The Canton times. (Canton, Miss.) 1893-1906, 1895-05-17
A FAMOUS FIGHT.
A Story Of the Early Days in
Leadville.

II l.
No man in Leadyille in the early
mining days enjoyed more deserved
popularity than little Bob Briefly. He
was a bright fellow, genial and So
ciabl in his disposition, warm in his at
tachments and courteous and obliging
to everybody. Nothing was known of
his antecedents except that he had been
driven west by domestic difficulties,
had settled down in Leadville, opened
law office, and had rapidly acquired
about all the practice that was afloat
in those days Hank Mclaughlin
lived in an adjoining camp where he
enjoyed the reputation of desperate,
and was a frequent visitor at Leadville.
He was big, savage fellow, the very
opposite Of Bob Briefly, who was be-
low the medium size, delicate and gem
tlemanly. From the first the two
seemed to hate each other. There was
natural antipathy between them.
Instinct taught each to see in the other
deadly and dangerous enemy.
One day Mclaughlin struck the little
mining town in an ugly humor and
proceededto make himself very numer-
GUS, and people knew before he had
been there two hours that trouble was
brewing between him and Briefly.
They had met up the country some
time before the discovery of rich silver
rock in the Leadville district and came
very near having difficulty then. The
fact appeared to be that Mclaughlin,
who was anxious to be thought a
fighter, was insanely jealous Of Brier-
ly's well-established reputation in that
respect The first night of his advent
into camp he got on jamboree, -four
ished his revolver and swore that no
man who wore a billed" shirt and a
plug hat could make him take
water. As Bob was the only one in
town who sported such evidences Of
civilization as white shirt and high
silk hat, of course all knew that Hank
meant him. But Bob only smiled on
the riotous demonstrations of the big
rough, and quietly walked off and
went to bed. From that hour, however,
the town felt that something serious
was going to happen. Strangely
enough, in a place where shooting
scrapes were of daily occurrence, Lead
Vile got excited all over at the pros
pect Of quarrel between Bob Briefly
and Hank Mclaughlin. The death
dealing merits of the men were dis
cussed freely, and money was wagered
on the final results. Notwithstanding
McLaughlin's size and bloodthirsty
talk, Briefly was the popular favorite.
The little fellow had won his spurs In
many a hard-fought scrimmage, and
many of the miners were ready to bet
that he would kill his opponent or
drive him out of camp. ~.
Leadville had among its cosmopoli-
tan population in those days quite
sprinkling of men who believed that
the right way for gentlemen to settle
their difficulties was according to the
code. Street fights and barroom en-
counters were well enough in their
way, but the proper thing was duel
according to the code of honor. Lead
Vile bore testimony to the handiwork
of these gentlemen in this respect
Time and again had her high-toned
and pupnacious citizens, actuated by
the true spirit of chivalry, gone out and
shot each other in the most approved
fashion, Why not arrange a regular
affair between Mclaughlin and Brier-
ly? With Bob there was no trouble,
and he at once checrfully acquiesced
I'm the proposal of his friends to avoid
the vulgar barbarity OF street ARRAY
or a saloon encounter. trr
Mclaughlin, however, did not take
the thing kindly, so 1t was said, and
gave his officious interviewers such
stormy reception as came near start
ing a riot in the camp, For this rea-
son, to the sincere regret of not few,
the proposed duel had to be abandoned,
and the town was left in a feverish
condition of expectation, impatientiy
waiting for the fray. Fortunately,
they had not long to wait A difficulty
among some miners led to lawsuit
before Judge Stead. q judicial autocrat
of the place, and Bob Briefly appeared
as attorney for one Of the parties.
Happily, or unhappily, as the fact
might be viewed from different stand
points, Hank Mclaughlin was wit
ness against the side represented by
Briefly, and when this condition OF
affairs became generally known 1t was
in the air that the time had come for
one or both to pass in his checks, as
the sports phrased 1t.
When the belligerent witness took
the stand all eyes were turned on him
with an angry glance at Briefly and