The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1891-08-29
A FAIR SETTLEMENT.
Two Miners Try Revolvers aud Then c.
PnrinnrahIn.

EhttnefAnIps
81 must have told youhbout the Dog
Star claim" " said the colonel to>a re-
porter for the Tribune. 81 shall never
forget il, for came very near having
nn interest in it myself, and IL | had got
into the thing should not be here to-
night in all probability.
1.-The Dog Star claim, you sec, was dis
putcd ground between two other claims.
There was good deal of hot feeling
over it, but did not cause any shooting
at first, because the Star was not be-
lieved TO be worth anything.
"Wcll IL was late in the fall that
George Wilson, prospecting on the Star,
made strike and promptly put six
men on the disputed ground. They
were all armed to the teeth, and George
announced that he was going to work
the claim, and that the first outsider
who tried to get on the claim woald be
filed with lead. Now that made trou-
bic at once, for it wasn't at all certain
that George had the right to the claim,
and Dick Barker on the other side, said
that he was going to work the claim.
About this time the air was pretty
thick with threats
"Dick went over and tried to get on
the claim. George was not there, but
his men threatened to shoot and so Dick
drew off his men. That night he sent
word to George that he would shoot
him on sight. i am telling you this
story to show you how fairly men fought
in those days.
"You see, when George Wilson got
this warning he was entitled to shoot
Barker on sight 1t was the quickest
trigger that would win. George was in
bar-room when he got the warning
and right on the spot he pulled out his
six-shooter and filed it with new cart
ridges, Then he went on talking He
was telling of the rich strike he had
made.
"While he was talking there Dicl;
came into the room. Both their hands
went down into their belts at the same
second. Georges revolver was leveled
in a flash, but Dick stood there in q
dazed fashion, little white, but straight
and daring.
'You see, it was a nice point of honor.
George would have been justified in
shooting on account of the warning,
but when he saw Barker caught like {
rat he lowered his revolver.
"'Well,' he says, Barker, I'm no
going to kill you now. What's the mat
ter?'
"I've lost my six-shooter,' answered
Barker.
Thereupon George stuck his back il
his belt.
"'All right he said, well wait til
next time Then he turned. as cool as
q fish, and went on telling about hi.
claim.
about 10 o'clock that night a mar
brought a note in to George from
Barker, thanking Wilson for being Sc
square. There was proposition in i
that if only one man got killed the
other was to have undisputed claim tc
the Dog Star, and l shall shoot OF
sight, said Barker.
George said that this was fair anC
signed his name to an agreement call
ing us all to witness.
There was no doubt that some one
would get hurt over the Star, and every
one in town was on the lookout.
THE next morning they met in front
of the barber-shop and they both opened
fire. Both of them caught it at the frs
shot and than they blazed away as best
they could from the ground. They were
both badly shot up, but they both go
we'll While they were in bed Georg
sent a note to Barker telling him tina
he expected soon to be out again. 'Ant
I'll tell you what I'll do, he said, III
shoot on sight again or I'll work tn
claim with you on even shares S,
Dick wrote back that he didn't car
much what they did, but that he wa
pretty badly used up and couldn't fgh
for long time So they worked tn,
claim together and made a nice littl,
stake out of it. But you see how fai
they both were. All that each wanted
was to settle that claim. Those wer
the days when men stood on their OWL
claims and held them. IN. Y. Tribune