The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1897-04-05
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW "BLACk HARRY" TESTED THE
DRUMMER'S SAMPLE.
He Displayed Marvellous Skill In Throw
ing the Knife, and Ills Ability In That
Direction Did Him Good Turn. as the
Drummer Saw.

Direction Did Him "A Good Turn. as the |
Drummer Saw.
One day in Leadville, Colo, had !
just finished dinner, when a stranger
spoke to me in the hotel. We chatted
for minute or two. and then the stran-
ger, whose name | afterv ard learned
was Harry Conner, or Black Harry for
short, asked me if / was not selling
hardware. | told him was, and he said
he wanted to buy knife ! said had
| some knives with me, but only as sam
pies, and that, of course, never sold
samples "Well," he said, chats the
reason / came to you. hunted the town
over this morning to find knife, and
! couldn't find one that was worth carry
ing. l thought probably you might have
one or two good ones, and that you
would sell one. / don't care what the
price is, so il suits me. " l finally con-
scented to show him what j had.
l never saw man examine knife
as he did one that he selected. had
perhaps 40 different ones, but he gave
only glance at the lot and picked out
the best one there in an instant. Picking
it up, he weighed it in his hand, turned
it over and over, ran the edge of it
across the back Of his thumb nail, as
barber tries Il razor, licked the point
with his nail, scrutiniZed every frac-
tional part Of the blade and hilt, and
then, grasping it firmly, swung his arm
in the prettiest sort of knife play, as if
testing its weight and balance still more
carefully. Then, stopping over to a
wooden bottomcd chair, he drove the
blade squarely through the y inch
weed with Il powerful blow. Then lie
threw it at a knot in the wooden parti-
tion that separated my room from the
next and left the kulie sticking squarely
in the knot.
THAT'S pretty good throw, . | said,
"Do you think sc? he answered in
differently, and he stepped over to the
partition and drew out the knife, still
sA....s, and stepping back ~ feet
threw it again
, This time he struck the exact spot
he had bit at first. / could see but one
mark after he had drawn the knife out
the second time. "Oh, that's nothing,
he said, and with the point of the knife
he scratched rough circle on the WOOD
!, about the size Of mans hand. Step
ming back to where he stood before, he
a turned his back to the target, and then
l looking at it over his right shoulder, ht
, threw the knife over his left, sticking
] it fairly in the target. Then he reversed
q the trick, throwing over his right shout
der, and finally. planting himself care
fully in the same place, he looked quick
c ly over his shoulder ard then, turning
T. his face directly away, he threw TIN
knife over his head, striking the same
target and leaving the knife an incl
deep in the wood.
: Il want that knife, " he said, rathe
Il poremptorily, land want it just SO
II worth" And be pulled n $50 greenbacl
II out Of his pocket and laid it ON the ia
bic. took the money. l thought ma
who could use knife like that ought t
2 have good one.
n | had started out in the evening to sc
a what was going Gu and had locked III q
ID three or four gambling hells before
= came TO one where Black Harry sat play
Is ing faro. He sat with his left hand tC
Is ward the door, and as ! sauntered up
the table he smiled little and nodded
~ but did not speak.
" noticed that he was watching I'll
door. He did not turn his head, but n
ewes seemed to be everywhere at once
\, and, though he was playing steadll,
IN and with fairly good luck, too, l W;
js certain that he saw every motion thi
,g ANYBODY made anywhere in the room
excepting of course right behind him.
Presently noticed that he was watcl
ing n man who was just coming III. III
newcomer was stout built, ugly 100
ing fellow, who looked carefully aroul
he as he entered and who almost lmmed
IL, otely saw Black Harry. He started
ca little, and then, evidently thinking tn
II, Conror did not see him, stepped car
&c, fully to his right till he was almost o
ed hind where Conner sat- Still Conn
al; did not turn his head, but l could $
81 him watching the other as he stepp'
ed slowly around until he was fairly o
u, of the range even of Connor's remar
cd able eyes. Then saw Conner sudden
eu look full at the dealer with questl'
ry, as plainly expressed as it could ma
sh been in words So naturally looked
sh the dealer.
ny He gave no sign at first that l cou
% see of even knowing that Common was
eet front Of him, but went ON dealing as
bl. there was nothing else i'll the world
lb do. Then in an instant his eyes seem
70 TO blaze. When / saw the dealers s.
nal. | looked hack at Conner and III
instant saw tragedy. The newcon
J. was drawing n revolver, and at the sal
ere time Conner was turning his head a
IKE throwing the knife had sold him.
Of rose from his chair as he threw 1t, q
er, the strangers revolver exploded but
ar bullet went wild, for he sank TO
M floor as he fired, with the point OF
ne knife in his brain.
so "Gentlemen, said the dealer bel
the any one else could speak, Il say 81;
md Harry done just right. That White
cred cur had sworn to kill HIM ON 81
, and was shootin from behind. a.
-, gentlemen. it's none of our DusLn