St. Paul daily globe., 1891-05-10

The game had the reputation of being
fair and open, and was played without a
limit.
The proprietor's name was Jack Der
rington, but the name became abbrevi-
ted to Jack Daring. and finally to Dare
Devil Jack. Well named he was, too.
for a greater daredevil or a more des-
perate character never lived than Der
rington.
He stood feet in his stockings,
weighed over 200 pounds, and had not
an ounce of supertiuous flesh on him.
His strength was something enOr-
nous, which, backed by the fact that he
knew thoroughly how to utilize it to the
greatest advantage, rendered him dan.
gerous customer to deal with.
The crime that was committed had at
that time never been cleared up. No
evidence had been found by which it
could be fixed upon Darlington, and
yet many suspected that he was the
criminal.
Darlington knew every detective west
of the Missouri river, and a good many
that were east of it, too. He was cum
ming as well as daring, keen as we'll as
dangerous, and wise even in his reck-
leSSneSS.
1t was considered worse than folly to
send krOWn detective after him, which
explains in part why was detailed to
the job, without obliging me to go into
useless details. AT all events, | went to
Denver for the purpose of arreSting
Jack Derrington, if l could bring the
the crime home TO him.
A middle-aged man of eminent re-
Spectability and great wealth was mur-
deTed i'll the room that have described,
He was a freQuenter of the bank.
played high, and won and lost large
sums. When murdered he had just won
several thousand dollars of Darlington,
and the money was found intact upon
his dead body.
On the night i" question the play was
very high, and II Igh Huntoon was a
heavy winner. ne began playing at IL
o'clock and continued until 2 in the
morning. Doubtless he would have
played longer but for all unusual Incl
dent which happened. HuntOon had a
very beautiful daughter twenty-five
years of age.
She was a typical Western girl, afraid
of nothing, accustomed to riding around
her fathers herds, and a sure and quick
shot with her revolver She was greatly
opposed to her fathers love of gambling,
and had often endeavOred to keep him
away from the banks.
On this particular night-Or morning,
Tather-at 2 o'clock, she made her ap-
pearance at the door, and when the at
tendant pushed aside the wicket he
found himself staring into the muzzle
of a siX-shOoter.
Open" demanded the girl. "If you
attempt to disobey me will kill you
through the door"
She was admitted, and at once made
her way straight to the faro table, at
which Darlington was dealing. Her
father sat at one end with several piles
of chips before him, and she did not
pause until within few feet of him.
Then she pointed her revolver straight
at the old mans head and said coolly:
Cash IN your chips, dad, and come
with me-"
The old man started and half rose to
his feet. Then he settled back into his
chair again.
Certainly, my dear. certainly" he
said, and he began to count mis- Win
ningS.
a few moments later they left the
bank together, and the game proceeded.
AT noon the following day negro
woman went into the rooms to clean
them, and she found Hugh Huntoon in
the very chair where he had been seated
Oh the preceding night.
His head was resting upon his arms
and they upon the faro-table. and he was
apparently sleeping. All efforts failed
TO rescue him, and it was discovered
that he was dead-Shot through the
heart.
The revolver that killed him could not
be found. There was not a weapon in
the room, except a SlX-Shooter in Hun
tOOn'S pocket, every chamber of which
was loaded. Suicide was not considered.
The body was conveyed to his home,
and there it was discovered that the
daughter had disappeared.
Father and daughter were known to
leave the bank together at 2 O'Clock a.
M; they were seen and recognized upon
the street few minutes later, and that
was all that was known. The game
broke up between 2 and 3, shortly after
Huntoon went away with his daughter.
Ruth HuntoOn was a girl of spOtless
character. Fearless and we'll able to
take care of herself, she was known to
have but one weakness, If it can be so
called. e.. her love for her father She
was beautiful, accomplished, somewhat
masculine in her habits, though not at
all in her manner.
There was theory that her father
had insisted upon returning to the bank !;
that he possessed key with which he
gained admittance, and that she fol-
lowed him there, shot him. and then fled.
There was another, which was that
Darlington was there when the old man
returned followed by his daughter:
that father and daughter quarreled until
she shot him, and that Darlington con-
cealed her.
Another, that the old man returned to
the bank for some reason; that DeIring-
ton killed him and spirited away the
daughter, who was witness to the
crime.
When | arrived in Denver | went at
once to the rooms kept by Jack Derring-
ton. 1t was evening, and l found the
game in full blast.
1t was not the rule in those days for
the gambling houses in that section to
run behind closed doors. Usually
every one who wished to be admitted
had only to walk in; but at Derring-
toms it was different.
lie preferred to Iun a door with a
wicket, for he only catered to certain
class of players, and wanted no others.
When L applied for admittance, being a
stranger, Darlington himself came to
the door to interview me.
Hello, stranger" he said, 81 am told
that you wish TO get into the tigers
jaws"
That's about right, pard," 1 replied.
81 want to see if l can't break 'em.''
"Ah! What might your name be?"
IL tulSnI U6 IOlulln OF III nISDC be
Jones, but it isn't. l say, are you going
to let me in or not? Life's too short to
stand here palavering."
''GOt any dust?"
''Yes, ana want more; but see that
I've struck the wrong hotel. Good
night"
turned to go, but Darlington called
me back.
Hold on, pard," he said, 1--WE always
welcome strangers here. Come in. viii
you Introduce yourself? You know me,
suppose?'
Cant say that [ do,' replied, "un-
less you are Daredevil Jack Derring
ton" 40
II am.'
"Shake," said, making little bluff.
"lve been wanting to make vour ac-