The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-01-12
PUT OUT WITH BULLETS.
An Army Officers Bead on Lights in
a Gambling saloon.
From the Chicago Post.

FROM the chicago POST.
1t is not often Chief Badenoch tells a
story. but when he does It is invariably a
good one and usually on himself. The
other day he laid pledge of secrecy, so
far as publication is concerned on a group
of reporters and related his first expert
ence in a gambling hall. The reporters
have not broken their pledge. but the
story leaked out.
Speaking of gambling dens," said the
chief, and he smiled and wheeled about
in his swivel chair. "I'll tell you the en-
tire history of my association with the
tiger. But you mustn't print 1t. About
twenty years ago 1 was travelling sales
man for large wholesale jewelry house,
covering the territory of the great north
west
when I made my initial trip to Butte
City, Mont, 1afound that one man prae-
tically controlled the retail jewelry trade
of that place. l couldn't exactly under-
stand how this could be In place of that
/ was through with the town. For the
purposes of this story we will call his
name Brown.
:" NO; I'm busy now said Brown, when
/ began to talk trade to him. Wait un-
I'll evening" take dinner with me at the
hotel, and later I'll look over your sam
pies and give you an order.
He was as good as his word, and after
supper was over he said: Lets take a
little stroll about town before we go to
those samples There was nothing to
do but accept his proposition, and con-
sequently we strolled.
From the business street my friend
suddenly turned into long, low, ram
shackle building | followed him and
bling den, one OF the biggest in the west
First came the long bar, with piano on
the opposite side Of the room in front
of it, Beyond the bar was a raised plat
form or floor on which were tables sur
rounded by miners and soldiers of the
regular army and covered with whisky
and beer glasses. The tables were waited
upon by tawdry women. Back of this
was a higher floor devoted to the roulette
and faro tables, ana a still higher section
of the long room was given over to poker
and the other card gambling games.
mo sooner had we entered the room
than several of the army officers, who
had that day received their pay and
were drinking freely. sent up united
shout of 'Brownl Brown My friend evil
IDENTIFY understood the meaning of this, for
he instantly took his seat at the piano
and did not rise again until he had rem
dered several songs in an excellent man
ner. / was simply dumfounded to see
the leading business man Of a city accept
ing the role of piano player in a dive
which accounted for his immense popu-
larity and the size of his business. 1t
was q strange ana mover SlBUl ID me-
Il was just getting a trifie habituated
to my surroundings when one of the army
officers whipped n seven-shooter from his
pocket, drew a. bead on one of the light
globes in the rear of the room, and shat
tered 1t at the first shot. Only the mo-
ment before ] had CHANGED to notice that
there was large sheet-iron stove in the
room, and as soon the shooting began
/ made for position behind that stove
mo sooner had l reached that ambush
that ! felt something Juggling at my
trousers leg, and heard an excited voice
exclaiming:
Drop, you fool; DROP Lie down.
II looked down at my feet and there
was Brown, fiat on the floor. A glance
about the room revealed the fact thar
every man and woman save myself was
in Browns horizontal position. 1t did NOT
take long for me to decide to follow suit.
Afterward / learned that this was the
established etiquette on the not infre-
quent occasions when man chose to turn
the saloon into a shooting gallery.
"But the termination Of the affair was
its most surprising portion to me. ex-
pected to find the floor fairly bathed in
gore. Not bit Of it, That officer sin-
ply put out seven light with as many
shots and then his ammunition was ex-
hausted. The PROSTATE forms on the floor