Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1882-10-05
4 Duel in the Dark.
III - Z

DALLAS, Texas, September %.
The EUentIO Times publishes a letter FROM
Garlic Pass, 600 miles west OF Dallas, giving
an account of a hostile meeting between two
miners in the Pecos Mining Company's camp
twenty miles north of the Mexican border last
Monday night. The duelists were George HoI
lenbeck and William Stratbon, both New York
ers, born and raised near Palmyra; they were
of rich descent of the early Hollanders. They
were educated at Cambridge; the former
graduated as a lawyer and the latter as ply
stefan. They came out OF college about tbs
time Of Lincoln's first call for volunteers
to suppress the Southern rebellion. They en-
listed and went through the war, serving ir
Colonel Gordon's One Hundred and Forty
fourth New York Regiment. At the close Of
the war they returned home, but finding pro
fessional pursuits too tame for then
they concluded TO go West. Before the5
left home a difficulty arose between
them which was prevented from endi g IL
.bloodshed by the interpolation of mutual
friends. Before they had chance to meet
again Stratton sought his fortune in the Fan
West. He wandered to California, where hs
went to work miner. Hollenbeck went il
the same direction, but stopped at Colorado
where he also became miner. They never
heard of each other after this. They have
since followed the business of mining
but have never become as rich as they al
first expected A few days ago they met IL
the Pecos mining camp and recognized eack
other. The school and social polish ha6
been rubbed OF by the trials and hard
ships incident TO life IN the mining camps
Hollenbeck was overjoyed to meet STRAIT
ton, who repealed him and said they
would settle that little unfinished diff
Guilty which arose between them at their iasj
meeting. Hollenbeck said he had forgot
ten ali about the difficulty referred 10, and
entertained no i1l-feelings whatever agafnsi
him. Stratton insisted on a settlement 40
cording to the code. Hollenbeck id If moth
ing short of that would do he would accommo
date him. Accordingly arrangements were
contaminated for duel. They were TO fighl
with pistols in a dark room. Each man was tc
announce ready, after which a third party Was
to count three, when they were to fire. The
room was 81 dark as Egypt. They went into
1t and announced ready from opposite corners
"One. two, three, - and Stratton fired Stratton
fired second shot, but the only response from
Hollenbeck was groan. Stratton, believing
he had wounded HoIlenbcck, fired third shot
in the direction of the grooming. The report OF
pistol came from a corner directly opposite
from where the grOan appeared to pFoceed,and
Stratton fell. No more shots being exchanged
the miners opened the room and entered.
light revealed the fact that Stratton had been
killed. while Holienbeck was unhurt- HolIen
beck is a ventriioquist. and, on entering the
room took his stand in a diagonal corner from
his adversary, and, to make him believe he
was in the opposite corner. threw his voice in
that quarter of the room, where the bullets
from his adversary's pistol harmiessiy buried
themselves in the wall. It had been so long
since they had seen each other that HOifen-
beck's VentEiloquism had entirely escaped the
memory Of Stratton. The affair has caused q
great deal Of excitement through the camp;
but as anything is called fair in such business,
no fault is found by he miners with tho strait
egg employed By HoIlenbeck,