The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-11-25
SAVED BY JESSE JAMES.
( TELEGRAPH OPERATORS
ACCOUNT OF A scRAPE.
Tho Times That Tried Mems Nerve
When All Carried Pistols and
Many Used ThemrshOot-
ing at Close Quarters.

Commercial reports Lhe GA POi lO"S0 "
a telegraph operator in Princeton.
Mo. many years ago when things In
that region were powerful unsettled
like"
At s In the morning a through
passenger train was due from the
North, and about an hour before train
time there entered the one waiting
room OF the depot man sbout medl-
am height dressed in the rough fash
ion OF the country. and wearing a
SLOUGH hat that well shaded his face
and left one to guess at the character
OF the wearer. Ticket to Cameron. !"
was all he said as he stepped to the
window. and receiving his piece OF
cardboard. retired to a dark corner.
where he sat down.
might have paid little more at
tention to his appearance had he not
been shortly followed, first by q
party OF six or seven rather rough
looking customers who were evident
ly under the influence of missouri
lightning" and moment later by
three or four ladies with escorts. One
OF the gang of roughs commenced
using language that was more ex-
pressive than eloquent and l had no
other resource than 10 GO over and
demonstrate with him. Somehow, as
l stepped across the room, the feel
lug came over me that was to have
trouble and little tremor OF fear
passed up and down the seam OF my
waistcoat.
However | kept bravely on, and
in gentle and gentlemanly way re-
minded him of the fact that there were
ladies present aud it was necessary
for him to modify his language. His
friends sided with me and attempted
to keep him quiet but without avail.
and they finally arose and went out
on the platform, expecting, of course,
that he would follow. With drunken
perverseness, however he remained,
and his talk growing more and more
vulgar / forgot my fear became mad
and walking over to the tough seized
ed him by the collar and before he
had time to offer any resistance had
thrown him out of the door and on
the platform, where | left him in the
hands OF his friends.
Half minute later saw what
made my hair stand on end. In the
door stood the man had thrown out
pistol in hand, and ready to shoot
We're you ever under freP Do you
know what it is to stare death in the
face and realize that within the next
second a bullet will go blowing
through your body and but the tick
OF q watch separates you from eterni-
typ In moment | thought OF every
incident in my life and closed my
eyes to receive the leaden messenger
that would send me. fearfully unpre-
pared, into the great unknown. Almost
instantly two shots rang out sound
ing like the reports of cannon in the
small room. felt a sharp twinge
in my right knee and then all the
animal in my nature was aroused and
/ thirsted for blood We always kept
a revolver in the money drawer and
with quick lunge through the ticket
window reached and turned to kill
If possible the man who fired at me.
/ was too late. He lay on the floor.
clutching at his breast, from which
the blood was flowing in a crimson
stream. His revolver lay beside him.
Over in the corner sat the man with
the SLOUGH hat, revolver in hand. but
not moving muscle or giving sign.
The friends of the apparently dying
man rushed in, and seeing me stand
ing with revolver in my HAND
reached for theirs to avenge theil
companion. At the first movement
quick, sharp DICE rang out from un
der the SLOUGH hat in the corner in nc
undecided tones.
The man that pulls is dead
man." aud the words were emphasized
by the click of the two guns that GOV.
cred the party. No one pulled " bu
they looked sullenly at the man wht
had dared single handed to call them
down.
There was an awful pause of few
seconds; then the rough nearest L
the stranger after a close scrutiny
sprang back, with the exclamation,
Jesse James, by -" 1t wa
enough. That name carried with /
power to subdue fiercer more blood
thirsty and Drawer men than those il
front of me.
Carefully they picked up thu
wounded man, and as they carriet
him out again that voice was heard
and ttis time it said: The mar
that harms that lad will answer t.
me-.
The train soon arrived and he de
parted with it. My wound was Sigh
and the badly wounded man eventual
ly recovered. A few days later ,
train was robbed on the same rail
road. only a few hours ride from
Princeton. at the little hamlet o
Winston. Two men lost their live,
because they resisted, and yet some
how find a very tender spot in my
heart when think Of Jesse James.
The snail.