The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-10-15
WILD BILLS DEADLY AIM.
His Duel with Dave. Tut in the Public
SQUARE at Springfield. Mo.

"It was in the spring of 1865 that
Wild Bill and Dave Tut, ex-chief of
Confederate scouts, tried conclusions in
the public square at Springfield, No."
said Dr. Hogeboom, surgeon of the A.,
T. and S. +. railroad. "The war was
over, as far as fighting in the field was
concerned, but the peculiar vindictive-
ness that characterized all the warfare
on both sides in Missouri still existed
and showed itself in many ways. A
strong force of United States troops
occupied the town, the Kansas regi-
ment to which / was attached among
them. A picturesque and striking fig
ure among those who had fought on
the Union side was Wild Bill, whose
daring and valuable services as Fed
eral scout were fresh in the minds Of
men. There were many ex-Confeder-
ate soldiers in town, and Tut, a brave
and desperate man and n dead shot,
was the leader of that element. They
lost no opportunity to show their i'll
will to the Unionists, and between Tut
and Wild Bill bad feeling was strong
ly manifested. 1t came to the point
of an open quarrel one night when
Tut, with his gang, came into a saloon
where Wild Bill was seated at a game
Of poker. He had been winning, and
with the pile of money before him on
the table was a gold watch and chain
that some one had wagered and lost
Tut had come for a quarrel. He
watched the game a few minutes, then
said suddenly:
"Bill, 1 want you to pay me the
money you owe me-
"'I have paid you once, isn't that
enough said Wild Bill, looking VI
from the hand of cards he held.
"Tutt reached over and took the gold
watch and chain from Wild Bili's pile
of winnings.
"'You owe me that money he said
I'll keep this watch to satisfy the
debt
wild Bill looked at him with per.
feet calmness. Better put it back
| Dave he said. You'll be sorry if yol
| don't
Tut laughed and put the watch il
| his pocket, which ended the matter fo
| that night. Next day he sent word t
| Wild Bill that on the following Satur
| day, at noon, he should carry the Watcl
and chain across the public square
| entering it at the northeast corner
| This was a challenge which Wild Bill
could not ignore.
III be there he said, when tn
| message was given him, and wen
| home and cleaned and oiled his pis
tolls. He did not show himself muCl
! about town until Saturday noon came
Then as Tut appeared at the north
east corner of the public square, Will
! Bill walked in at the southwest cor
| npr AS the two men aDDrOached eaCl
other, walking from the corners dag
| onally opposite, it was seen that
| group of TUFTS friends were gathere
at the corner to the left of Wild Bill
and nobody present doubted that the
were there to take a hand in the shoot
ing if the fight went against Tut.
1.-THE distance between the two me
at the start was about 140 yards. The
walked steadily toward each Other
with pistols in the belts, until abou
| fifty PAGES separated them. The
Tut made a motion as if to draw hi
pistol. Instantly Wild Bills plstC
came up, and, holding it's butt witt
both hands without sighting, he fire
at Tut who threw up his hands, stag
Gered, and fell dead on his face, she
through the heart.
with the crack of his pistol VIII
Bill wheeled and faced the group {
TUFTS friends, pistol in hand. Som
of them had drawn their weapons, bU
they put them up in a hurry, and dc
clared that the duel had been a fai
one. Wild Bill was king of the tow
after that, as he was chief for man
year afterward on the plains and j
the tough frontier towns"