The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-02
SURPRISINGLY GOOD ACTING.
Cool self-Possession of a Man Who was
About to BE Hanged.
From the PhiIadelphia Times

Cool self-Possession of Man Who Was
About to BE Hanged.
From the Philadelphia Times.
The Three Sevens" outfit was camp
ed in the cottonwoods district up on
Paladuro creek close to the line of No
Mans Land. and everyone was busy.
for II was the season of the spring
roundup. No Mans Land is that long
narrow strip of the Indian territory
that prevents northwest Texas and
southwest Kansas from coming into
contact. OF course, II is out Aof the
Jurisdiction OF either state, and for
years Uncle Sans officials zealously
avoided II for many reasons. Late one
afternoon the sheriff of Broncho coun-
ty came riding into camp, inquiring
for Denny Murphy. The sheriff's sud-
den appearance occasioned no surprise,
for a warning OF the same had pre-
ceded him fully three hours and, as a
direct result. Mr.. Murphy, one of the
best cowmen in the whole OUTFIT, rode
calmly over the border and into the
land where subpoenas came not and
warrants lost all their vitality.
A few days before the fugitive had
been on one of his periodical tears
down In the little settlement of Quirt-
Vile, and had been far more turbulent
and violative of the peace and dignity
of Broncho county than usual. He had
dubbed the piano player in French
Petes dance hall nearly to death with
the butt of a six-shooter, had shot out
all the lights and window panes in the
resort: also three fingers from Pete's
good right hand. and had then ridden
away, defiant. vociferous and unscath-
ed. The afterclap was now present in
the Three Sevens" camp in the shape
of the sheriff and those documents
that begin so sarcastically with the
Il
phrase. the outfit gave the sheriff the
laugh. informing him that Denny had
"moseyed;" that, as a cowman, there
was too much doing for him to spend
any time attending to such minor at
fairs: that the sheriff would have to
wait until the roundup was over and
he had better get down. stake his
horse and spend the night, for 1t was
getting late and Quirtville was a long
ride back. He was an officer Of experi-
ence and not given to chasing rain
bows.
During the winter just passed some
of the cowboys had been visiting CIV
ilization down in Fort Worth. and had
attended the theater Their minds be-
ing still filled with the glories of the
experience, they diverted the campfire
talk. after supper, to things theatrical
This brought out the sheriff strong, for
he had in his day been all over the
country and never lost an opportunity
of attending the playhouse.
Boys" said he, I've seen a Teller
called Booth play the part OF a devil.
named Iago. so that my fingers itched
to get holt OF my gun. I've seen a
dago named Salvini play a play named
The outlaw all in dago talk, but I
didn't have TO know that lingo TO find
out he was a worse used man than any
that ever set foot in these whole Unit
ed States. There's a woman, too, Clara
Morris; she gave me chill that lasted
a week. But I've seen a man, a COM
mon. plain man. who could lay over
them all. 1 saw him do Just one piece
OF acting and right after 1 had to hang
him. 1t was a good while ago. just
after they first got TO electing me sher-
in. 1 had a man in the jail and two
deputies were staying right with him
all the time. cause we couldn't take
no chance of his getting away. him
being convicted OF murder and waiting
for his day TO come TO be hanged in.
II was a mighty mean. low-down muir
der. too. Jury wasn't out more'n five
minutes over IT. His lawyers had
tackled all the courts he could get into.
but IL was no go, and the fellows time
was sure coming; only a couple OF
days of. 1t was. / think even right
then old man Dunn and his carpenters
were out in the jail yard working
away on the gallows.
Well. on this day when you could
hear them carpenters knocking and
saving back in the yard. who comes
into my office room where / was sort
ing out some papers. but this feller's
lawyer and a little old lady dressed in
black clothes. She was a mighty nice
looking old lady. leaning considerably