Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1895-10-03

0vx0p I'M e1s~W WV Vim vy0D =
Changed Man.
A score of us saw the man az he
came cantering into the frontier
town on his cayuse, and more than.
one remarked how singular 1t was
that he was unarmed. He hitched
his horse TO post In front of the
Big Elk saloon, and had Just disap-
peared within the door OF the shsnty
when . man came running up and
exclaimed:
Boys, that's the sheriff over ut
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 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 a gun
with either hand. and the other play
ers leaned back and looked around to
see what was going on.
AFTER me, joe" queried Wild Jim
as he stood with guns presented.
Eyes. /"
"Going to take me dead or alive ?"
"Yes."
"You can't take me alive. and IL
you move hand I'll drop you'll"
The sheriff smiled and looked
around the room and back ut Wild
Jim and queried:
How does the game stand, Jim 2"
"Pve just dealt q hand"
''All right-fnish 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 r.
Dog sure"
Jest come for me -
jest for YOU"
Then I'm goin' to kill you where
you stand -
He raised the 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 cara third had cut
through his shirt collar under the
left ear. Wild Jim was dead shot.
and yet he had missed his man at
fifteen feet.
''Got through, Jim?" asked the
sheriff, breaking silence that was
positively painful.
"And you-you are not heeled ~
gasped Jim as his arm sunk slowly
down.
''No-come on I"
"You didn't bring your guns?"
mo. II 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 post block away.
He reached the horse, mounted, and
then headed down the long street
after the sheriff. who was giving him
not the slightest attention. In five
iniHutcS Olo puir WeEc ouo VI oiSuu.
What allied Jim?" / asked of the
barkeeper, who had come to the door
of the saloon.
Lost his nerve" he brusquelyIre-
Piled
"How do you mean?"
Why, the sheriff coming without
gun and standing there to be shot
at took all his sand away and made
woman of him."
Suppose the sheriff had had
gum"
The man jerked his head toward
the field wherein fifteen or twenty
victims 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 hev already put him
icwD as N. G."
AZ his trial for murder in Dead
wood Wild Jim was discharged from
custody, 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 suicide.