
Harry Norton, the city editor of the
| Chronicle, | joined the party. \ gay
party it was, too. Apart from the host
there were Lieutenant Governor Tabor
Alderman Ed. kavanagh, Alderman j.
NJ. Murphy, Alderman Kelley, and half
dozen local majors and col0nels, and one
general from the regular army. whose
name | cannot recall. The female mem
bers Of the theatre were also we'll repre-
sented, it being the custom in that the
Wickedest city in the world, for the act
resses, from song and dance artists to the
leading lady, to visit the boxes and uuat1
| champagne at 50 a pint On that par
ucular night Ida Corey, of the Corey sis
tiers, a most finished dancer tlirted with
Governor Tabor, Maggie McClare clinked
glasses with Alderman kayanagh, and
Viola Wray, Amy Tudor, frankie Russell
LOttle Beaumont and Fannie GarretisOn
| entertained the company so royalty that
Ned Barry the stage manager was
| obliged to cut out several acts from the
bill, because the ladies were not ready to
50 Oh when the prompter called.
Amid all the hilarity Harry Norton APP
OF champagne, and then removed his chair
to the corner OF the box out Of the glare
of the tootlights, and lit a cigar.
"What ails you, Harry ~ asked. at
cannot be possible that you have the
blues tonight ~
"No,' said he, "but was Just thinking
OF little incident which happened four
years ago tonight, in January, 1876, in
the Black Hills. If you care to hear it.,
draw your chair little nearer"
Harry's manner of speaking impressed
me strangely, for he was seldom commu-
nicative, at all times reticent, and he
rarely referred to his past life. He was
dashing fellow about 35 years of age,
and there was not a thread of silver in
his raven hair or his dropping mustache.
He was native of Buffalo, and had been
connected with the Courier of that city,
had written a half-doZen books, and there
was very little of the United States that
he had not thoroughly explored His full
name and title was Captain Henry j.
Norton, the title having been acquired in
the recent Cuban revolution.
"IhlS incident as am pleased to term
it." he began, ''has never been narrated
but once before, and then it was pored into
| the priest at the St Charles Hotel. New
Orleans, about eighteen months ago.
When cross the range and go prospect
ing Gods country, You can tell it if YOU
see tit. -Four years ago tonight ! was
in Deadwood. | had returned from an
expedition up the Yellowstone river and
published book on research. Deadwood
was at that day what Leadville is at the
present time-all life and fire, and riches
and glitter. There were no beggars in
the street, and every man was the pos
SCISSOR of gold, mining stock or unlimited
credit. | was a guest of the Dacota
House, and passed my nights at the thea
tres. At one of the theatres a woman
whom | had known in Detroit three years
before was singing ballads. She was too
noble woman to tread the boards OF
any stage, but like many others was gift
ed with sweet mezZo- soprano voice; she
found IN the variety stage an easy avenue
to livelihood. She was a woman, every
inch, and was always accompanied by il
younger sister to and from cities and
their Michigan home. Being an old friend,
she felt perfectly at home in my company,
and we were together most of the time.
No man in DeadWood, except myself,
would she permit to act as her escort, and
the consequence was that it was not
many weeks until was envied by halt
the men in camp. On the night | refer
to, after the theatre, | went down into
the bar-room Of the hotel for the purpose
of taking drink before retiring. While
pouring out glass OF whiskey a stranger
walked up and accosted me, saying:
''You are Mr. Norton, | believe 2"
| answered in the affirmative, and in
vited him to drink. He hestated for a
moment; and then called for lemonade
with eight stick" asked me to accom-
pany him out to the street. He was fine
looking young man, of heavy build, wore
better clothes than the average miner.
noted all this from the fact that he was a
stranger who wished a private conversa-
tion with me, and had been so uncivil as
not to introduce himself. Together we
stepped beyond the doorway, and then
halting, he said;
"IOu are man and gentleman, and
| am the same, | love Miss" men