The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1898-11-14

lllQSeIl, lSCOTIlSOs " TAM q AAA~eSi4
advantage, and most often awaited the
gun play of his intended victim with I
the same nicely of calculation that a
cat awaits the movements of a mouse.
OF all the happy bad men of whom
so much has been written IN style
more or less hashy and exaggerated,
Doc Holiday least resembled the fancy |
caricature of border desperate. whose |
chief anxiety in life is not to die with !
his boots on-which, by the way, was |
a question of no considerable Worrl- /
ment to the genuinely happy DAG Fnan |
A person unfamiliar with Holidays |
deeds and unstudied in physiognomy
would pass him by as a specimen, Oh
human insignifcance, for ne was as
frail and as harmless a looking being
as ever welded the pestle OF a pharrna-
CIV mortar or measured calico behind
the retail counter.
Holiday was of medium stature and
blonde complexion. He was small
boned and of that generally slumped
appearance common to sufferers from
inherited pulmonary disease. Inc
clenched setting of his finely-po1nted
lower jaw and the SteadlneSs OF tne
blue eyes were the only features really
striking of his pallid countenance. he
was scrupulously neat and precise III
his attire, though neither lady man
nor a dandy.
Like all the happy bad men, he was
! too deeply sincere to be VoluDle OF
speech, and too earnest in his frlend-
ships to make a display of them. MS
nerve and eye, victorious IN more imam
| 80 duels to the death, were the admlra-
| ton and the envy of all the fighters OF
| the time.
To Holidays record is accredited the
breaking up, if not the determination,
of the Pima county (Ariz0, rustlers,
| a, class of murderous cattle-th1eVes VINO
prospered in New Mexico and Arizona
! until wiped out by the happy pad men.
Holiday was tried for murder IN INA
| county, whose official life at that time
was dominated by the rustlers' con-
spiracy, and, in spite of this adverse
| influence, was acquitted.
/ Tom Fitch of California, who DEFEND
! ed him. told me that the Witnesses Tor
! the prosecution were the best witnesses
for the defense, since by their leSti
mony it was clearly proved thaC iioili
day killed all his men under hre ana
with the odds often against him. re
was incredibly swift and accurate Win
the six-shooter, and ambideXtrous-
| Given two men for objects, anywhere
within the semicirele, he could hit both
at the first discharge.
After Holiday got free from the Pima
county trials, he made his way with all
haste to Colorado. Under a trumped-up
Indictment, a warrant was issued Tor
his arrest, and he was taken to Denver
The plot of the ruStlerS was to get MIN
across the border of New Mexico and
lynch him Bat Masterson, who was
greatly attached to Holiday, made a
plea. for assistance in the Tribune edl-
forial rooms the night of the arrest.
He submitted proof of the criminal de-
signs upon Holidays life. Late as the
hour was, called on Governor P1tkln,
and he agreed to order public hearing
on the requisition
The true motive of the arrest was
sufficiently proved out of the mouth OF
the deputy sheriff Governor P1tk1n re-
fused to grant the requisition, repri-
manded the deputy sheriff, gently lee
tured Holiday as to the requirements
of good citizenship in Colorado and dis
missed him.
Holiday went to Leadville, where he
died comfortably between linen sheets
of consumption. During the three
wears he lived there several attempts
were made to embroil him, but the local
bad men SHE'D away from him for good
after he spoiled Bill Aliens pistol arm.
At the time l was engaged on the
Leadville Democrat, and Holiday, IN
demonstratively grateful for my per
functory assistance in the rescue Tor
which the loyalty and energy OF Mas
terson deserved the credit, occasionally
called on me. One day he remarked,
coolly: 'I wish you would do me a
, favor" and then, after an asserting
N word, BILL Allen is after me. L want
you to come around and see me wing
; him when the ball comes off. He ism
+ worth killing"
Bill Allen had been chief of police and
killed his first man. His ambition was
soaring. Holiday owed him So, which
he was unable to pay. Allen served
=, notice that unless the money were paid
before noon the following day Holiday
! would go to his own funeral.
l Don't try it on, Bill" was Docs
gentle suggestion, unless you come
: with both hands full of guns
Holiday had been dealing faro in
Hyman's saloon on Harrison avenue
next door to which was Aliens saloon
;, Nonchalantly leaning against the ban
he awaited the coming of the novel bill
! collector.
1 had thankfully, if not gratefully
declined to attend the affair, but the
melodrama was performed as the stage
manager planned. Allen rushed II
: through the swinging front door, six
9 shooter in hand, caught sight of Hol
l liday standing there at the bar, anC
. raised to fire. But he lacked the light
{ ming movement of the Georgian. Hol
; liday's six-shooter barked and the Bit
: took Allen in mis- pistol arm, the bulle
- entering below the WFlSI, eVldeHlIy d
= the instant Allen was lowering. Hi
l. six-shooter dropped to the floor and h.
:; collapsed. The radial bone had beer
u broken, and Allen was saved from kill
: ing any more men, at least with hi
d right hand.
a 1t goes without saying that Hollida,
IL was acquitted.
This Gentleman George of tn
" happy bad men was intended to g
/ through life peaceably and usefully a
II dentist. In a dispute over Ian
: boundary one ill-omened day his fathe
/ was shot dead by Holidays choleri
n uncle. Doc" thereupon killed his incl
1t and left Georgia for the hopeful, golde
e west. E.. D. COWEN.
a -
She Had An Advantage.