The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1883-02-17
A Cowboys Unfortunate Aim.

a Cowboys Unfortunate Aim.
ArieOna Correspondence of The Philade lphid
Times.
Arizona is full of cowboys. Some of
them are outlaws of the worst description.
1t was a common thing for eight or ten of
these cut-throats to ride into California City,
enter a saloon, present a pistol to the bar
keepers head, and demand that the liquors
be set out. AS the fiery element warmed
them up they would often secure a violin
or banjo, and improvise a regular ''stag
dance" Each fellow would select a partner
from among the crowd, the musician would
start up the "Arkansas Traveller" or some
other familiar tune, and the leader would
call put Forward four" and the dance
commenced. When the figure 'sbalance to
your plrtners" was reached, many a fellow
would "cut the pigeon-wing," and his part
ner. not to be outdone. would indulge in
some fantastic steps, which would do credit
TO the most famed clog.danser on the min
strel boards. In the height of this r%evelry
would begin a fusillade from revolvers.
Bang! bang bang! and above the dim the
leader would be heard calling out: Turn
your partners; promenade ALL" The first
figure being finished, every fellow would be-
gin to look at the heels of his boots to see
where the bullets were. The result would
disclose that a large majority had been hit
about the heel with a bullet. This practice
of shooting at the heels of ones boots is
common among the cowboys, and so accu-
rate, are they in their aim that an accident
seldom occurs. Shooting the heels off one
another's boots is a common recreation with
them.
On the occasion of one " stag dance :" a
cowboy who had recently Joined the gang
participated in the fusi ado. On IN exam
nation at the close of the first figure one of
the members was found to be shot through
the foot The festivities were suddenly
stopped. The leader announced that an
investigation would at once begin to ascer-
tain the guilty party. A mock court was
convened. Curly Bill" was selected for
Judge. Crone was made sheriff. Tom
Harper Was chosen clerk. The sheriff
arrested the new member as the guilty
party. A prosecuting attorney was chosen,
and the court assigned counsel to defend the
prisoner. In a few moments the prosecut-
ing attorney handed the clerk the indict-
ment, 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 that he
read
We, the undersigned, Grand Jurors for
the county of Cochise, in the Territory of
Arizona, do find Joe Palmer guilty of felony
in having wounded Abe Saunders in the
foot IN attempting to shoot the heel off said
Saunders boot while said Saunders cut
the ~pigeon-wing,'' in figure next to the last
in the first set at the ''stag dance held in
California City. in said territory, on Satur-
daV NIGHT June 20 So.
The court - Guilty or not guilty
Prisoner - Not guilty.
Court-The trial will proceed. Sheriff,
cali-the jury.
All the formallty of selecting a jury, the
taking of testimony and the cross-examina-
ton by counsel was gone through with. No
detail of an ordinary trial at law was omit
ted. Finally the case was submitted to the
jury, who, after a few minutes consultation
announced that they had agreed upon a ver-
Dict.
The court-Gentlemeu. have you agreed
upon a verdict ?
Foreman of the jury-We have your
The court-Clerk, read the verdict
Tn foreman of the jury hands the clerk
a paper. Clerk reads;
We, the Undersigned jurors, do find the
prisoner guilty as charged.
Joe Halmer,' said the Judge, " stand up
Joe Halmer; the jury of your peers having
found you guilty of a heinous Ofense, it
becomes the duty of this court to pronounce
sentence upon you. You have had a fair
and impartial trial. Abe counsel defended
yon. There is nothing but for the court to
pronounce sentence. The sentence of the
court is that you be taken to the San Simon
valley, and between daybreak and sunrise be
executed. Sheriff. take charge of the pris-
Oner."
The next morning the sentence was car
ried into execution, and Palmer Was shot.
.BurIy Bill.i'in speaking of this
afterwa rds, remarked that no man was
worthy to associate with residents of San
Simon who could not shoot the heel off a
fellows boot while he danced.