St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1886-01-17
DUEL AT A MEXICAN BALL.
Fighting ut Arms Length With
FOrty-Five.CaIibre RevOlvers.

| EOrty-Eive.Callbre heVOlVers.
Las Vegas Gazette.
Sam Thompson of Liberty has brought in
the first news of a fatal shooting affray al
Montruelto Plaza Ranch, New Mexico, last
Saturday evening. The trouble occurred al
a wedding dance. There is pool camp at
that point, and all the boys were IN attend
ance at the wedding festivities. The
daughter of Anastasia Martina had lust
been welded to Francisco de Baca. The
ceremony was performed about o'clock in
the evening and dancing began i'm
mediately afterward. The second SCI
was on the floor when John BrOphy and
| William johnson left the house, and, meet
| ing outside. had some words about disa-
greement that had existed between them fol
some time. Brophy had charge Of the
camp, and johnson, it seems, had heard
| that Brophy had said that johnson Ibid
not go by his right name.p johnson
wanted Brophy TO take back" the remark.
The dispute waXed warm, 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 revOlvers. As Harris came out
BrOphy and Johnson were facing
each other but n few feet apart. Harris
grabbed both pistols. turned the muZ-
Zles down, and stood between the two an
CRY 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 demanded,
Let rs loose and let us settle it." At last
Harris pushed the muZZles of the revolyers
down as far as he could and jumped back.
Instantly two reports rang out in the night
air. Brophys shot took effect in JohnsOh's
chest. about two inches below the collar
bone. passed through the body and came
out below the right shoulder blade. John
sons first shot hit Brophy's watch, and did
no further damage than TO smash that time
keeper. BrOphy then started 10 run.
Johnson fired the second time, the ball en-
tering the small of BrOphy'S back and drop
ping down where probe could not reach it.
BrOphy fell as soon as Johnson's second
shot took effect, but johnson cody walked
into the house. put on his overcoat, and
started off. Brophy was carried into the
house and johnson was not found until
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 summoned 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 CHASTITY and terrific. The
physician said 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
well known in the territory. All their ac-
Quaintances speak of them as mighty
good boys" johnson, as was shown by
his conduct after the shooting. was a re-
markably gritty fellow. Both men are
single. After the wounded men had been
made as comfortable as possible, it was
found that there were no more grudges to
SETTLE and as everybody present felt
kindly disposed toward everybody else, the
fears of the ladies' were Quieted. and the
interrupted dance proceeded as though
nothing had happened.