Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1889-12-05
The Late Judge Terry.


THAT man Terry was an arrant coward.
said an old Washingtonian to a Capital
man. in referring to the shooting of the
aSsailant of Justice Field. He was always
ready to shoot, of course, when he was sat
ished that the chances were in his favor
but where he did not have more than an
equal show he was very discreet.
His shooting of Maggie reminds me
very forcibiy of the first time ever saw
Terry, although did not know it vas he
until afterward. What happened on that
occasion satisfied me that Terry was a bully
and a coward, and nothing in his suisse
quent career has ever changed my mind.
at was in the winter of 40 or 80, be
continued. land ! was mining in the Cal
ifornia mountains One night my partner
and | arrived at the little town of -
having come in from the hills for some
needed supplies OF course the first thing
we did was to drop into d saloon. as it was
customary to do in those days The town
was hardly anything but saloons, and they
took the place of hotels. As usual there
was game in progress II was faro,
think, and was run by desperate gambler
called Faro Jones or Monte Jones, | We
forgotten which noticed one man in
particular who was losing steadily. He
was evidently between 30 and so years Of
age. He was Slightly built, with very
narrow chest. stopping shoulders fact,
anything but good physique. He had
lost over a 81 600 worth Of gold dust My
partner and were simply onlOokers, as
were a number of others.
Pretty soon the old man, nettIed 10y his
losses eXcitedly charged the dealer with
cheating Naturally that meant shoot,
and the words were hardly out of hi
mouth before Jones had a pocllet-pistol
| leveled at his head
"A number of men interposed and beg
ged Jones not to shoot the old man, eX-
planning that he was excited and dIdn t
mean what he said.
Jones became appeased and apparently
the trouble was over, but just at this mo-
ment man stepped from the crowd and,
quick as "a flash, dealt the old man ter
rible blow in the face with an old-fashioned
IexaS-ranger Colts slX-Sho0ter, which
would weigh five or six pounds. The blow
broke his nose, his cheek bone, and the
| frontal bone over his left eye He fell like
log, and don { believe he ever recovered,
but never heard definitely
places and had seen some desperate en-
! counters, but had newer seen such a brutal
cowardly deed in that country of fight and
| boodshed.
"InstinctiyeIy my partner and both
instantaneously slipped our pistols to the
front Of our belts We We're mad clear
through. and one of us ] won't say
which exclaimed:
Stranger don't know who you are
but do know You are a d. cowardly
"A quick glance showed the stranger
that the chances were against him. He
might shoot one Of us, but be would be
surely killed by the other He pocketed
his pistol without a word and sneaked ont
of the saloon
After lac had gone we were told that
his name was David S. Terry never
have forgotten him. because never have
seen such brutal act He was probably
a silent partner in the game but we never
knew for certain have watched his ca
reer ever since hut, as said, never saw
mr.. ming to change my mind about his
character. Ill WAS always ready TO shoot