Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-04
ARMED TO THE TEETH,
ATExAN CoWBoY ExclrEs HIM
SELF WITH wHlSkEY.
Bansl Wont His Two RoyOlyers and The Street
Was Desorled-A Diplomatic Capt.
uro-Throalens Vengeance.

NEW YORK, Sept 2-Cortlandt street
was at the mercy Of furious Texas
cowboy for three-quariers Of an hour
yesterday morning.
A whole drove Of unclaimed Texan
steers could not have created greater
conservation. The natural locOcity oi
the visitor had been stimulated To thu
point OF frenzy bya liberal Indulgence
in West street With Ky, and hundreds
OF people will believe TO their dying
day that their cscapa from violent
death was due TO miracle.
The author Of all this havoc bears
the prosaic name of John Smith. He
is the star cowboy OF big ranch To-
Gated near San Angeles, on the Mcxi-
can border OF Texas.
Tail, gaunt and wiry, Smith seems
to have been fashioned by nature for
the rugged life Of fronticrsman.
This wandering child of the plains
was seized rec utly with an uucun-
trulluhc desire TO soc Now York. a
consignment Of cattle for export from
this port was 10 BE- shipped from II
neighboring ranch early last week,
and Smith embraced the opportunity
it offered Of visiting the metropolis at
arsmall expense.
Smith came well prepared 10 meet
the highwaymen, buncO-steerers and
other sharpers which he believed lurk-
ed in the city ready to rob and slaugn-
ter visitors.
Smith decided 10 take stroll about
New York on the night Of his arrival.
| He spent two hours before sunset in
sharpening his bowie knives and pol
| ishing his weapons. He then donned
his heavy boots, buckskn trousols,
white felt hat, buckled on his belt and
crossed to the city.
The ale house which Smith favored
with his patronage was one Of the all
night saloons which abound on West
street near the Battery.
About three o'clock smith began or
dcrirg whisky, and tossed OF prodig-
ious amount o, the liquor during the
| next half hour. A change in his dispo-
sition followed close on the change In
| his grOg.
His hands had tendency 10 wander
/ towards his bolt in manner that made
! the company think II WAS bedtime
Some Of these whitc-livered loungers
went down 10 Battery Park. Their
story Of tho terrible Mr.. Potter OF
| Texas was received with incradulity,
| but the listeners having nothing
better 10 do decided 10 see what there
was in It.
The party, numbering about twenty,
| were approaching the saloon when
Smith emerged The crowd kept a ro-
| spectacle distance, but followed him
like u herd Of sheep.
He stepped on banana peel and fell
| laundering upon the sidewalks. A
youngstor in tho crowd indiscrcctly
vented loud g1'faw at the sight Of
! Smiths tumble. But the sequel af-
forded but little occasion for mirth.
The rancbmgn sprang TO his feet In
an instant and drew two muiderJus re-
volyers. No one cane forward. On
tho contrary, everybody seemed anH-
ious 10 catch a train.
Just 10 brighten tham. Smith uttered
a wild whoop and fired his revolver In
tho air. A moment later the only per
sons on the street were tho fruit ven
ders, and these sought the shelter Of
ierod by The alleyways and boxes.
Policeman Burns Of the Church street
station was standing on The corner Of
West and Barclay streets when the shot
was fired. He ran 10 the Cortland
street corner just as Smith came along
ave got fine dog around on Church
street, the officer said, I'D like 70
have your opinion Of him" smith ac-
ccpted the Invitation and walked into
the station, where he was disarmcd in
trice and locked up.
The Texans lace Is deeply Scared
He said he had been slashed and all
but scalped IN an encounter three year.
ago with "Groaser,n who was tryinl
TO steal his pony.
Smith threatens diro ven geancS
upon the policeman who cntrappod him
BY making use OF diplomacy.