St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1895-11-30
HE LOST HIS NERVE.
After This Affair Wild jim Was - changes

A score of us saw the man as he came
can;ering into the frontier town on his
cayusc and more than one remarked
how singular it WAS that he was un-
armed. lie hi;chcd his horse to a post
in front of the Big Elk saloon and had
just disappeared within the door OF
the shanty when man came running
up and exclaimed:
.sBoys. that's the sheriff over q,
Deadwood, 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 1t 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 tC
his feet and pulled gun with either
hand, and the other players leaned
back and looked around to see what
was going on.
After me, Joe?" qneried Wild jim,
as he stood with guns presented.
Yes
Going to take me dead or aliveY'
Yes
You can't take me alive. and if you
move a hand I'll drop you.'
The sheriff smiled and looked around
the room and back at Wild Jim and
qneried:
"lIow does the game stand, JimT
I've Just dealt q hand"
.AlI right-tinish it."
Wild Jim sat down and took five
minutes to play out the hand. Then
he looked up and said:
''Sure you want me, JOe?
"Dog-sure.
"Jest come for me?'
"Jest for YOU"
Then I'm goin' to kill you where
you stand"
He raised his gun in his right hand
and blazed away, firing six shots as
fast as his finger could pull trigger.
The sheriff never moved. When the
smoke had rolled out of the open door
and we could see him he stood in the
same position and his face wore the
same smile. One bullet had burned
his cheek-a second had grazed his ear
"a third had cut through his shirt col
lar under the left ear. Wild Jim was a
dead shot. and vet he had missed his
man at fifteen feet.
Got through. Jim?' asked the
sheriff. breaking a silence that was
positively painful.
'And you-you are not heeled.
cnnl. xtn,~,1 In
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
table before him and walked to the
door and out into the street. His horse
was tied to q post a block away. He
reached the horse. mounted and ther
headed down the long street after tho
sheriff, who was giving him not the
slightest attention. In five minute:
the pair were out of sight
what allied Jim?" l asked of the
bartender, who had come to the dool
of the saloon.
Lost his nerve" he brusquely re
piled.
''How do you mean"'
why, the sheriff coming without q
gun and standing there to be shot al
took all his sand away and made .
woman of him.
suppose the sheriff had had gun"
The man jerked his head toward thu
SalA ~vhoro;n ffteon or twenty victim,
had been buried and said:
He'd a-bin over thar
"And will Wild Jim get clear?'
Likely. but he'll hev to leave here
The boys hcv already put him down a.
n. G''
At his trial for murder in Deadwooi
Wild Jim was discharged from custody
but he went forth changed man. NJ
man took him by the hand-all mel
avoided him. Two weeks later he wa
found dead in Custer City-a victim o
suicide. e.-Detroit Free Press.