Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-06-30

away when FOX fired, and the bullet must
have gone true, for the rider passed on un-
conscious, while n sign diagonnlly across
the street was shattered by the shot.
He tried It again later In the day, and
ortunately--miraculou sly-escaped the
inlliction of injury. Dodge City talked
about "Double-L Eek" and his new Joke
all summer, md in the autumn he came
In and tried It again.
The first shot he made no hit man In
the leg, and he was worry indignant because
they would not give him another chance,
assuring the crippled victim 1t was an nc
oident and urging him to mount and trot
past just one time more, rising no higher
than he had done, npd guaranteeing to put
three shots out Of five between him and
tho saddle or buy the drinks for the crowd.
But tho uncertainty about tho other two
shots interiorcd with negotiations.
In 1880 Eek Turner went farther west
and tried to shoot the top of n mans plug
hat In Colorado Springs because he insist
cd the fashion was two inches shorter than
the man was wearing.
At La Vcta he took exception 10 tho
sputtoring sound occasionally made by
an electric lamp and went about shooting
the carbons in two till the city marshal
engaged in rcpartee and shot of the end
Of Eok's thumb, alleging as n sufficient
reason tho fact that no man with two good
thumbs could be n really bad man" Eek
replied in kind, and there were no appli-
cnnts for tho position tho marshals do
misc left vacant until 1t was known thnt
Eek had left that region and gone to Ari
zona.
AT Fort wingate he had tho misfortune
La. o.. I,.rs
very mild hammered private soldier, who
pulled up winchester and crippled Eek
for life, destroying tho usefulness of both
shoulders and incidentally putting out his
right eye.
After that Eek Turner went TO Flag
staff and developed remarkable habit OF
winning at fnpo and taking care OF his
money. Hc confessed TO n record Of five
men slain, but he was given credit for
twice as many on account OF his well
known modosty and whom he finally
opened n boarding house for seamen in San
Francisco he permitted all tho turbulent
habits of his cowboy llfc to drift away to
forgetfulness.
The real nerve OF dad man" was
never so squnrely tested as In that raid OF
tho cattle kings from Cheyenne into tho
grazing country west Of Fort Mckinney,
in the winter OF 1899. There was an or.
ganized movement of rich men, with full
equipment OF horses, provisions and mu-
nitions Of border war, against the ranchers,
who had located on the range.
With the rich mon went all tho "killcrs"
| that could DO enlisted from Texas to tho
Black Hills. And against them were mod
est ranchme1, who lever had shot man
for tho fun Of tho thing in all their lives.
! Yet when tho final meeting came tho
ranchmen surrounded the cattle kings and
/ their mnroenarles, drove them for shelter
| TO an abandoned cabin and for two days
/ frightened tho last brigand OF them so Of
fectually that they dared not pull trigger.
Tho expedition, MS will be remembered,
ended ANONYMOUSLY for the cattle kings.
] The chad men" they had hired were worth
less to them when confronted by men
] willing to fight for their homes. Doubt
1 less any ono Of tho "killers" would have
4 been more effective II he could have met
| his man without warning.
but this deliberate ride OF 900 miles
from Cheyenne to the place Of meeting
| aayo time to cool their ardor, and when
I the time Of collision came their nerve dc.
serted them. There were CROUCH OF the In
/ vadors 10 have slain oil tho settlers on
! Powder river. But it Is the quick resolve
and tho instant 'draw and shoot which
develops tho killer" He Ia not soldier
by i.ry means.