The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1890-03-14

leaden compliments with men like JACK
Williams. Bill Burns, Cherokee Bob OF
Bill Mayfield, known to be dead shots,
quick on the trigger and always READY.
They could not get fight out OF him.
and blacklegs as they were, they were
not willing to kill him in the way In
which he had dispatched his victims.
He was not the fearless man that many
thought him to be. He was easily an
gered and was regular thug as regards
the taking of human life, but he was
quick to see it if he was Overmatcheo,
and he left that sort of fight to some
body else.
After the murder of Mckenzie. Brown
soon found the atmosphere OF the Com
stock so disagreeable that he determined
to take up his quarters at Aurora, which
was then one of the liveliest and Wild
est camps on the coast. Some time In
the afternoon of July 6, 1861, accom-
panied by Alex Henderson, he stopped
on his way thither at Lockhart's saloon
in Genoa, and remained drinking and
clustering for two or three hours, and
then galloped on to Vansickle's station,
whore they found the proprietor, Henry
Vansickle, alone. Stepping to the bar, he
said in his course, bluffing style: ''Set
out your best whisky for two, and
if you don't want the top of your head
sheared with bullet be darn quick
about it, Vansickle, very quiet but
very determined rancher, answered.:
''You can't get any whisky or any thing
else at this bar. You are not wanted
here; so you may as we'll travel on"
For moment Brown iooked in mute as
tOnishment at the presumptuOus station
keeper: then like flash his hand
dropped on one of his SiXShOOterS. Van,
oeing unarmed and knowing too we'll
what that motion meant with Brown,
1arted through an open door into the
dining room, Brown following close after
him, pistol in hand. There were about
fifteen men seated at the long dining
table, eating supper, and as they all
jumped to their feet when the two men
rushed into the room the confusion
which ensued prevented Brown from
getting shot, so that Van made his
escape into another apartment
After relieving his pent-up feeling by
few oaths and the threat that he
would blow off the top of Vansickle's
head before he was done with him,
Brown remounted Betsy, who stood
quietly waiting for him at the door, and
galloped off on the Mottville road to-
ward Aurora, followed by Henderson.
i.lv 1D-o
safely away from his assailant, was to
get his double-barreled shotgun and
double charge it with buckshot or pistol
bullets. Thus equipped for war he re-
turned to his bar-rOOm. But the man
he was hunting for was gone. He could
see him and Henderson side by side
leisurely cantering up the valley. Five
minutes later Van was astride of his
best saddle horse shotgun on his shout
der and in hot pursuit. Brown saw him
coming and knew perfectly we'll that he
meant fight; still, he did not quicken his
pace or try to get away, which he might
have done, for though he had ridden
Betsy thirty odd miles already, she was
good for many miles more if he would
urge her. Nansickle rode up to about
one hundred yards of the two men,
yelled to Henderson to get out of the
way and turned loose both barrels at
Brown, but missed him-the distance
was too great.
While Vansickle halted to reload his
gun he was joined by five or six men
from the station, who had followed him
on horseback to see how the row would
end After the first shot Henderson
turned off toward the East Fork of the
Carson, and Brown kept on up the main
road alone. Again Vansickle approached
and raised his gun, but Brown jumped
to the ground, interposing his mare as a
shield, and fired over his saddle at his
shotgun pursuer, who was out of pistol
range, however, and neither of the two
men nor the horse of either received a
wound.
Thus the duel between shotgun and
revolver continued until Brown reached
Walter Corben's cabin and entered it.
1t was now getting too dark to see to
shoot accurately at distance, and Van
sickle was too wary to go within range
of the cabin so long as it held Brown and
his two revolvers. Still he would not
draw out of the fight, for he knew that
if Brown escaped then he would never
rest until he found some way to murder
him. Thinking that Brown intended to
| make the next station, Lutte Odds place.
! to stay all night, he deemed it best to
ride on ahead, lie in wait for him there
and tackle him at close range as he
came up. He had figured it out right.
He had not been at Odds station a half
hour when by the bright starlight he
saw Brown riding up to the barr
in front of which he had dis
mounted and taken his station. Brown
rode straight toward the barn, thinking
no doubt if there were any enemies OF
| his on the premises they would be in
Odds house. He was watching the
| lights shining from the windows of the
station, which was opposite the barn,
and saw no one until Vansickle stepped
| out in front of him with his gun at his
| shoulder ready to fire. He was taken
completely by surprise and only ex-
claimed: ''By CORY he's got mel" when
Vansickle with the words: ''Now for it,
Brown" discharged both barrels of his
gun into his throat and chest, and with
| out groan the big ruffian tumbled out
of his saddle and fell to the ground stone
dead.
Every body was glad, and if Justice
was not satisfied, at any rate no com.
| plant has ever been filed.
Browns effects were sold at public
auction, and the proceeds were devoted
to some good purpose, of which no ad.
mlnlstrator took cognizance. Grin Gray
became the owner of Betsey, and kept
her as his favorite riding horse for
twelve years or more
Vansickle, who afterward figured in
the role of mod ara tor Of tho Arroxal1I