The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1895-05-04
MADE HIM NERVOUS.
HE WASN'T AFRAID IN a FRAcAS,
BUT SUSPENSE TOLD ON HIM.
Closing Episode In the Life of Dallas stude-
meyer. the Quick shot-He Had .'enty-
seven Wounds and Carried Three Bullets
Around In His Body.

MY nrnJ meeting WIFI B"lldS pNuuV-
meyer was at Las Vegas, y. NJ, In the
summer of 1882, " said a southwestern civil
engineer. 81 had taken the morning train
that day from Albuquerque 10 Las Vegas.
In the car a few seats ahead OF me sat Pat
Garrett, the tall sheriff of Lincoln county,
the slayer of Billy the Kid Seated beside
him was a man OF equal height wearing a
black sombrero and black frock coat. His
profile as he turned now and then 10 left
or right showed thin, aquilinc features and
n long mustache of reddish tint. The
two men were talking earnestly together
and occupied the same seat all the way 10
Las Vegas, whore we arrived at noon.
"On the station platform was standing
Fred Leach, then superintendent of the
lower division of the Atchison road. As
the passengers alightcd from the train he
shook hands with Pat Garrett and his com
panion, and a moment afterward said aside
TO me:
"'You know Dallas Studemeyer, don't
youY Nor Then III introduce YOU
$50 was duly presented TO the famous
city marshal of FL PasO He was at that
period ex-marshal of that lively town ow-
ing to a recent falling out with the city
council He greeted me politely. as Is the
fashion Of men of his kind toward strangers
with whom they have no quarrel. no.
ticed the peculiar tint of his eyes, the pu-
pills Of which had reddish hue that / had
never seen i'm any other human eye. De-
spite their strange aud ominous tinge, his
eyes were not unpleasant, at least in his
peaceful mood, and his look was fearless
and direct Pat Garrett i knew and had
already spoken with on the train. Garrett
and Studemcyer took the next train, as /
did, To the Hot Springs, six miles from Las
Vegas, where the railroad maintained fine
hotels and lighthouses.
Studemeyer was haggard and very nerv-
Gus from the effects of oyerdrinking and
the constant danger 10 his life during his
last month in FL Paso, and his hand shook
SO that he aud not sign his name on the
register of the MonteZuma hotel The tall
sheriff and the OK marshal, although re-
served and unpretentious of manner, were
noticeable figures among the crowd of
fashionable guests at this noted pleasure
resort, and IL did not take long for the
people to find out who they were.
"In the afternoon Studemeyer went over
TO the bathhouse and took "a Turkish bath.
The head attendant came up in astonish-
ment to tell the superintendent at the
springs about the strange man whom he
had just attended.
"'He bears the scars of 27 wounds, he
said, and three bullets are still in his
body One recent wound that he got when
he killed three mon in FL Paso Is still un-
healed.
"When Studemeyer came up stairs after
his bath, the superintendent invited him
into his Office. The ex-marshal talked
frankly and without hesitation of his ca
reer in FL Paso and made no concealment
of the fact that his nerves were badly shak-
EN- by what he had recently passed through.
1t was IA tough experience 10 live
through, he said, and il kept getting
worse all the time. | was pretty nigh sim
gle handed against the town and every
body trying To get the drop on me To Kill
me- 1t got SO that IL a man had n charge
in his gun that he wanted to get rid OF
he'd wait round corner to fire IL into
me i didn't mind n shooting scrap when
IL came. IL was the suspense that wore
on me. / never know now when / may
be attacked unawares. IL might happen
in "A railroad train or anywhere that /
chance to be. I've had the offer of two
different city marshalships this week. /
don't know W hat I'll do about them. Go
back 10 FL Paso maybe when get straight
ened up.
"He was n native he said, OF the noun
tain region of Alabama and had served
in the Confederate army. Since the war
he had led an adventurous life in the
southwest. Though undoubtedly he was
armed, there were no signs of weapons
about his person as he walked or sat in
the superintendent Office
"The constant sense of danger of which
he spoke and anticipation of attack from
any quarter was shown when n clerk at
work in the same room had occasion To 90
behind him To overhaul some papers piled
upon the floor. At the sound of somebody
moving behind him the nervous sudden
ness with which Studemeyer jumped from
his chair and whirled round to see what
was meant was an effective illustration of
the suspense under which he was living
Like many other men Of his kind who
lead life of constant danger Dallas Stude-
never was tstalist.
II believe. ,aid he. that when a man
l. born the jiuc ~ hen he is 10 die j. 6xad
and appointed, aud he can be killed be-
fore that time comes round. don't be-
icve the bullet was ever nodded that will
kill me-
But the bullet was nodded and waiting
that should kill Dallas Studemcyer lie
left the Springs that afternoon and went
down the road the next day. He stopped
drinking got into good physical condition
and went back To III Paso in the course of
week or two, where he WIS again 40.
pointed ciiv marshal Vie got along al
right un,il VS. again 'uok a. "vprdrinLine.
lis old ,eud with lhe h".e Muuning
brothers was revived, ANA Une DAY ho en-
tered their saloon and variety hall for tho
purpose, ne said, Of having n talk to clear
up matters Of difference between them and
bring about a friendly understanding. Doc
and Jim Manning were at the saloon, and
Jim started ont To go up the street to find
John Manning, 80 that all three Of the
brothers might be present AT the confer
encc jim got as FAR as the corner of the
building and stopped and waited. In a.
minute more two pistols were cracking M
lively rate inside the saloon, and Dalla,
Studcmcycr came, backing ont of tho
doorway as ho exchanged shots with doc
Manning, whom he had wounded At the
threshold Jim Manning was waiting To- ~.
ccive him, revolver in hand, aud he killed
Studcmeycr with n shot through the