Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1897-05-11
HE WANTED A KNIFE.
HOW "BLACK f.ARRY" TESTED THE
DRUMMERS SAMPLE.

| He D8plAyed Marvellous skill In Throw.
! ing the Knife, and His Ability In That
| Direction Did Him . Good Turn, - the
Drummer Saw.
One day in Leadville, Colo, I had
| just finished dinner, when q strange.
spoke to me in the hotel. We chatted
for minute OF two. and then the stran-
ger, whose name I artery lrd learned
was Harry Conner, or Black Harry for
short, asked me if I was not selling
hardware told him I was, and he said
he wanted to buy knife. 1 said had
some knives with me, but only as sam
pies. and that, of course, I never sold
samples. "We1l," he said, that's the
reason came to You. HUNTED the town
over this morning to find knife, and
couldn't find one that was worth carry
ing. I thought probably you might have
one or two good ones, and that you
would sell one. I don't care what the
price is, so it suits me-" I finally con-
scented to show him what had.
never saw man examine q knife
as he did one that he selected. I 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 a
barber tries a razor, f1icked 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, stepping over to q
wooden bottomed chair. he drove the
| blade eQuarely through the ~ inch
wood with powerful blow. Then he
| threw it at knot in the wooden parti-
ton that separated my room from the
next and left the knife sticking squarely
in the knot
That's a pretty good throw" said.
do you think SOP" he answered in.
differently, and he stepped over to the
partition and drew out the knife, still
smiling, and stepping back 10 feet
| threw it again.
This time he struck the exact spot
he had hit 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 a mans hand. Step
ping back to where he stood before, he
turned his back to the target, and then,
looking at it over his right shoulder, he
threw the knife over his left, sticking
| it fairly in the target. Then he reversed
the trick, throwing over his right shout
der, and finally. planting himself care
fully in the same place, he looked quick
ly over his shoulder, and then, turning
his face directly away, he threw the
knife over his head, striking the same
target and leaving the knife an inch
deep in the wood.
II want that knife" he said, rather
peremptorily. land I want it just $50
worth" And he pulled $50 greenback
out OF his pocket and laid it OH the ia
BILE. I took the money. I thought man
who could use a knife like that ought to
have q good one.
had started out in the evening to see
what was going on and had looked in at
three or four gambling hells before
came to one where Black Harry sat play
ing faro. He sat with his left hand to.
ward the door, and as sauntered up to
the table he smiled a little and nodded,
but did not speak
noticed that he was watching the
door. He did not turn his head, but his
eyes seemed to be everywhere at once,
and, though he was playing steadily,
| and with fairly good luck, too, I was
certain that he saw every motion that
any body made anywhere in the room,
excepting Of course right behind him.
Presently I noticed that he was watch
ing man who was just coming in. The
newcomer was stout built, ugly look
ing fellow, who looked carefully around
as he entered and who almost immedi-
ately saw Black Harry. He started
little, and then, evidently thinking that
Connor did not see him, stepped care
fully to his right till he was almost be-
hind where Connor sat. Still Conner
dld not turn his head, but I could see
him watching the other as he stepped
slowly around until he was fairly out |
OF the range even of Connor's remark
able eyes. Then I saw Conner suddenly |
~ sAAS ACo1CI Will q AACSeAO4
as plainly expressed as it could have |
been in words. So naturally looked at |
the dealer.
he gave no sign at first that I could |
sec OF even knowing that Conner was in |
front OF him, but went ON dealing as if |
there was nothing else in the world to |
90. Then in an instant his eyes seemed |
to blaze. When I saw the Dealers sig |
nal, l looked back at Conner and in an |
instant saw tragedy. The newcomer
was drawing revolver, and at the same !
time Connor was turning his head and |
throwing the knife had sold him. He |
rose from his chair as he threw it, and |
the strangers revolver exploded, but the |
bullet went wild, for he sank to the |
1oor as he fired, with the point Of the |
knife in his brain.
"Gentlemen, said the dealer before |
any one else could speak, Il say Black |
Harry done just right. That white liv- |
cred cur had sworn to kill him ON sight |
and was shootin from behind And, |
gentlemen. it's none Of our business !