The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-12-25
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The Strangling Arm.

1t is unpleasant to look back and think this
horror all over again. When my mind reverts
to 1t my hands mechanically close, and the
palms become sticky with cold moisture.
At the time of this occurrence was acting
in the capacity of United States Revenue Off.
Ger, and found myself up in the northern part
OF Nevada, near the Indian reservation quar-.
tiers, at new mining settlement.
The saloon was the best-equipped 1nsti.
tuition in camp, and I was there q great
deal during my stay, which was cut short in a.
most terrifying manner. I noticed from the
day OF my arrival that a young Piute Indian
frequented the saloon and played poker with
the white men great deal. Generally he was
successful and played his hands with intelli-
gence. He always came into the room about 6
and remained until he was ahead of the game,
leaving abruptly without even nodding fare.
WELL
One evening during q severe snowstorm,
when the saloon was pretty well filed with
gamblers and miners, the Piute walked in and
began to play. In less than an hour he had
cleaned up over $4,000, most of it being the
savings of white man who had just come in
from his claim. AS the play progressed saw
that bad blood was rising between the two;
the white man was particularly cross. Every
time he lost his face would scowl up and he
cursed the Indian roundly in an undertone.
His opponent never changed his express
sion, and finally it came down to the
last stake of nearly 5000. The miner drew two
cards and the Indian one. Everybody else was
out of the game. The Indian called the miner
for mis- last dollar and threw down full hand.
three queens and pair of sevens.
Those who stood near saw by the white
mans face that he had lost For the first time
during the week l was there the Indian smiled
contemporary across the table.
Quicker than flash the miner whipped out
his knife, and, rising from his seat, fairly
shrieked, "Take that, you red devil" and
made lunge at his opponent.
He failed to deliver the goods in vital spot
and the blade swept across the cheek of the
redskin, drawing gush OF blood that splashed
all over the cards.
Instantly the two closed in on each other
and reeled out into the snow, struggling and
striving to kill. As is the custom in the noun
tains the other men stood back and let them
fight it out. They swayed to and fro, cutting
and slashing each other like maniacs. ALI of a
sudden the Indian fell forward and the GRIM
son blood poured out of his mouth as the
death rattle came in his throat. In less than O
minute he was dead and soon began to stiffen
The white man, with the exception of few
flesh wounds, was unframed. After the fight
was over the crowd went back into the saloon,
and the victorious man drank himself into a
wild, bowling drunk, pouring out the bitterest
invectives over the conquered. After each
drink he went to the bar and looked at the
corpse to assure himself that the last spark had
fed Toward morning, after the excitement
had died down started for my room in the
little hotel half mile up the gulch.
had gone perhaps hundred yards when I
heard wild, hooking burst of laughter but q
short distance behind me, and in another mo-
ment the miner passed, trailing the bloody
arm of the Indian in the snow, having taken it
from the dead man as trophy of war; He
staggered on, while stood looking at him in
horror. long trail of red marked his course
to the room Immediately adjoining mine, into
which he reeled ,cursing and laughing almost in
the same breath. The sound of his demoniacal
jeers in the morning air were terrible to hear.
With great caution got into my room, not
caring to further disturb the man, who was
crazed with drink and maddened by the
sight of his victims blood.
With little noise / lay down on my couch.
but found it impossible to sleep. In the room
next could hear the drunken miner mutter.
ing to himself, and as though he were talking
to the bloody arm and calling up the incidents
of his ghoulish work. Finally the gibberish
ceased and presently 1 heard the fiend snoring
in peaceful sleep. While l lay there
wondering whether or not retribution would
be melted out to the murderer, the snoring
suddenly ceased, and the next instant
l heard harsh sound as if some one was
choking. Immediately following this came a
long, half-smothered yell, a suppressed curse
and gasp that could only come from a man
dying from strangulation. In a few seconds
came the dull sound as of falling body and
could almost picture form in its last convul-
sions.
got up, stepped out on the narrow porch
and peered into the room.
There on the floor his eyes bullying from
their sockets and looking upward, lay the
white man, with the Indians gnared and
twisted hand half hidden in his purple throat,
the arm bending lovingly around the neck,
quivering with fury and smearing its eoagu-
lated blood into the dead mans face as the
powerful fingers choked their victim to death.
MIm k-7z