Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1892-11-17
WITH WINCHESTERs.
Rare Nerve and Cool Courage Displayed by
Two Western Men.
fSt. Louis Chroniele.1

lct-
al have been among the western
cowboys for twelve years." said ]. A.
Barnett of Salida, Colo, at the La
clede, "and have seen their nerve put
to the severest tests, but l didn't
know the human family produced
men who could not be made to finch
in the face OF certain death until three
weeks ago. l took an outfit for a
roundup IN western Kansas In the
party were Joe billiard and Bud
Powell. The latter was hurry burly,
loud-mouthed, devil-may- sort OF
"a man who had been in frontier
brawls innumerable, and who In his
time had perhaps shot out almost as
many lights, just for the fun OF the
thing, as are now blazing in this city
tonight. billiard, however, was a diff
ferent order of man. He was so quiet
and demure as to be an enigma to the
rollicking registers OF the little West
ern towns and settlements. He was
never known to use an oath, and, so
far as any of us knew, he didn't know
the taste of liquor. That he had a
history was the unanimous verdict
of us all There was something in his
manner that said palmer than words
that he would not do to fool with.
While our outfit was in campsouth OF
Dodge City, Powell got noisy drunk
one evening and seemed bent on pro-
voking billiards. ire. billiard took his
chatting good-naturedly, which only
0all
to become more annoying and
brutal in his persistent filings. At the
supper table Powell walked up behind
billiard and emptied a cup of coffee
down his back. billiard sprang from
his seat like a frenzied tiger. His eyes
flashed fire and his frame quivered
with anger. Il ought to shoot you
down like dog he said, but I'll give
YOU ii chance for your life. Meet me
at sun-up tomorrow morning with
lvot,r Winchester and will fight il
out at fifty PAGES. There was 8
deadly determination in his voice that
sent a shudder round the supper table
and Powell, though maudlin drunk
! blanched white as a sheet: TIL,
silence that brooded over the cam
that night was awful. Itried to reason
with billiard but he was immovable
He had made up his mind to xii
Powell and he was going to do it o.
die in the attempt. Both men wen
quietly to their cots at s O'Clock ant
5 we're sound asleep in half an hour.
had fitful night of 1t. 1t was my
duty to prevent the fight, and all my
persuasion had failed to shake Dill
lard, though Powell seemed a littl
+ more reasonable. Well, to cut a lon
, story short, they met the next morn
ing, each with repeating Wincheste er
Dillard stepped off the fifty PAGES, ant
as he turned firing was to begin
Seven shots each were to be fired, tn
men advancing on each other at eacl
! shot. When they were separated b,
only about ten feet they both droppe,
to the ground. Powell was dead an,
/. billiard was breathing his last Tw,
: of Powells bullets had plowed throug
! billiards. right cheek, one had pierce,
8 his left ear, three others lodged in hi
left shoulder and the seventh pene
trated the brain. A yard stick sus
pended straight from Powell's hear
would have covered every one of tn
seven bullet holes in his body, show
ing billiards. desperate determinatio
and cool aim. He had intended to hi
him in the heart, and his last shot di
it. / don't think the world will eve
s know of another such a duel, becaus
@ / don't believe there are any two me
with the nerve of billiard and Powell
who were so unlike in outward cha
4 acter and yet SO alike in leonin
bravery"