The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-03-07
CODE OF HONOR IN NEVADA.
, Mulligan-COleman Duel Fought Near the Town of
Austin.

once aroused, would go all lengths to
wreak his vengeance. Standing in the
midst of his woolen-shirted, unShaven,
red-faced admirers he formed marked
contrast. He was attired in the latest
New York fashion, with clean linen and
silk hat, and his dapper little figure
showed the most careful grooming. 1t
soon became noised about that he was
going to call Tom Coleman to account
for his insult to the house of Mulligan.
Opinion was divided as to whether it
would be a street fight or a duel The
partisans of the two factions were seen
holding mysterious conferences in the
back rooms of the principal saloons,
and toward night all doubts were set at
rest, for Clint Patchen was called into
the conferences of the high belligerent
parties. Now Clint, through his asso
citation with the chivalry of California
in early times, and having participated
as a second in some of the hostile meet
ings of that period, was recognized as
an authority on the code. Besides it was
known that he would never recognize
anything so plebeian as a street fight
to settle a difference between gentle
men. So a duel it was to be, and the
when and where was known to the fav
ored few that night. 1t was to be at the
:
half below town the next morning at
daylight.
There was no effort on the part of the
authorities to interfere. The deputy
sheriffs resigned their offices that they
might attend, to resume their duties
when the fight was over, and the sheriff
himself expressed his sorrow that he
could not send in his resignation with
string to ii so that he also might par
ticipate. The would-be spectators made
arrangements with the town police to
be called betimeS in the morning, and
retired to rest. The ghostly dawn of
that autumn morning saw a pr pce' n
of about 200 men steal out of that ltt.A
mountain town and take their J9y
down the grade to the appointed battle
field. The principals and their seconds
were on time and the preliminarieS
were soon settled, and Clint Patchen,
as master of ceremonies, announced the
terms of the conflict. The principals
were to be placed 10 PAGES apart, armed
with navy revolvers. They were first
to fire at the word and then to stand
and fire at will until one was disabled
or their weapons were empty. The
men were placed in position, Mulligan
having won the choice. The spectators
were on the hillside out of range. The
weapons. cooked, were placed in the
hands of the principals in whom there
were no signs of fear or nervousness.
Gentlemen, are you ready?" sung out
Clint Patchen. "One, two, firer' Both
of the men stood apparently unhurt.
It's no fake" said one of the specta-
tors. for l saw the bullet from Multi
CANS pistol kick up the dust in the
road behind Coleman.
Mulligan had been wounded in some
previous affair in his pistol hand and
was obliged to use his left hand in
I, ~ .,,I.-
cool and graceful movement with which
he performed this function. The pistols
rang out again almost simultaneously,
and the men stood apparently I'M
harmed. Now, however, Coleman had
some trouble with his revolver He
turned and faced his antagonist, trying
to work his weapon. Mulligan saw
that something was wrong and was
quick to take advantage of it. Before
he had stood with his right side toward
his antagonist when receiving his fire
Now he faced him, and. resting his
pistol on his left arm, took deliberate
aim before he fired.
Everyone expected to see Coleman
drop in his tracks. but fate was kind or
Mulligan's aim was bsli, for he was
not touched. Now one of the spectators
saw by the blood squirting from Cole
mans right hand that he had been
wounded by Mulligan's second shot and
that was the reason that he could not
work his revolver. He announced his
discovery, declared that to proceed with
the affair would be murder, as Coleman
was at Mulligan's mercy and drawing
his pistol swore that he would shoot the
first of the principals who would fire
under the circumstances. The other
spectators backed him with tongue and
weapon, and halt was called in the
proceedings. 1t was found that Cole
mans hand was so badly crippled that
it was impossible to continue on equal
terms. and BIullisan concluded that the
blot on the Mulligan honor was effaced
by the blood that dropped from Cole
mans good right hand-that hand that
had slapped the Mulligan face. Thus
ended the first, and the writer thinks
the only duel that ever took place in
eastern Nevada. The principals were
doomed neither of them to perish on
the field of honor Mulligan came to
san Francisco, and a few years after,
in a homicidal craze brought on by ex-
cessive drinking. killed his best friend.
Jack McNab. who was trying to pla-
cate him. The police, despairing of ar
resting him and fearful that he would
kill others in his drunken frenzy, shot
him through the window of his room.
Tom Coleman went to Phoebe and was
killed there in a gun play with some
one who was better shot.