The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1895-12-08
GAVE HIM A CHANCE.
Though the Man Was a bal One They
Took No Undue Advantage of Him.
/ From the Washinpfon star


Took No Undue Advantage of Him.
From the Washington Star.
Speaking of the tales of chivalry,"
said government official, whoses du-
ties some years ago took him to points
IN the tar West, to a Star reporter, 81
heard of one in a locality L once Wis
ited which. for uncalled-for chivalry,
rather exceeded the limit"
But chivalry is not one of the things
That can be exercised to excess, Is nj %
INTERRUPTED the Star man.
wait tll 1 have finished my story
ana then III leave the question TO your
own IDEAS or II, and let you settle 1t to
SUIT yourself. 1t happened, in this 10
caifty L mention, that there was a bad
man. as there Is in greater or less de-
gree IN all on those western localities,
or. Tor tnat matter in every new local.
ity. Az Whatever point of the compass
II may De situated. Well, this bad man
had killed nobody knew how manv
people, and had run the gamut of
crime generally before he struck this
neighborhood. and the people there.
most OF whom were trying to get out
on Fhe OLD way of doing things, gave
him a wide berth, and did as much as
they could to provoke his wrath, and
did as much as they could decently to
get him to move away.
But the place seemed to suit him
and he wouldn't leave. Then 1t wasn't
long until he began bulldozing the in
habitants by threats, turning himself
loose IN the streets and shooting up
pne town. and now and then banging
somebody through the leg or arm and
narrowly missing the same sort of a
dose himself. The people didn't want
10 spoil their reputation by lynching
him. for they hadn't had a lynching for
a couple of years, and don't want to
have any more. Neither did any of
them want ITO shoot him down in cold
blood. because they proposed to be
law-abiding.
Nor yet did they want to assassi-
nate him. for that was cowardly and
sneaking. and they would give a wolf
half chance for his life. StiM, IT was
necessary for the good of the commun-
ity that the bad man be put out OF 1t,
and finally five patriotic citizens fixed
upon a plans~It was carried out one
day after the bad man had done more
devitry than usual, and one or two
prominent citizens were laid UP at
home for repairs. and the bad man
held possession of a saloon and was
treating all corners to the owners
liquors. The five patriotic citizens,
armed to the teeth, walked quietly into
the saloon and tackled the bad man
right there. They refused his proffered
uedt' diiu ne SOL ugly anu Uegdn 10
swear.
Now" said the spokesman firmly
you let up on that. We are here TO
settle with you: we ought ito shoot you
down in your tracks, but we are going
to give you a show; you've got two
guns and we've got 10; you may get
one of us or two, perhaps, but On the
end our combination will win, and the
community will get a much-needed
rest; 1t may come a little bard on YOU
but you can never say we didn't give
you a fair chance; get ready; one, two,
three. fire.!
'.And the firing commenced The bad
man was game, but. as had been an
nounced. the combination was too
much for him. and when the smoke
cleared away he was dead. and two of
his five assailants were in the same
fix. Two good men were gone, but the
bad man was with them. and the COM
munity felt better"