The Penn's Grove record., 1895-10-11
NE LOST H,s r
After This Affair wild yim Was Q
Changed Man.

Changed Man.
A score Of us saw the man as he
anne cantering into the frontier town
IN his .cayuse, and more than n re-
marked how singular It was that he
was unarmed. He hitched his horse to
1 post In front of the Big Elk saloon,
md had Just disappeared within the
ioor Of the shanty when a man came
running up and exclaimed:
Boys, that's the sheriff over at Dead.
wood, and he's come for Wild Jim"
We crowded Into the saloon to see
what would happen. There were five
men playing poker at one table and
three at another. One Of the men was
wild Jim, who was wanted for murder.
On entering the place, the sheriff had
backed up against the bar and faced
the players. Wild Jim had leaped to
his feet and pulled q gun with either
hand, and the other players leaned
back and looked around to see what
was going on.
after me, Joe3" queried Wild ID
As he stood with guns presented.
"Yes."
"Going to take me dead or alive"
eyes"
"You can't take me alive, and If you
move a hand I'll drop you'll"
The sheriff smiled and looked around
the room and back at Wild Jim am
queried:
~How does the game stand. JimT
"Ive just dealt a hand"
"All riRht-fnish It."
Wild Jim sat down and took ave min
ntes to play out the hand. Then he
looked up and said:
"Sure you want me, JoeT"-
"Dog-sure."
"Jest come for met"
e"Jest for you"
"Then I'm goin' to kill you where
rou standp
He raised the gun in his right hant
Ind blazed away, firing six shots as fast
rs his finger could pull the trigger. The
sheriff never moved. When the smoke
had rolled out Of the open door and we
sould see him he stood in the same po-
bition and his face wore the same smile.
Dne bullet had burned his cheek-a sec.
Dnd had grazed his cara third had cut
through his shirt collar under the left
Ear. Wild Jim was a dead shot, and
vet he had missed his man at ffteer
Feet.
"Got through, JimF" asked the sher.
lf, breaking a silence that was posi-
lively painful.
"And you-you are not heeled" gasp
ed Jim, as his arm sunk slowly down
"No-come on"
"You didn't bring your guns!"
mo. If you are through shooting
we'll go"
Jim laid his two guns down on the ia.
Die before him and walked to the door
Ind out into the street. His horse was
tied to a post a block away. He reach
ed the horse, mounted, and then head
ed down the long street after the sher-
lr, who was giving him not the slightest
attention. In Eve minutes the pail
we're out of sight.
"What allied Jim?" I asked of the
barkeeper, who had come to the door
Of the saloon.
Lost his nerve" he ~brusquely re
piled.
allow do you meanT
"Why, the sheriff coming without 3
gun and standing there to be shot al
took all his sand away and made
woman Of him"
Suppose the sheriff had had a gum"
The nan Jerked his head toward o
field wherein fifteen or twenty victim
had been buried and said:
"He'd a-bin over thar'r'
"And will Wild Jim get clear7"
"Likely, but he'll hev to leave here.
The boys hev already put htm down al
N. G."
At his trial for murder In Dead wood
, wild Jim was discharged from Gus.
tody, but he went forth a changed man.
No man took him by the hand-all men
avoided him. Two weeks later he was
found dead In Custer City-a victim Of
buicide.-Free Press.