The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-28
THE sEDUorfTE sIx-sHoorER.
Incidents which show THAT Constant Use Or n
.s Hs = Disease which Grows.

Hs = Disease which crows.
Butchers are not allowed to servo on q Coro- |
ner's jury. I believe, in some States, presume
bly, because tho constant shedding of blood
hardcns the human heart. Along the same line |
OF reasoning 1t is not too much to say that with |
the constant handling OF firearms comes a de-
sire to use them on something or somebody.
With much use ono becomes expert with the
six-shooter. and when in trouble. OF in search of
1t, such a one reaches instinctivcly for his fro
arms, without taking thought of the conse-
quences. lnstinctivoly a man defends himsolt
with that which is most convenient. A negro
barber turns to his razor. a cowboy to his cor
fridge belt, a soldier to his sword, while the
English athlete puts up his hands. Another
temptation to use the gun comes with the feel
ing of security that pervades the bosom OF the
expert. He is reasonably sure of success In q
hand.to.hand fight with a novice.
Having KILLED his man. tho killer begins to
swaggcr, and Mt tho first opportunity hastcns to
repeat the performance. Like the prize fighter
who has won the belt, he must keep on fighting
or loso HIS reputation, and finally he actually
goes looking for trouble. Killing becomes q dis
case. Not for the sake of killing merely docs ho
do this, but because he loves tho excitement OF
fighting. I asked Bob Ford. who had clasped
left hands with a Colorado cowboy, cmptied his
six.shootcr into tho man and taken tho contents
Of the cowboys gun into his system. II there
was not a suffocating dread of being torn by the
bullet.
We'll, yes-at first" said he: but the mo-
ment the shooting begins you become drunk
with the excitement of tho fight and tho smell
Of powder, and all thought Of danger blows by"
This fellow had been n quiet, modest youth M
to the evil hour in which he was tempted to take
the life OF jesse James. his friend and hcnefhc-
tor. James had taught Ford the use OF the fas.
ctnating forty.hve. with which tho pupil slew
the oaeher. That was the beginning OF ,Ford,s
he had acquired the nnenvirbie reputation OF
being n bad man, and was in tho end himself ig-
Another instance in which the seductive sly
shooter led a man ,astray Il tho case OF Frank
was in that state, near the little town Of Att
mont, that he wandered. an inotfens,ve tramp:
food. The farmer lived in a little shack on the
railroad. on a bit OF ground alone. He wasn't
R Insuit. 10 the rRe ff srmer so s"F forgot SRS tl himeo ifS as to kick
the tramp. and the tramp pulled his gun and
t the smoke shs 'f ho%rd th "a s KSns a S{ s ssW fSc m man S SSli.
Lifting the car to the track they pumped intn
AlIimont and gave alarm.
The tramp saw the car go and guessed the
cause Of 1t. He glanced at his si2-shooter. and
felt q %certoin, security. A gentleman Of the
with Rand for a few weeks and found him a
most agreeable Communion. quiet and i%noffen
, The only thing he had known Rand to steal wat
J food and cartridges. II he could not steal am
r hungry and buy it. AS often as they STOPPED t.
rest Rand took his six-shooter to pieces. cIcnnct
II fu Hn sh put i h toE soaid Eli sEHs u iaT me Ts' %ba TGnsg a
far as he could see him. He would shoot tn
church and kill brown birds on the tops o: tele
graph poles. He never missed whatever HI
. So now. when he saw men h~urrying ont from
= the little town, afoot, on horseback. and In TOT
a Ssms He h ft %Sae o nG t aS" em 1ast .h fnfy a MSTe p %1'T /,
. a fresh cartridge. Presently a horse leapcd tn
loM hedge AID came e.; str Il t for The tramp m
Z little stream. The man on the horse called o
e the man who was running across thc, stnbhle t
: without stacking his space. and mined at n
hors There was a NM Of smoke from tn
eyes. The rider got to his feet, glanced at hi
o. Others came up, saw the wound in the horse
lie head, and considered it only, a chance shot. \
it so. In a little while they chased the tuR
tive out OF the willows and across an open nel'
dismounted. and stood upon a little cnlvert oy,
which, the tramp must pass. Rand, runnir
o double-barreIIe shotgun, called to him and 3!
III nailed to him with his stx.shooter: But Il
d. The man deliberately raised his shotgun. Vii
10 out stopping Rand cut loose at the man. 4
head. and md !" then. as Rand Went t. b.. t TOPPED, ov,
10 into the ditch; still running. the outlay hear
10 a bullet that whistled by. CHANGING back. i
rs saw a man standing on the line fence amin
to ? s snS' ,hs s msa. at Hh him Ss as 81. i 'ss toy ~ t fan tor eF' s4ss
OF the fence, pitched forward into tho field
tho we ewo the men Puhhfis s as P ESe Go Gs%s sa up S sna 81 Il
y plump between 5ax., the . sEss' t II ,Sd hearts a1as. stood 70 a It'll
q 60 In pursuit OF an outlaw. a murderer. but te
men care, TO face, a dend Of this sort: even
o. guilty to book. Life is sweet, The pursuir
% party parleyed and Rand ran away.
h good horse, He stopped the bor and toii RI
no hurriedly that a man had been shot down y
r, hasten matters no borrowed the boys horse ar
n, sent the boy on to tell the people, who were wnt
ia the boy had to say they knew that Rand hl
nd ave miles the start OF them. that be eop
=. they gave up tho chase. I dare say many
~ them were glad OF the excuse. .
40 made ID ha a ar l%GE: or so a 9 S5s7't aid f0 she sG ssdact tS'., h p
on ehooter makes murderer and an outlaw. The
Y. va . nGthi Rs %s5 him IN now = but - to s. hEh tn !: out ut.
IN he met the old pal with whom he had srsmp,
ire through nitnois To bis coprade he sntd no,
as Of Officers in citizens clothes entered the plaG
.o' Sns Of the men, 2 powerful young officer: wi
e. and f bore him ' 70 the f door. 4 Raad 1 was s sSoPt, S
ng run, At last he lay quiet fora moment, tn.
ca turning he looked toward the other officer. VI
I'd. was struggling with the harmless but thoroug
:. man who was holding him: Look out there
he shouted, help your partner"
or The officer, being of his guard. and hav!l
already removed Rand's mnrderous six-shocts
turned to see how his brother officer was settii
on. Quick as "A fash Ra d pulled n dorrinE
from his vest pocket and drilled a big hS
ne through one OF the bravest and most popu.
re- officers of the st. Louis force. Tho shot. no
,ss ever, did not prove instantly fatal. and with {.
help that camo to him the wounded man "
m able to disarm the desperate. After suf ,eri,
Der indescribable agony for n few days the ofic
ar died. | forgot what they did with Rand, but
r- you ask any man who lived IN 81 Louis a qui
ter of q century ago. no can tell you.
~ Tho purpose Of this story 10 TO point Q NOR
~ Boy, whoever you be. wherever you roam, fg
nd shy of the seductive s!x.shooter.
ov Or WARMAN
he
no H HEATIEsT BAIyS.