The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1892-10-21
HIS OWN MURDERER.

do you see the bullet hole in the
crown OF this sombrero, Neb? Thereby
hangs tale, which, if you will make
yourself comfortable in an easy chair,
I'll relate
was visiting the pleasant rooms of
my friend R, an old telegraph opera
tea; not old in years, but in experience.
for he had worked at the business since
boy, and had been in many difficult
positions, thus having a varied expert
ence from which to draw his stories
The hat he now held in his hand was a
light gray felt with a leather band
around it, and near the top on one side
and through the crown on the opposite
side were two small holes, made by a
bullet, R said, iii an attempt on his
life.
You remember" lie began, ''some
ten years ago l made trip down the
Mississippi, through Texas, Mexico and
California. This was partly for my
health, partly for pleasure, but prin-
cipally on n business excursion for our
company.
Il spent considerable time i'll A,
Tex, and while there the city-as they
called twas being completely demon
allied by as vicious, corrupt set of gam
blers as it was ever my lot to fall in
with. These southwestern cities of
rapid growth, rapid wealth and with
population of adventures and uneasy
people collected from many parts of the
globe, are just the place for these des-
peradOes to do their richest fleeing; but
in this instance they were notorious, and
having committed several capital
crimes, the government took the case in
hand.
SIN this quiet northern town you are
scarcely able to realize the difference q
few degrees of latitude can make in the
apparent dispositions and surroundings
of human beings. While travelling
through the southwest it often seemed
as though l must be in different coun-
try, everything was so foreign and law
less in its character.
''About this time there had been con-
siderable trouble along the telegraph
lines in that section of the state, and
had been employed as detective by
the government to help ferret out the
mischief makers, and as l was now stop
ping in A they wanted me to help
stop the gamblers, who We're beginning
to smell rat and were keeping under
cover.
''In an e1citable community where
firearms are carried by all and often
used unfortunately the arrest of des-
10 Ohio nf n,o1t-
but dangerous, for, as you know, birds
of feather they usually have many
friends in Il crowd. In this instance a
small posse was selected to arrest the
gamblers, and it was agreed that except
in a case of emergency was not to
touch the criminals, but simply enter
their resorts, spot the men if there and
signal the officers to enter.
THE first night we succeeded in ar
resting two in faro saloon, and in the
confict-for they had to be taken by
main force-I had been obliged to help
the officers. and this / suppose gave the
crowd an inkling of my true character
We did not know it, however, and the
next night determined TO make a raid
and arrest the remainder of the set, who
discovered had located themselves in
one of the dives in the lowest part OF
- the town, near the river.
I'VE had.--as we thought, used the
utmost precautions, for the men were
desperate and would fight, we knew, K
to the last. The buildings on this stree
were so close together that their low
fiat roofs nearly touched each other
growing more and more squalid till the!
reached the river, which cut off thei
growth. Consequently there were NJ
side entrances. At the back door W,
placed two men, and at either side o
the front entrance, in the darkness, tn
remainder of the posse concealed them
selves. 1t was agreed that if / fount
the gamblers in the saloon 1 was to Civ
IL signal at the most Opportune moment
when the officers would rush in from
both sides and secure their men befor
they had chance to escape or TO Offe
much resistance.
Il then saGntered III, walked up to til
bar and called for a glass of liquor.
noticed that the bartender looked surlil
at me, and as / turned with the glass i
nv hand and faced the crowd standin
and seated around the faro tables, ther
seemed to he an unusual silence, but
leaned carelcssly against the wall, pre-
tending to sip the villainous stuff in m
glass. but at the same time taking
keen survey of the crowd. l think
never saw a more hardened set of erin
inals outside of prison bars than wer
gathered around those faro tables tha
night. Little piles of silver and gol
were heaped up here and there, many {
them guarded with six shooters an
bowie knives, while men were dealin
out the cards and raking in the coins.
Just as was about to give the s1l
nal one OF the tables was overturne
and in an instant there was gener;
commotion. Before l realized what W.
happening, so rapid and unexpecte
were the movements, door opened L
my side and a girl grasped me by II
coat and said in a frightened voic
This way, quick, for your life' Quio
as a flash the girl slammed the door an
found myself being hurried up tllgl
of stairs and through an open trapdot