New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-05-16
degree at least fairly proportionate to its
enormous cost
THE 0BRIEM.TRUMAy CONTROVERSY

THE OBRIEN-TR HUMAN CONTROVERSY.
II O'Brien and Truman, who are now stretched
on beds of unhappiness in the New York Hospital,
should conclude not to get WELL this community
would receive the tidings with serene philosophy.
And we submit it to the and good sense OF
both patients if it is at all desirable for them to re-
cover II they leave the hospital without the pro-
tecting environment of a coffin, they will be pretty
sure to get to fighting again, and have to
undergo the agony of shot wounds and
knife cuts once more. If 0'Brien dies
and Truman RECEIVERS, Truman will hardly
escape the avenging hand of the OBrien family,
even if a New-YOrk jury should treat him as leni-
emily as Richard Short was treated the other day.
Mrs. OBrien is an accomplished markswoman, and
her baby boy has been trained to play with his
fond fathers revolver instead of doll. On the
other hand, if Truman should pass away and
O'Brien should come forth alive we fear that the
front wall of the survivors, abdomen will never be
of much service to him. Mr. Truman seems to have
bisected it with too much energy and completeness
to allow it to career of unimpaired useful
ness.
Possibly the surgeons might patch it up. They
have done some wonderful feats In that way.
There is gallant colonel. frequent visitor to
this city, who was on the Confederate side during
tne recent ulHefenc6 Oh opinion DeJWeen Jno NOIlh
and the South. One day fragment of a shell
came hurrying by. The Colonel was q fine, portly
gentleman of erect military carriage. He was
standing sidewise to the path of the shell and the
ruthless missile took away with it so large part
of the Coloneps frontal development that he
straightway became extremely slender. His life
was despared of, but the toughest of constitutions
and unbounded faith in the Confederate
cause carried HIM through. SO much
Of the muscular tissue of the abdomen
had been torn away, however, that the surgeons
we're compelled TO bridge the gap with a silver
plate. Possibly surgical skill might do ms much
for O'Bren. But the days of wearing plate armor
have passed away except for doughty ex-COnfed-
crate colonels and so just O'Brien would
hardly consider it fair to adversary to go into
battle with his anterior anatomy protected by a
broad sheet of metal whio the whole person of his
antagonist was open to the explorations of pistol
ball.
What have Truman and OBrIen to live TO
longerf They have seen about all there
is TO BIO seen, and been through about
all there is for men Of their stamp to
go through. Any further experiences in life
would be only tlrosome repetition. 1t is true
they have both done good in the world in the
way of discOurlgng gambling. The story is cur
rent in the clubs that O'Bdcn and one of tho best
known owners OF racing stock in the country met
one evening at poker. There were others IN the
gamc-spcculatOrs oflargc pccuniary resources ana
great determination of spirit. Well along in the
evening O'Bricn dealt an extraordinary deal, in
Guiding flush, full hand, four queens and four
kings. OF course O'Brien held tine four kings
Now there is not q man who took part in that game
who will not take his oath that the deal was en-
trcy square, The racing man held the four
queens. His losses were heavy that he has gwen
up poker playing SO O'Brien succeeded in reform
ing one man. Irumans efforts 10 suppress gambling
appear to have been made with pack containing
eighty-two cards. He has been quite successful
II may be said for OBrIcn thai he set n good ex-
ample 10 men of his class by abstaning from into1-
icating drinks But il would be much better for
the innocent IL gamblers drank far more freely
than they do. They would then be capable OF less
mischief. O'Bren, however. was undoubtedly en-
gagged in q good work, IT. ~ thc reports CO. he was
trying TO brighten Truman into giving mp black
mailing scheme in which ho was engaged. III
o. IIrisn will devote himself To Kidding the town of
blackmailors his recovery Will be tolerated
with perfect cquanimity. And IL that was the kind
of work Truman engaged In. what pity 1t was
that O'Brien was not carrying his own heavy revol-
yer on Thursday instead of the lighter and more
ladyhko pistol belonging to his wife, Yet repre-
hcnsiblc as was Trumans use OF his knife, 1t was
not unnatural. OBriou has the reputation 50 dear
TO the bully Of the mining camp-hcis "spry Tru-
mau with his wcepnP He thought there was no
time to lose But when O'Bricn got his pistol ont,
Truman fell into the grave error of trying to put
Policeman Nelson in his own place as the target.
He has incurred the undymg hostility of the patrol
men of New-York and in their eyes OBrien is
hero. On the whole, II is clear that there IS moth
ing left for Truman to do but to die.