Connecticut western news., 1882-11-08
LIFE IN THE FAR WEST.
EUITINGf A NEWSPAPER IN A1kILUNA' The Pleasures of Cowboy Criticisms aud the Delight Felt in Being Able to Get
 into Civilization Again.

 The Pleasures of Cowboy Criticisms aud the
 Delight Felt in Being Able to Get
 into Civilization Again.
 Mir. John P. Clum, until recently the editor of the Tombstone (Ariz. Epdtaph, now in the East, tells highly interesting story of personal adventure, from which it would appear that, next to running 8 faro bank, editing paper in the uncivl- ized portions of the West is about as dangerous an undertaking as @ man can well engage in. He went to New Mexico in 1871, and in 1874 was appointed Indian Agent for the Apache tribes, at San Carlos, Arizona. In May, 1880, Mr. Cum established the Tombstone Epita2oh as @ weekly. It is now f1ourishing daily. He was first made Postmaster, and afterward Mayor. As postmaster he had hard time of it, but as the chief magistrate of the village, brought, as he was, into almost daily contact with the rougher and most desperate elements, he grew accustomed to write his editorials in sight of his trusty Colts six-shooter.
 In attempting to preserve order he made enemies of the cowboys. This was the first step in long and protracted warfare which lasted off and on for more than six months First, there occurred drawn battle at midday, between MT. Clum's chief of police and three officers, and four cowboys. Three of the officers were badly injured, and three cowboys killed outright. The fourth, who hap pened not to be armed, ran away and es- caped. After this Citizens Committee was formed and paraded the streets day and night, armed with six-shooters, needle-guns, and Henry rifles. MT. Clum assailed the cowboys vigorously through the columns of the Epitaph, and every time one was brought before him as magistrate he imposed heavy fines. Then the cowboys laid in wait for MT. Cum,
 until he was compelled to go heavily
 armed, and dared not stay out after night fall without being attended by body
 guard. Every editorial added new fuel
 to the flame. The cowboys rode into
 the town by night and tried to waylay
 the editor as he went to his office in the
 morning. Luckily he escaped all their
 bullets.
 Every ordinary plan failing, the cow boys banded together, and camping @ few miles from Tombstone, in deep and wild canon, signed deaths head agree ment to kill MT. Cum with pens dipped ; in blood taken from convict's arm, and afterward drank from a cup of warm
 blood, diluted with pure spring water. This came to his ears, and he bought an- 4 other six-shooter and another Henry rife, :, and never went out into the street with out being accompanied by several mem- bers of his police force.
 { The chief of police was shot at and ! nearly killed one night Things were
 getting very desperate, indeed, and the
 Epitaoh had great difficulty in getting out without the death of compositor or an adventurous newsboy.
 Mr. Gum slept in room guarded by :, men armed to the teeth. He did not re- t move his clothes, but kept his gun and ' pistol where he could lay his hands on them instantly. Life was now becoming
 such @ burden that he determined to pull Q Q up stakes and move to some place where n the shotgun played less constant part , in the progress of civilization and the a maintenance of the press. To leave was, d however, not an easy thing to do, for the ~ cowboys, suspecting some such move had laid their plans accordingly, ano ,1 were posted around the outskirts of the o town in the bushes, ready to shoot him as soon as he appeared.
 MT. Clum determined to reach Tucson J at any cost, and one dark night about " o'clock got in stage coach and drove ; out into the prairie. It was bitter cold :, the horses were galloping along in tht :, darkness and snow, and MT. Gum wal
 sleeping uneasily, muffied up in his over
 coat in the bottom of the coach, dream
 ing of the good things in store for al
 editor when he gets to heav en, when le loud voice outside cried Halt P HI to jumped to his feet and the horses sud d denly reared back and stopped.
 s, The order to halt and the commence T. ment of the firing were simultaneous II ar the command "Hold upp' the drive n responded, "An right P but the shot
 frightened the horses, and they brok O. into run. After running about a mil 5e one of the horses fell dead, and the coacl
 stopped Upon examination it wa 7e found that the horse was fatally shot a. While the horse was being cut out of tn
 traces MT. Gum stepped to one side c d the road to listen, as @ second approacl 'd of the assailants was feared. BelievinI 'n that the purpose of the attack was to Xii ln him, he decided to leave the coach an a take his chances on foot, as he saw n s, show of making 8 fight in the coach. HI n walked to the Grand Central Mill, abou
 seven miles distant, where he was kindl Ut provided for. After sleep of two hours 1e he started on horseback for Bensor " arriving there without any furthe "a trouble. From there he proceeded 1o Tucson, and immediately left for tn ne East. MT. Clum has sold out his pape as and will probably not return to Tomt ou stone.
 we Losing its People.