The Big Stone post. (Big Stone Gap, Va.) 1890-1892, 1890-08-15

finally agreed that both OF the combatants
shonid surrender to Welsh, the saloon
keeper, their firearms, after which the
men shook bands and the battle begun.
II was nip and tuck which of the two
should come off the victor,Swhen the sa-
loonkecpcr, suddenly making his way
through the crowd handed revolver 10
Wild Bill The latter evidently feared
the presence OF so many soldiers, for, sud
denly turning from his adversary, he fired
into the crowd, soldier falling at the first
shot.
'.The big coward has pistol shouted
the crowd. but hardly had the words been
uttered ere two more of the bluecoats
fell. At this iuncture the remaining SOL
diers drew their revolvers, and, all being
excellent marksmen, they succeeded i'll
sending no less than seven bullets into
the body of the marshal. How the latter
escaped death is mystery, but he soon
after turned up all right in Abilene, Kan,
where for time he served rs city mar
shall Soon afterward met him i'll Chcy-
cnnc, where one day he encountered II
discharged soldier who openly boosted OF
having been with the party that ran Wild
Bill out of HAYS City. The latter was
frantic with rage, and although he could
easily have thrashcd the drunken boastcr
he chose rather to shoot him on sight
The growth If Cheyenne was for YEAR
cncouragingly rapid With the reported
discover. g gold in the Black Hills coun-
try there was IN immense immigration to
Wyoming of just such material as the
Territory did not want. Magnificd reports
and glowing promises of future wealth to
be gathered in the mining districts brought
thousands of old, young, and middlc-agcd
men from the Eastern States, many Of
whom actually imagined that once i'll the
Black Hills, fortune whould shower her
f.tvors upon them 1t may be needless to
say that fully tw0-thirds of these imm-
grants suffered disappointment in their
hopes. Clerks. bookkccpcrs. barkecpcrs
and light tradcsmcn were not the material
needed to open up II new country Many
Il poor fellow footed it home eastward,
others tried their fortune further West
along the railroad, and still others en-
gagged as bull whackcrs. transfers, or
whatever occupation was afforded them IN
Wyoming.
As if bv magic Cheyenne had suddenly
developed into city Of 10000 inhabitants,
with regularly appointed municipal officers,
a daily paper, and Il competent police and
fire department The city was held to be
an uncommonly quiet onc-onc or two
shooting scrapcs daily being now the av-
crage disturbances in the place. The few
hotels were filled to oycrhowng while
board at 81 weekly WAS furnished in nearly
every. shanty, adobe hut, and tent in town.
For hours daily the streets were throngcd
with motley crowds Of soldiers. miners,
McXicans. half-hrecds, negroes, gamblers.
and Eastern tcndcrfcct, with an army Of
mule whackcrs, tcamstcrs, and bull
drivers. eagerly seeking employment in
transporting the gold seekers to the min
ing country. In the early evening the
lively notes of the violin and banjo were
to he heard through the open doors of
dance houses and variety cabins. mingling
with the more refined music furnished by
members of the Fort Russell band, hired
to play at McDanicls's Thcater.
For months the. regular routine of the
city was confined to business, dancing.
drinking, gambling and fighting. Sud
denly these diversions met with decided
check by by the appointment of Jctfacaar
us marshal and Pat TALBOT as his deputy.
Even McDanicls' 5 theatre became more
orderly. In time pcaccably inclined
visitor thereto might with safety sit out Il
Il few hours listening to the variety
performance afforded without running
the risk of being perforated with pis-
roughs in the audience. During the
day the theatre was rather quiet,
but ut night few inspiring tunes played
on brass instruments by the fort must
clans soon attracted to the entrance II
molly crowd of gamblers, cappers, SOL
diers, bull whackers, Transfers, cypryans,
and clerks.
After IL lively prelude by the band q
Young man or woman would appear on the
little stage and attempt II song, which was
received by the audience according TO the
latters idea of its merit. If singer was
Kissed, his or her engagement with Mr..
McDancls instantly ceased. "killrancy"
appeared to he fav0rite during the lat
ter days of my stay in Cheyenne, and was
for weeks nightly rendered iu somewhat
artistic manner by II rather pretty Irish
girl known on the play bills as Mile. Cert
to, at salary of 5000 weekly. The fair
songstress received, besides, numerous
prcsets in gold dust and coin from the
more sentimental of her hearers, and one
day disappointed her manager and host of
admirers by running off with handsome
barkceper.
One evening while seeking little di-
version l entered the theatre, taking a
seat well in the rear and near the door in
order to escape as far as possible the suf-
locating fumes of burning tobacco filling
the room. Already several songs had
been sung when the audience began
shouting name and stamping noisily.
In q few moments rather shabbily at
tired man Of middle age walked quickly
upon the stage and after bowling prepared
to sing. After u short survey of the
mans features, | became convinced that
had known him before AS an army officer of
high rank who had been cashiered from
the service for drunkenness and misap-
preparation of public funds. In his case
oDium and whisky had oprnm nj l. Ind