The sun., 1894-05-13
BOTH DUELS TO THE DEATH.
FoUaHT BY FAMOUS DEsPERxD0Es IN
FoRT BEN1 ON's PILME DAra

vith at- Teeth-Georse Ross sud "Lit
tie" Edgar ForEht ss 1,o.s ss l. fs Ne
-sin-a spd Disd Tsre,hsr.
In 1873. Fort Benton. Mon. was = nervous
sleepless, busy town. II was playing to tn,
limit II was the entrepot for all the goods
that came into and went from an empire o
unsettled territory. 1t was at the head Of navi.
cation on the Missouri River. and It still
holds that geographical distinction. unin.
portant now because there Ia no more
business for navlRators. From It's hills
were dusty trails marked with flying
coaches and the canvas-covered wagons oI
allow moving bull trains. Its levees we're piled
nigh with goods for waiting steamers be-
meath; its streets we're lined with miners ad-
vsnturers. gamblers traders. and that rest-
less society that seek new climes for reasons
best known to itself. And so II was until tho
Iron march Of the locomotive crossed the val
leys and tunnelled the hills and left new CEN
tres OF commerce in its wake.
Now Fort Benton is but grim and hopeless
shadow OF its former glory. Sand bars re-
moved by the Government at the cost Of mil
lions again stretch their muddy lines to the
sunshine. The reign Of that autocrat the
river pilot Is lost in the love OF the old timers.
A steamboat Is as rare sight az one OF the
dark and billowy herds Of buffalo that
uuencneu JnelT NnlTht AZ tne TlVet Dhnke.
They-the few who are left where hundreds
worked-will tell you that some day the
people like the lost tribes Of Israel. will return
to Fort Benton. You will not believe It You
will see only pitiul evidence OF decay. Along
the levee is Front street. once . real thorough
fare Of trade. and now Rrass-Rrown lane. At
one end Is the old Overland Hotel. q two story
structure OF logs split and whitewsshed to
give color and finish to the interior and rough
hewn without 10 tell the passing tourist OF the
common architecture in the overland's best
days. 1t was famous Inn, and It's dust worn
walls were the background for startling scenes
In tho barroom an apartment that combined
the hotel Office reading room. and wash room.
took place many gun fights between the best
known desperadoes OF the country. political
speeches from early politicians. and such gam
bling as would make tho games nowadays
seem a. dull as Jack straws or dominoes
1t was in this historic room OF the Overland
that two famous duels wore started in one day
between four men as nervy and determined as
ever drew guns on the frontier They were
George Koss. Little" Edgar Erwin. John 4.
Roger. better known as Aces Up." and
half breed Mexican monte dealer. Manuel. or
The California Greaser." All were gambler
and thoroughbred fighters OF class now fast
disappearing. Ross mad come from Colorado
n few years before with a we'll grounded rep
utatlon as a bad man. He was known to have
turned several graveyards into business CEN
tres. and was the friend OF undertaksrs and
sections. Erwin was man Of the same class.
OF auietsr disposition. but quite as desperate.
He was OF slight build. extremely nervous. and
as quick and active as q mountain lion.
Rogers and Tho California Greaser" were
representatives Of two types Of fighters. COM
mon enough in tho West but distinct from
each other. The former was a clustering
bully who claimed to have killed many men
that never existed; the "greaser" was Q
cowar,ily. trencheroua fellow. who would fight.
but like most spanlsh-Amcrican desperadoes
preferred to kill his men from behind In tho
seclusion OF q dark alley.
Ross and Little" Edgar were fine sx-
al pies OF men afflicted with n mania for gun
fighting. q mania which no student OF mental
seems capable OF analyzing. They
fought for the fun OF it, or for that underlined
love OF excite ment which impes mon to fight
without such causes as sensible men would
deem sufficient They were close friends
room. because they had been associated Tor
years as partners in faro games from
Arkansas to the Pacific coast. They were,
moreover, men OF Keen perception and well
yersed in that knowledge OF huma anity which
successful gamblers must acquire; They had
tier sports aside from the exchange Of faro
chips Tor gold dust. They were sometimes ac-
cu.ed Of establiching a GambIipc ,eri;tocrscy.
but they were always respected. Each had al
most superhuman quickness with a gun. IL
was said that Ross was once marked Rs a VIC
Ihe plan OF attack seem ed to give him bout as
much chance as a yellow dog would have fight
have the .s crasP nePsa
him. because he and Ross had row
aver the smiles Of a Mexican donna;
remained as souvenirs OF the occasion, Women
had caused many rows for Ross. They were
ineiy cut face. and. as matter Of course.
trouble followed
One evening Ross was behind the bar OF his
rlends when half a dozen Of tho ranger Q
riends came IN and scattcred about the room.
served. suddenly he stepped from behind
!, screen % at the & &doSSr: or and without a word
,ar point-6lanS at Ross by ma maryei'
nen were only three feet apart. Before
runs from the sink beneath the bar and set |
hem going in two directions. In = fash he |
anger fell back dead at the first shot and then |
he guns were snorting fire and smoke at his |
rlends who were shooting IRON all points OF
he clouds OF battle were cleared Ave men were |
ying dead on the floor and Ross was sitting in |
NJ arm. 1t Is small wonder that his word was
AM afterward;
me lrlenusnlp between NOse and Little"
Idgar was form ed under circumstances siri-
lr to this adventure. Edgar was playing
banS" in lloss's house one evening when four
runken Mexican vaquerOs insisted on inter-
uptng the game by stealing EdRars checks
hey protested when ordered out by Ross. and
1hen Edgar intimated that the fight was his |
wn they drew their knives and started for
i'm. Ross was knocked down and would
oubtless have been killed II Edgar had not
aid out his Mexican assailants In one. two
The real Western gun fighter, a man. for
Instance. like Bat MastersoD OF Colorado.
gorge Thompson OF Billings. Mon. or
Ohnny McMurray of Butte always avoids dis
usslng his battles. He always claims that he
ought in self-prOtectIon. aud in most cases he |
right. Fights are forced upon him bY Aspi-
ants for his distinction. Ross and little" I'd
ar persistently refused to recte their records.
oople at Fort Benton were then too busy 10
ak much about their neighbors and gun
ghts were almost as common as dog fights,
o little was known about Ross and Edgar be-
ond the fact that they were nsrVy. desperate
len. IL turned out that neither knew much
bout the past life Of the other
Hoss and Little" Edgar paid a round sum
lr the privilege OF running the only faro
anne in the hotel. There they caught the
est class OF customers. because they were
nowh TO be dead square. IL was then that the
lcldents OF the lysliest LAY in the brief bur
NJ |