Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1893-01-07
AN ARIZONA EPISODE
A Night Scene In Nogales Gamblin
Dan

A Night Scene I'm Nogales Gambling
1 Den.
Nogales is little town down in
| Southern Arizona that is part Ameri-
can AID part Mexican in more senses
than one, Tor il calmly sits upon the
| International boundary line and owes
half TO the United States Thus the
resident OF NogaleS is much better of
than Lieut. Nolan, for instead Of be-
ing man without country, he is
man with two countries The bound
airy line between the two republics
| runs exactly along the center Of the
principal street. SO man needn't
leave the town nor walk very far to
plant one foot in Mexican soil and
yet retain purchase upon the land
of the free, etc, This peculiar situa-
tlon is often taken advantage of 10y
DESERVING soldiers from the Southern
Arizona forts, who are inclined To be
facetious. They go over TO the Mex
lean side of the main street and when
the Sergeant and his squad who are
in pursuit arrive in town they find
the deserterS sitting out in front OF a
saloon enjoying life and making faces
at their pursuers with perfect inn
Ipunity. For desertion is not an eN-
traditable otiense All the Sergeant
can do is to sit down and patiently
wait, in the hope that the deserter
will imbibe enough mescal or pulQue
to render him reckless and bring him
across that invisible but uncroSSahle
line. Nor is NogaleS very virutous
| town. In fact il is somewhat
tough. . Almost every man carries
! a "gun, and is ready TO use it when
his rights are trampled upon or his
honor wounded.
| During The Geronimo campaign |
went down to Nogales TO visit friend
Of mine and one night he took me
out to see the sights. Among other
sports on the elephant was the big
gest saloon and gambling house in the
town. | forget now who ran it, but
| that doesn't matter After passing
around and looking on a while at the
various games, we sat down at table
near party OF poker players, ordered
drinks, and watched the animated
scene was particularly interested
in one of the players at the table naXt
tous, whoapparently had phenomenal
! luck, Judging from the pile Of gold,
silver and chips IN front Of him, He
was big, black bearded Swarthy man,
restless eyes, and as another big, full
bearded man, toying with a huge
pistol, approached the table with a
quick stride fancied that he sud
denly grew a shade paler. He made
an almost imperceptible movement
to reach toward his hips, but appar-
entity changed his mind and gazed in
tentIy at the cards. by this time the
other big man was opposite him
$50, YOU dirty mean skunk" he
said, 1--WE run you down at last,
have II"
The play at once ceased and the
participants IN the game waited
passiyely to hear the outcome. This
was quarrel between two men--a
personal aud private matter-and it
would have been impertinenCe and "A
breach Of etiquette on their part to
have interfered by word or act
"Yes, you've run me down, as YOU
put it, replied the other What
do you want to say 20 me? Hurry
up, and don't delay the game
"What do ! want TO say To you?"
the other burst out iurously and
with yolley Of Oaths, II don't want
TO say anything to YOU, you thief |
want TO put bullet into your dirty
carcass and I'm going to doit. Draw
your gun IN give you one @hance
TO- your life,
nv this time the noise lad at
tracted attention. The players had
crowded TO the side walls, aud there
! was clear passage for the bullets
that were momentarly expected to
commence flying. The proprietor OF
the gambling den was Fastening to-
ward the disputants. shouting, as he
came warning TO them to deslst
shoot, if you want TO. Bill" sald
: the back-beardcd man, his face as
pale as death, "but if YOU do You
murder me, for ! haven't a gun on
/ my person"
you haven't, eh?" replied the
other, ins0Iently 'Wcll. Pll shoot
no man like rat. But you miser-
able hound, after / o'clock this morn
ing III kill Won on sight, gun or no
gun Fair warning. Look out for
yourself"
lie turned to move away when.
quick as flash, tae black bearded
, man sprang to his feet, drew re-
volyer aud fired at the retrcatng
figure.
Look out" shouted some one in
the crowd who had observed the
movement. The man gave start
ana a half turn and the motion saved
his life. for the bullet graled his
head and tossed a lock Of his thick
hair into the air Before the black
bearded man could recover. The other
shot. The bullet crushed through
the gamblers head and bee diopped
down dead. In the confusion which
followed my friend and escaped into
the street.