The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-01-23
A Bit Of the Old DAYS.

Like the majority OF cowboys. especially
OF Texas type. Johnnie Potts ana Ben
Franklin both were in the naolt o.
bowling up occasionally. and many a
night OF old time hilarity and dissipation
had they spent together IN the ooraet
towns; and II was a habit OF theirs, II
one had TO remain az the ranch while the
other went 10 town, the one remaining
was sure 10 be remembered with suitl-
cient supply OF the ''debt-paying liquid
10 have a tolerably respectable caTouSs
OF his own. on the others return. writes
an old-tine cowboy in the Alva. Okiaho-
ma, Pioneer. But this was a very COM
mon occurrence: II was no more habit OF
Potts and Franklin than hundreds OF 9TH
er boys. and as II was generally INDUCED
when Il least interfered with work. out
little attention was paid 20 it, On the
evening OF March !, ISL. Ben Franklin
returned 10 the ranch from Caldwell IN
a happy and sociable frame OF mind as
was common TO his light hearted nature.
AS usual. he had his treat Tor the boys,
a gallon keg OF good old Kentucky whis-
XIV. The boys came out TO meet Ben and
to hear the news from town. Every one
was in the best OF spirits and IN short
time the best OF spirits was in them. The
evening started in with good prospects
for a splendid time for all the hands
think the party consisted Of Potts. the
two Franklin boys, Harry Curtis. sam
Hudson. the English hook-keepeT. and a
stranger whose name I never learned.
Potts drank pretty heavily from the first
but by nine O'Clock all hands. except Har-
~ Curtis the kid" were pretty well I'LL
ed up. After few hours were spent In
lolIity some OF the boys, including Potts,
got into game of cards. which was moth
ing unusal as that was n common and
favorite pastime in Willing away the Ions
winter evenings All hands noticed john
ME was unusually full and quick 10 take
offense at the boys whenever they made
a remark about his condition. About
midnight johnnie got up to get a drink
of water and in doing so staggered
against the book-keeper's table and scat
tered some of his papers; whereupon the
clerical man made some remark TO John
ME about his awkwardness. But Potts
was in no hunor 10 be complained at and
he whipped out his six-shooter and knock
ed everything of the table, kicked the
table over and everything else that came
IN his way. The boys soon saw that some
thing must be done with him, but Just
what 10 do or how to do IL was the Jues-
ton, for they knew he was a dangerous
man in his present condition; finally some
one grabbed him, while others took his
six-shooter away from him after a fierce
struggle This. Of course. angered Potts
very much. and when he saw that Ben
Franklin had his six-shooter he demand
ed it in very forcible language But
Franklin Just as forcibly told him that
he could not have il. WhereupOn. Potts
said ''You I'll get even
with YOU" Franklin turned away for the
time TO see If matters would not take
more peaceable turn. for he knew very
we'll that the prospects for killing were
very favorable. Potts kept asking for his
gun, but gradually cooled down and told
Ben that II his gun was given him he
would go to bed. and Ben gave the gun
back: and finally. all hands, worn out with
excitement, went TO bed.
The next morning. while Johnnie was
washing for breakfast. Ben stepped up 10
him and said. Johnnie. ] think you owe
me an apology" TO which Johnnie replied
that he apologized TO no man. To this
Ben replied, you viii either take back
what you said or one OF us dies right
here" and general fusilade OF shots
were exchanged. The air was filled with
smoke. the awful deed was done! john
ME fell mortally wounded. being shot
twice one shot SCATTERING his right arm
and the other entering his left side and
ranging upward. The boys carried him
in and everything was done for him that
could be; a physician was sent for and
arrived that night from Caldwell, finding
Johnnie still alive. but far beyond the
reach OF mortal aid.
He was rational to the last minute OF
his life and talked freely all the time
and when Franklin told him that he was
going 10 Caldwell to give himself up John
ME said. Don't do II. Ben; il viii do us
no good. / was as much 10 blame as
YOU; you have killed me. Ben. but
would have killed you il l could. so. let
il end there"