Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1897-02-20

the boys had a chance to see his nerve
tested again. He was gambling more
and more ali the time and was usually
broke.
One day there drifted into the town
regular professional bad man. He wore
his hair long and called himself Arizona
Jake. His available assets consisted of
two revolvers, a knife and a record of
two murders and three plain killings.
Before he had been in town many hours
he let it be known that he was hunting
trouble, and the boys decided that he
should not be long finding it.
1t was always believed that Bob
Sweeney put the stranger up to picking
row with little Johnny Neeley, but
they couldn't prove it at the inquest. 1t
was late at night, and Neeley was in
the faro bank playing the high card and
losing right along, as usual He seemed
to have faith that his luck would change
that night and kept close watch Of the
game. He had spent his last dollar for
chips and had staked his last stack
when Arizona Jake entered the place
with regular Indian warwhoop and
fired shot through the roof as a warn
ing that he was out for trouble Nearly
every one in the place got out of the
way, but Johnny Neeley did not even
look up from the card table. Jake was
big, strong fellow, and when he
caught sight of the little, smooth faced
A,ap sitting there playing faro it seemed
to set him wild He walked over, and,
catching hold Of the back of Neeley's
chair, lifted both fore feet from the floor
and let go. The young gambler got quite
q jolt by the fall, and as he Strengthened
his chair he looked in mild surprise at
the big desperate who lowered three
feet above him.
sect out, you white faced kid! Go
home to your ma! You are a nice look
ing thing to be sitting down to game
like a man! Get out! Whoop!'
With a fearful string of oaths Arizona
Jake brandished pistol over Neeley's
head and ordered him to leave the game
and get out of the house.
The boys held their breaths for min
ute, but to their surprise Neeley merely
said to the big bully, "Please go away
and do not annoy me.
"Go away Ha, hal like thatl Say,
young fellow, do you know me:'
''Don't want to. Let me finish this
DEAL" replied the young gambler.
The big bully seemed a little nom
plused because Neeley would not resent
anything he did, and, standing a few
feet away, he began to curse and abuse
the young fellow. By this time Neeley
had lost his last chip.
"I1l try one more deal. Give me S.
worth of chips on my gun," said the
gambler as he took out his revolver and
passed it over to the dealer. The chips
were pushed across the table and Neeley
staked them all on one turn of the cards.
Arizona Jake had seen the young man
pass over his pistol, and with a yell he
jumped and seized Neeley by the collar,
lifting him clear over his head. He
swung him around two or three times
and then let him drop OH the floor.
Neeley landed on his feet and there
was fire i'll his eyes. Quick as flash he
reached across the faro table and snatch
ed up his pistol from the open drawer
WHere tHe uealef Hau put IL. JAKE SAW
the movement and reached for his own
guns, but he was not quick enough. There
was loud report, and the big, coward
ly outlaw tumbled over, shot through
the heart. Neeley turned back to the
faro table just as quiet as if nothing had
happened, and, handing his pistol back
to the dealer, he said:
$50 on with the deal. My last five
OH the queen. Buffalo Express.