Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1898-08-28
A NEW MEXICO DUEL.
COLONEL EATON's EXCITING BATTLE
WITH THE HILL BOYS.

Bravery That wss Hinged with Rsck-
lessness-Thc Pathetic End OF q BAG
Man Who Wanted Blood.
In the early eighties there was probably
no worse town on the face of the earth
than Socorro. New Mexico, and the dual.
between Colonel Eaton, then United Statea
deputy marshal and the Hill boys will al
ways be remembered by tho BOYS who were
khockinY around the southwest at that
time. Colonel Eaton's shot, was for
many years II byword among the boys.
VINO We're themselves handy with the Ruu.
Inc town h"d reached state Of lawlesa-
ness where honest people feared co think
Tor themselves, whom Colonel Eaton be-
came marshal. Eaton was a great, strap
ping big fellow, about middle aged. He
WAS man OF great heart, he didn't know
what fear WAS, his aim was deadly and
very shortly after no took hold in Socorro
quite Il few of the tough boys left town.
1hcy knew that the new marshal YVES
more than match for any OF them with
his guns.
Butch and Charles Hill, however, re-
fused to DO good. They had been raised
III the town, they had known Colonel Eason
since they knew any one, aud when filed
With BAD whisky the boys swore loud and
cong that they would kill Eaton II he
bothered them. The Kills were mere boys.
but they could shoot like all possessed, and
when they one day sent word round to
Eaton that he had run the town long
enough every ono knew what they meant
1t didn't take three sheet posters to tell tho
citizens that there would be fight when
Colonel Eaton and tho Hill boys met It
was also conceded that there would be a
meeting Just rs soon as Elton could find
where : Butch and Charlie were loaflng.
such y little thing MS two to one against
him did not bother Eaton.
There was no duel that day, however
some ono hunted up the Hill boys and
got them out Of town. About week later
they came back to have it ont with Eaton,
i and they found him waiting. It was
| very cold night when Colonel Eaton STEP
| ped out of tho Plaza drug store, and. hear
| ing shots III tho Grand saloon, across the
plaza, ne started for it, Two of his depu-
| tics on the dead run met him.
Don't go over there, colonel, y snid one
of them. Its tho Hill boys again. They
| arc full of bad whisky and are shooting
billiard balls off the table and putting out
tho lights. They'll kill you! Walt until
We get the Winchcstcrs and 60 with you.''
| Don't bother about tho guns, boys.
| Leave tho Hills to nc We must have It
out face to facn They were square enough
to send mo word that they would shoot
me on sight I'm ready for them Don e
you fellows mix in this at oil It's my
fight. They'll Kill mo or them tonight. =
| With thai tho big marshal pushed on to-
| ward the big saloon in the corner Of the
plaza Hc smoked his cigar and returned
| greetings Of friends, just the same az
hon no Y
| into duel against two as clever shots az
were ever in tho town. He bolted right
into tho main entrance instead OF going
| round the side to get in the rear Of his
men. When he came in the Hills were
down at tho other end OF the long hall,
full 40 PAGES. Tho crowd had lined up
along the sides of the building to be out
of tho way of any stray bullets Tho Hills
were throwing up billiard bulls and shoot
! ing them while In tho air. The Hills cav
Eaton as quick as he saw them, and to-
gether threS5sShininp gums were leveled.
an Eaton ans W,s da iar bes fraction ],
second by tho bright lights and 1t almost
cost him his life. The Hills were both
quick MS chain lightning and their guns
| spoke ut once. Eaton had movement In
| shooting peculiar to himself. He used q
! downward sweep Of his shooting arm In
| opening tho game, and he always let "a
when he touched the right Lowell. 10 was
| just u tenth of II second late here; tha
Hills had fired first The crowd saw the
heavy marshal staggcr as his hat few from
his head, knocked by bullet which took
away some OF the hair. They saw his gun
fly in the mir, knocked from his hand by q
bullet which toro through his arm. The
| gun never touch the floor Eaton caught
| hup 10 a aoo
two bullets into Charlie Hill. They vera
no chance Shots Eaton having alwaya
| pridcd himself on shooting with both
hands.
| Charlie had ono bullet through the chin
and another in tho mouth. Eaton didn't
| whit to SEQ him fall. He turned ON
Butch with that left hand, but the
deadly shot was mover fired. Butch had
| seen that his brother was hit, and, drop
| ping his gun, had run to him, catching
/ him in his arms. Colonel Eaton, too, was
at the side of the dying lad in an instant,
| and with his good left hand helped
Butch" place him on billiard table.
| Charlie couldn't speak, OF course, but
Butch" said he wanted minister, and
man was sent for Rev. -, who came
| quickly and staid with tho boy until he
| died. Those who saw the end Of Charlie
| Hill will never forget that scene. Great,
rugged men, who perhaps hadn't seen the
inside Of n church or heard prayer foi
years, stood around that billiard table ant
listened rs the minister prayed for his err
| ing Sunday school scholar. Rev. -,
| who is now stationed In an Ohio town
was the minister. He had taught both the
Hill boys In Sunday school and had Ia
bored hard to keep them from going
wrong, but they were too Wild; they want.
etl to be bad men; they wanted each tc
kill their man. The death of Charlie
! Hill took all tho desire for blood out Of
Butch. (" When last heard Of, he was run.
ming Il saloon In southern Texas, Law
abiding eitizcn.-pittsburg Dispatch.
The Correction.
Tho Bookman tells this story isiustrat