Morning journal and courier., 1886-01-01
A COWBOY EPISODE.

Fatal Fighting at Arms Length With
 Forty-Five CalIbre RevoIvers.
 From the Las Vegas Gazette.1
 Sam Thompson of Liberty has brought in the first news of fatal shooting affray at Montruelto Plaza ranch, New Mexico, last Saturday evening. The trouble occurred at wedding dance. There is pool camp at that point, and all the boys were in attend ance at the wedding festivities The daugh- ter of Anastasia Martino had just been welded to Francisco de Baca. The ceremony was performed about o'clock in the even ing, and dancing began immediately after ward. The second set was on the floor when John Brophy and William Johnson left the house, and, meeting outside, had some words about disagreement that had existed be- tween them for some time. Brophy had charge of the camp, and Johnson, it seems, had heard that Brophy hal said that John son ''did not go by his right name." Johnson wanted Brophy to "take back" the remark The dispute waxed prettywarm, and comrade named Tom Harris came out and tried to make peace.
 Finally the disputants agreed to leave the question to Harris and Charles Thompson to settle. Harris went into the house to get Thompson, and while he was gone the dis pute grew warmer, and both men pulled their revolyers. As Harris came out Brophy and Johnson were facing each other but few feet apart. Harris grabbed both pistols, turned the muzzles down, and stood between the two angry men for nearly half an hour, or until his hands became so benumbed that he could stand it no longer. In vain he begged the men to put up their weapons. But his efforts were futile. Johnson de- manded "Let us loose and let us settle it. At last Harris pushed the muzzles of the re- volvers down as far as he could and jumped back. Instantly two reports rang out in the mic air ,hv' "a hot iv,T ob1,- sons chest about two inches below the collar bone, passed through the body, and came out below the right shoulder blade. Johnson's first shot hit Brophy's watch, and did no further damage than to smash that time keeper. Brophy then started to run John fired the second time, the ball entering the small of Brophys back, and dropping down where a probe could not reach it.
 Brophy fell as soon Johnson's second shot took effect, but Johns ln coolly walked into the house, put on his overcoat, and started off. Brophy was carried into the nearly an hour afterward. He had walked down to the corral in order to get his horse and had tainted from loss of blood. He was carried back to the house. A doctor was sum- moned and examined the wounds. As they were made with forty five calibre weapons scarcely more than arms length away, the wounds, and especially that of Johnson, were ghastly and terrible. The physician said that Johnson was liable to die at any moment, ] and that Brophy could not live to exceed ten days.
 Both the wounded men are Texans and l we'll known in the territory. All their ae- | quaintances speak of them as mighty good ] boys" Johnson, as was shown by his con- 1 duet after the shooting, was remarkably l gritty fellow Both men are single. After | the wounded men had been made comfort 1 able as possible, it was found that there were | no more grudges to settle, and, as everybody 1 present felt kindly disposed toward every | body else, the fears of the ladies quiet | ed and the interrupted dance proceeded as though nothing had happened.