The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1884-05-15

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hundred and twenty acres OF land
Lying upon creek, with n range ex.
tending back owe, the hills, which
was not likely to be taken up b,
other settlers.
At a point short distance below
where mining trail passed them
and where they judged there would
DO in time railroad, they, built a
farm house, which they opened as q
Ii tel, and in which they also kept O
stock OF groceries. For, like other
onterpiising young migrants, they
had an ambition to found town and
grow up with it.
Some eight or ten miles from them
lived mau named Peter Hcrgii
who professedly worked mine, but
whose place really was rendezvou
for renegate cowboys" aud other
desperate characters Of the Jesse
James type. 1t was intimated that
several daring train robLolies had
here been planned, and also that
"Clatc Walker" made it ono Of his
stopping places.
This Walker was notorious gam
bier and dead shot. lie was sup
posed to be the loader of a band of
train~robbers, and was said to have
killed not less than ten men in yari
Gus atfrays. 1t was said, too, that
occasionally, when times became too
monotonous because Of tho lack of
excitement, he would kill n man "for
fun just to keep his hand in. He
bad habit, also, of riding through
small towns and camps shooting
promiscuously at everybody he saw,
to keep up the terror of his name, n
matter he appears to have been vain
of.
1t will seem well nigh incrediiable
to people in the East that such
mau should be allowed to escape jus.
tice and to run at large. Such is the
ugly fact, however, 10 scores of cases
owing probably to the circumstance
that no officer likes to attempt the
arrest OF these desperadoes who gen.
orally carry two and sometimes three
heavy revolvers, and are marvellous
ly quick and suro Of aim.
The accuracy and quickness OF
aim of many Of these lawless fellows,
and such Inarksman was Clate
Walker who added to this reputa-
ton, moreover, tho more murderous
one Of being a killer which in the
phrase Of this section means q des
perado who will shoot q man upon
the least provocation.
Onr two young stockmeu had
heard of this border monster, but
their frat actual acquaintance with
him began the week after putting
out their sign of Small Bros, Ho-
tel and Grocery"
Walker chanced to pass one morn
ing, and, seeing the new sign, reined
10 his horse, and by the way OF cal.
ing the attention OF tue landlord to
his arrival, drew his revolver and
opened fire on the sign, shooting
the first letter S to pieces. Then
dismounting, he kicked the door
open, and, walking 10, demanding
"cock- tail"
Gilbert, who Glanced to be inside
at the time, told him civilly that
there was no bar connected with the
houses for true to their home prin-
ciples, the young men had determiu,
ed to keep a Temperance house -.
Il greater anomaly in the West than
many may at 6rst suppose.
"A temperance house :" shout.d
WALKER aud he vented his astouish-
ment and disgust in burst of oa,bs
and revilings" "No one shall keen
a hotel with nothing to drink in il
in these parts !" he said. "If You
don't have liquor, and good liquor,
too, the next time | call, won't
leave a whole dish or whole bone
here " .rrr.
And, as foretaste Of what he
wonld do next time, he kicked over
the table and smashed three or four
chairs, by way of leavs'taking.
With such q customer on their
hands, it is little wonder that our
young friends felt very i'll at
ease. Still, they were bold men,
and were determined not to be bull
lied into keeping rum so they went
about their business as usual.
Nothing further was seen Of Walk