Santa Fe daily New Mexican. [volume] (Santa Fe, N.M.) 1885-1897, 1890-04-01
SHOOTING AT CLAYTON,
Dent Reyes Mortally Wounded by His
Employer, Charles Me"edith-A
Bad Hand at Dice.

CLAYTON, n NJ, March 3l.-Dent
Keyes, employed as bartender in the
FavGrite saloon, was shot through the
lungs Mt 6:lO last evening, and now lies
in a condition bordering ON death. The
saloon in which the affair took place is
the largest building of its kind in the
town and is owned by Charles Meridth,
man well known in this vicinity
Keyes had Just returned from supper
and had been shaking dice with number
about the saloon for the drinks, being, it
seems, loser in the game. Meredith, who
was standing behind the bar, made a re.
mark to the effect that Keyes was gener.
ally unIucky in dice-slakiDg, which
seemed to arouse the anger of the bar
tender. Meredith, however, insisted that
he did not intend to hurt his feelings and
proposed to let tue matter drop.
The two men at this point in the game
were standing behind the bar, and keyes
took two steps backward and reaching
under the desk, pu ed a six"siooter, and
thrusting it in Merediths lace, cooked it.
Meredith then made the remark that he
didn't think he ought TO be killed, to
which Keyes replied: Il ain going to
kill you. anyway" He then showed his
run into Meredlth's face and commenced
firing.
The first shot grazed the cheek of the
proprietor and shattered the plate mirror
behind the bar a second and third shot
were fire all in quick succession amt in
similar manner missed the man, who was
so near that his face was badly powder
burned.
Meredith in the meantime, instead Of
retrealiug, with a nerve that is remarka-
Die, began pushing keyes back with his
left hand toward the end OF the bar
where another six-shooter was lying, and
seizing this pointed it at his oponent's
chest and pulled. Twice the gun missed
fire, but the third time was successful
aud the balled passed through Ke, es'
right arm, afterwards eD ering the chest
and also passing through the right lung
finally coming out above the left.
Keyts iheu walked from behind the
bar and retreated toward The door, near
which he fell, exclaiming:
"Chhrley, you've killed me-"
A physician was at once summoned
who gave medical attention to the would
led man. His recovery is impossible,
dt'louSi hC nihJ oul NlsC uuIll u Jay VI
two.
The affair has created a profound SEN
sation here inasnuch as both partici-
pants were considered well.dlsposed citi-
zens and the last two who would have had
trouble.
Meredith has been employed as wagon
boss for several years by ranchers in this
country, and lately purchased the saloon
His escape from instant death is mir
acle, Keyes, when firing at him, was not
over two feet away, and how he could
miss three times at that distance is phe-
nOmenal.
The only theory is that Reyes, who is
left-handed, by some means did not judge
his distance correctly.
Meredith has not been arrested, al
though he expresses himself ready at any
time to give himself up to the proper
authorities. The statement that he offers,
that he acted entirely in self defense, is
sustained by the people generally in the
town.
Keyes was alive at midnight, but there
are no chances of his recovery.