The Benton weekly record., 1882-11-16
ARIZONA COWBOYS.
rAc Way TEley Have OF Capturing q
$aaiOoa and Starting "a wild
DamCe--A fE ock court.

IF June last the President Of the United
States issued proclamation calling on
certain laWle5s persons in the Territory OF
Arizona to disperse, ana threatening to
call the military power of the Government
into rpqnisition to aid the local authorities
in the maintenance Of law and order. The
necessity for the issuance Of such q procla-
nation had its origin in the depredations
ri II certain gang Of outlaws under the
leadership Of the famous cowboy famili&ry
known iii the Territory as "Curly Bill, =
b1L whose real name was VIM. II. Bros
cion. These desperate characters had TAX
I'll up their abode ia the San Simon Valley,
:. bcatlt ful section of country III the eX-
treme Southern part Of the Territory in
what is now a portion Of Cochise County.
Theec desperHdoes built themselves houses
and claimed to be "ranchers~ or cattle
men. At the northern end Of the San Sim
on Valley is the mining town of Califor-
mia City, place of several hundred popu-
lation. 1t contains three stores 8 greater
number Of saloons, and some honest and
respectable citizens. The town, however,
was often in the hands of the cowboys,
and woe to the "tenderfoot "a term APP
piled to all new corners in all border towns
who happened in California City on such
occasions. @".-a.
1t was common thing for eight or ten
Of these cutthroats to ride into California
City, enter Il saloon, present pistol to the
bar-keeper's head, and demand that the
liquors be set out. AS the fiery element
warmed them up they would often secure
violin or banjo and improvise regular
s'stag dance" Each fellow would select
partner from among the crowd, the mus
ician would start up the" Arkansas Traye-
Ter" or some other familiar tune, and the
leader would call out Forward FOUR"
and the dance commenced. When the fig
ure "balance to your partners" was reach
ed many ii fellow would ''cut the pigeon
would indulge in some fantastic steps,
which would do credit to the most famed
clog dancer on the minstrel boards. In
the height Of his revelry would begin a
fl1silade from revolVers. Bang! Bang!
Bang and above the din the leader would
be heard calling out: "Turn your part
ners; promenade all.' The first figure
being finished, every fellow would begin
to look at the heels Of their boots to see
where the bullets went. The result would
disclose that large majority had been hit
about the heel with bullet. This practice
Of shooting at the heels Of ones boots is
common among the cowboys, and 50 ac-
curate are they in their aim that an acci-
dent seldom occurs. Shooting the heels
eff one another's boots is a common re-
creation with them. ....
On the occasion Of one Of these S'Stag
dances" cowboy who had recently Joined
the gang participated in the fasilade, on
In examination at the close of the first hg-
ure one of the members was found to be
shot through the foot. The festivities
were suddenly stopped. The leader an
nounced that an investigation would at
once begin to ascertain the guilty party
4 mock court was convened, "Curley
Bill'' was selected for judge. Crone was
made Sheriff. Tom Harper was chosen
Clerk. The Sheriff arrested the member
as the guilty party. a prosecuting After
ney was chosen and the Court assigned
counsel to defend the prisoner.
In few moments the prosecuting Attor-
ney handed the Clerk the Indictment, and
the Court ordered the Clerk to read it to
the prisoner, who was commanded to stand
up, The Clerk did as he was ordered, and
this was the document he read:
We, the undersigned grand jurors for
the County OF Cochaise, in the Territory
Of Arizona, do find Joe Palmer guilty OF
felony in having wounded Abe Sanders
iii attempting to shoot the heel of Of said
Sanders boot when said Sanders 'cut the
pigon-wing,' in figure next to the last, in
the first set, in the stag dance held in
California City, in said Territory, on sat
urday night, June 20, 1881"
Tie court-FGuiIty er not guilty?"
Prisoner-not guilty
AL the formaliTy Of selecting jury, the
taking OF testimony, and the cross exanaln-
alton of counsel was gone through with.
No detail of an ordinary trial at law was
omitted. Finally the case was submitted
to the jury, who, after few minutes con-
sultation, announced that they had agreed
Upon verdict.
The court-"G Gentlemen, have you agreed
upon verdict?"
Foreman of the iury-"We have, your
Honor"
The court-"Clerk, read the verdict"
The foreman of the jury hands the clerk
a paper, Clerk reads:
''We, the undersigned jurorus,, DO tind
the prisoner guilty a. charged.
'Joe Palmer" said the Judge, N'stand
up. Joe Palmer, the jury of your peers
have found you guilty Of henfous otfense,
1t becomes the duty CT this conrt to pre-
nounce sentence upon you. You have
had fair and impartial trial, able coun-
gel defending you. There is nothing left
but for the court to pronounce sentence.
The sentence of the COURTS that you be tak-
sn to San Simon Valley and between day,
light and sunrise be executed, sherlH
Al. af y %