Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-12
A DUEL WITH WADS.
How a Schoolmaster and an English
TenderfOot Met Out West.
THE SECONDS DREW THE BULLETS,
But Nevertheless the BritOn Fell Senseless
Through Fright.
THE OTHER NAN TOOK TO FLIGHT
rooRREsPoNpENcE OF THE pIsPATcH.l


NEW YORK, July 11.-"Before I went
Yinto the show business" said Mr. Tom
Davis, the well-known theatrical manager
and champion story teller, 81 used to be a
monte dealer out in New Mexico and
Arizona most Of the time. spent some
months in Colorado dealing monte and iv-
ing off my wits generally. That was be-
tween rs and '79. Between short cards and
star mail route contracts a good deal of
money was to be picked up those days.
During that time my long residence and
varied experience in wild country stood
me in good stead. I think I became ac-
quainted with every man of prominence,
reputable and disreputable, in that region.
There were good many of the latter. The
fellow who used to deal in star routes
would come across some pretty tough speci-
mems of fhumanity-tough even for that Sec
tion. I presume was intimately known
by all of the ruffians and outlaws out there.
At least, it so appeared to me before got
away.
"Along In TT, down in Cimmeron,
county seat Of Colfax, New Mexico, we
used to have pretty lively times. The place
Is one Of the most important and one of the
Oldest settlements in Northern Mexico, and
the headquarters Of the Maxwell land grant
people. All of the cattle men and outlaws
rendevoused here. It had from 600 to 700
legitimate inhabitants Most of them had
been driven out Of Texas, or had fled from
tother States for various crimes.
Allison Was q Solid Man.
- &1o =, IL IL
notorious Clay Allison, who was one of the
wealthiest cattle men in New Mexico. His
sudden departure from Texas several years
before had been attributed to various
reasons not unconnected with vigilance
committee. He owned big ranch 20 miles
from Cimmeron and was frequently seen in
town. Whenever he came into town he
practically owned it, The sheriff of the
county was a renegade from Texas, and,
therefore, friend of Allison's by birth and
inclination,
'Allison had made himself addition.
ally solid by having killed negro soldier,
member of the Ninth Cavalry, who so far
forgot Southwestern etiquette as to call for
drink over the same bar. These negroes
had just come In from Chicago and st. Louis
and didn't understand the local rules of
Cimmeron. Allison actually stood off
whole company with brace of six-shoot-
ers. He had record of % dead men. His
brother was killed by constable up in
Colorado. As soon as Clay heard of it he
rode night and day till he reached Las
Animas and killed that constable as soon as
he got In town. He was arrested and ac-.
quilted by reason Of influential connec-
tions.
A Fight in tho Street.
"AlIison and a couple of other desper-
ADDE'S and myself were playing poker in
little hotel kept by a Frenchman-one Of
the early residents of New Mexican land
grants In the midst of the game the land
lord came rushing in and said excitedly
that there was fight going on in the street
Just outside. A fight out there meant blood.
So we jumped up, hastily put our chips in
our pockets and ran out to learn the diff
Guilty. Much to our surprise, we found two
fellows pommelling each ether all over the
sidewalk. One Of the combatants was a
Hoosier, who had come out there several
years before and had made failure as a
cowboy and had finally taken up school
teaching. The other was young English
man, number of whom owned lands near
by. When we came upon the scene the
Englishman was on top and had his op--
ponent by the throat.
"'Sha1l disfgure his face?' he shouted.
eve all cried no. then jumped in and \
them.
''It appeared that they'd both been in
love with the same girl-a young and good
looking native. She had kept both on the
string, playing them alternately in true
woman fashion.
Such Tame Fighting Didn't Go.
"Allison regarded them with great con-,
tempt. He told them that this was no way
to fight in this part of the country. He
would furnish them either pistols or knives,
and then they could fight 1t out like men,
instead of scratching each others faces like
a couple of old women. The men were
pretty full and pretty angry, and were
revenge. Allison said: That right. There
hasn't been anybody killed here for nearly
q week, and we can't stand NO such foolish
ness as scratching
'sHe agreed to act as second for the school |
teacher, and told him I'd see fair play for |
the Englishman. We all went in and had a |
drink together, for which the Englishman |
settled My principal told me to arrange |
for any kind of meeting saw fit, incident |
ally renarking that he was dead shot with |
q pistol, and had been out dozen times be- |
fore-had fought that many duels and had |
acted as second in q others. He also de-
,lared that in several instances his oppo-
aents had been English noblemen of high |
rank. I sized him up at once as man only |
drunk, and in all probabi1-
ty blow-hard and coward. Brave men
iont talk that way.
Each Man Made His VIII.
"Allison and debated some time whetherl
; was best to let them kill each other or
lot. We finally arranged to haveth duel