The Mineral argus., 1883-10-04
A DUEL AT TWO PAGES.
\ Fight With Rifles Growing Out OF
Trivial Quarrel at supper.

Trivial Quarrel at Supper.
From the Laramie, Wyoming Boomerang.
Last evening a wagon entered
Laramie on the North Park road
containing three men. Two of these oc
cupied the seat in front, and another
lay upon a bed Of blankets in the box.
The party halted at DIR. Harris's Of
fee a few minutes, and hen drove out
to the hospital. The man lying upon
the bed was taken inside. His name is
Charles Shelton, and recently he shot
and killed a man named Keys. at Sny-
der's ranch, on the Little Grizzley, 80
miles west of Teller in North Park. His
companions were Messrs. August An
dersOn and Lawrence, and the particu-
lars of tue tragedy, al learned from the
first named gentleman, are about as fol-
lows:
Charles Shelton is the proprietor Of a
horse ranch in the park, and last Friday
wasat Frank Snyder's ranch helping him
put up hay. Another man named Keys,
who was known as "Billy, and who has
an interest in the Snyder ranch, was
present, and Snyder himself and sever
al others. They we're eating their sup
per in a small tent, near the cabin on
the ranch. During the meal Keys asked
a boy-a herder in the employ of Shell
ton-to 90 into the cabin and refill the
teapot, and the boy refused, saying that
he was not in his (Keys's) employs, and
he had no right to order him around.
Keys commenced to abuse the boy, Shell
ton interfered in his behalf, and a
quarrel ensued between the two.men.
Finally Keys left the table. and taking
H. Nao-IlN w~,nk t@A1 tn aals, w,N,-,
ing bin a moment with that and a Win
chester rife. He sat the teapot down,
and turning to Shelton, said with
an oath, 81 have a notion to kill you"
Shelton arose from the table, and dared
him to shoot, but Keys finally stood the
weapon up against the side Of the tent,
poured out the tea, and sat down again.
Shelton then walked out of the tent, got
another Winchester at the cabin, loaded
it, came back TO the
tent, and, standing in the door, said:
Now, d-n YOU. if you want to shoot,
do itP' Keys jumped up from the table,
saying "all right" as he did 30, seized
his rifle and brought it to his shoulder,
and at that moment two reports rang
out almost together. Keys fell back
ward and Shelton dropped his gun and
ran out across the prairie holding his
hands to his face. Snyder started in
pursuit, while Anderson raised Keys
head. The wounded man gasped once
or twice, said '0h, my Godl" and fell
back dead.
Snyder returned in a few minutes
with Shelton, who had been shot in the
chin, the ball ranging backward and to
the right. His wound was bleeding bad
ly, and his companions thought he, too.
would die. He could not speak, but
made signs for his coat, which was given
hun. He took paper and pencil from
one ofthe pockets and wrote: SIS Reyes
hurt2"
Snyder wrote beneath the question
the words: "He is dead."
The ball fro Shelton's rifle entered
Keys's side, in front of the left armpit,
passed through the body and came out
above the right shoulder. Shelton had
fred his weapon without bringing it to
his shoulder, which accounts for the up
ward range of the ball.
A messenger was sent to Teller for a
physician, who dressed ShelUon's iniu-
ries. The ball was found just beneath
the skin, at the base ofthe neck, on the
right side. Saturday night Messrs. An
derson and Lawrence started for Lar
annie with him and by driving almost
continually and changing horses several
times reached the city last evening.
DR.. Harris, who has charge of Shelton,
says the chance for his is good,
though such result is by no means GER
tain. A portion of his lower jaw is shot
away, and the wound is otherwise a bad
one. Shelton is not unknown in Lar
annie, having been in the city on bus
mess quite frequently. He is a brother
of Mr.. n. Shelton, who was cashier OF
the Union Pacific road for several years,
and who is now in business in Omaha.
Mr.. Anderson informs us that the cor
oner was notified at once, and that Keys
was to have been buried yesterday. He
and his companion left for home this
morning to be present at the inquest.