Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1895-03-28
TWO BAD MEN.
4 Brace Of Wild Westerners Who
Were Both Able Killers.


zone Of the things that strikes a
tenderfoot with surprise" said west.
ern land surveyor to the New York Sun
man, sis the way the tough men in the
far west, when they happen to run
counter to men Of their own kind, will
refrain from shooting lone gets the
drop on the other So quick and ready
are the shooting men Of the real sort
that when facing each other on guard
neither one can fire so quielily that the
other will not return the shot before
falling Thus It may happen that two
bad men who have sworn death to each
other may meet often without ex.
changing shots because neither one can
catch the other unprcpared. Take the
case of Wild Bill and Jim Currie, for
example. Both men Of undoubted
nerve and skill, they were enemies for
years by some accounts they OK
changed shots once at long range-bpt
they never pulled triggers on each Other
al close quarters, and when ELL was
nssassinated by wretch years after.
ward at Dcadwood it closed tho feud
"Clay Allison, the New Mexican dead
shetland mankiller, found one man who
wash Y afraid to stand up to him and
was just as quick with his gun as
himself. That man was Mace Bow
man, some time deputy sheriff Of Col
fax county They spent whole after
noon together, cacl, trying to get the
drop on tho other. hpt neither onc
could accomplish II, 1t was . perform.
ance, though, of kind to make aa
inexperienced man SILVER. There was
had blood between them, and this
afternoon when they met in Lamberts
barroom and rot todrinking the cnmity
began to ranlslc. 1t was perfectly un.
dcrstood between them that II either
one got the drop on the other, the
slower man would die. and this being
agreed on both men rlancuycrcd for IN
opening. Facing zach other with speh
pleasant intentions they laughed and
jokcd and drank together, all the time
watching each other like cats. As
diversion in the proceeding they would
lay their pistols, the barrels crossing,
on the bar counter, step back to the
other side of the room, and then, ut IN
agreed signal, make o rush for the pis-
tails. but neither could seize his
weapon quickly enough to get the nd-
vantage OF the other.
"Once as they were taking drink to.
gether Bowman, with his whisky half
way to his lips, suddenly smashed the
glass to The counter nnd drew his PTS
tol. But as 1t came up Allison's re-
volver met II half way. The men were
looking into each others eyes, and u
sign in others that trigger was to be
pulled would hive meant the death Of
both men, which was more killing than
either one wanted.
This dalliancc with death went on
through the afternoon, until at last, at
the coming Of evening, the two men,
becoming savage, declared that they
would bring the duel to an end They
cleared the room Of spectators, and had
already taken their places in corners
diagonally opposite to begin shooting,
when W. r. Morley, Of Cimarron, y
strong friend OF both men, rushed in
between them at the risk Of his life,
and by expostulations and cntreaties
managed to get them off the idea Of the
duel and mutually to agree to separate
without further trouble. 80 the two
contestants backed out Of the room at
opposite doors and rode out Of town
different ways saving On encounter
which would almost certainly have re-
suited In the death Of both
A SAN Francisco girl, disappointed
in love five years ago, has built a cabin
in the woods on the Upper Salmon river
and lives alone. She Is an expert hum
ter and has raised a pair Of grizzly
bears, which are very affcctionate to-
ward her. She will not live hugless
life as long as she can bear hug or
hug bear.