The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-01-30

MIN. HfckOk's watch Law on the table in
front OF him. Somehow Tut got posses
SION or that watch, saying he would keep
it until BIZ paid him S25 which he claim
ed. Even then Wild Bill wouldn't shoot
out when some one told him that even
ing that Tut had been Boosting about
town that he was going TO carry the
watch across the public square at noon
the next day. Bits eyes blazed up and
we knew the fight was on. One of his
friends VINO went to his room in the hotel
the following morning to dissuade MIN
from fighting found him cleaning and
ioadlng the two big ivory -handled revolt
Vers that he always carried in belt.
\ on don't want me TO take anything
more from this crowd, do your said he
IheyVe put upon me long enoug. It's
matter OF honor now. TuttlI never pack
mat watch of mine across the square to-
DAY unless dead men can walk.
When u o'clock came half the town
was out on the square. over near the
court house, on the opposite side from the
motel, we could see Tut. surrounded by
his friends, waiting for Bill to put in an
appearance. Pretty soon all except Tut
walked together over toward the hotel and
took position on the square where Bill
would have them at his back when he
walked out. We all knew what it meant
well enough, and so did Bill. But the mo-
ment Tut started 10 cross the square
from the court house side Bill moved to-
ward him from the Steps on the hotel.
Hickok stood feet and as straight as
spear. His breadth across the chest
and shoulders were enormous, and he Ia
pered from his armpits to his ankles in
even lines like a wedge. He wore that day
a buckskin shirt and q road-brimmed
Texas sombrero. There was fire in Bits
steel gray eyes and his thin lips were set
as he walked out there, his revolver in
his belt and his hands down by his sides.
10 x1Jith IF each
other before either one made move Ev-
erybody was wrought up 10 the highest
pitch of excitement when Tut suddenly
reached for his gun. Bill saw him. Quick
er than chain lightning he whipped out
that big navy revolver of his, and, with
out seeming to take aim, fired. He didn't
wait to see whether Tut was hit. but
wheeled instastly and had both of his
guns levelled on the crowd thai had been
at his back before the quickest of TUFTS
friends could draw
Are you satisfied gentleman demand
ed Bill. Then put up your weapons.
And they put EN- up.
Tut gave a kind of a twitch when
Wild Bits shot went through his heart
just as he was about to fire OF course, he
missed his man. He stood still in his tracks
a moment-it seemed like an hour-tried to
raise his gun to shoot again, reeled, and
fell dead"
THE killing OF TUFTS partner was a dare
devil piece of business as l heard the sto-
ry," continued the Missourian. 1T was
down on the Big Sandy near the Arkansas
boundary. Wild Bill was in Prices camp
at the time; sent there by Gen. Curtis to
find out how many men the rebels had and
what they were going to do. He had cir
cled away off through Kansas and Arkan-
sas and had come into their lines from the
southwest, representing himself to be the
brother of a secessiOnist he happened to
know who was killed at Pea Ridge.
by and by, after Bill had got the in
formation he wanted, the two armies Law
facing each other with the river between
them. He was ready and anxious to leave
Prices lines, butt how to get across the
river was a problem that puzzled him, for
both banks were heavily picketed. On
picket duty one day he somehow man
aged to give the tip to a Union comrade
on the opposite bank so that after that he
knew the boys would be looking for him
and wouldn't shoot If he should find an OPP
portunity to make dash out of the enc
mys lines.
TUFTS partner, big sergeant in one of
Prices Missouri regiments, was the bully
of the camp and an awful braggart. To
hear him tell 1t there was no limit to what
he had done or what he was going to do.
Bill bantered him one day when the cav
airy was drawn up in line to ride out to-
ward the river daring the big sergeant to
go as close as Bill would go to the Union
pickets The reb was no coward and he
accepted the challenge. Together the two
horsemen started off. The eyes of all
Prices camp were on them to see who
would be the first to turn when they got
within range of Curtis pickets. TUFTS
partner was mounted on a big gray horse
and Bill rode his famous little mare Black
Nell-a mare that knew more tricks than
any dog and that was afterWard known
In hpr aII = ,ert,
the Southwest. Before they got within
range of the Union guns Bill made her kick
up her heels or do some trick or other to
let the boys know who he was so that
when the bullets began to fly none of them
came close to him. AS they neared the riv-
er bank Bill set the pace faster and fas-
ter, but the big sergeant never hunked.
Finally Union picket on the other shore
sang out:
" Hooray fer Wild Binr
THAT gave the whole thing away. The
sergeant saw the truth in jiffy and start
ed to draw his gun, exclaiming:
" BY God, believe yer yankr
but he never lived to shoot. Bill was
too quick for him, and TUFTS partner roll
ed out of the saddle stone dead just as
! Black Nell rose in the air to take to the
river. AS Bill swan beside his mare for
the opposite bank the rebel pickets opened
| fire, and for moment their bullets cut the
water around him like hastones in a
| storm. Then the Union sharpshooters
drove them to cover. and Bill had bet
| ter show. He reached the shore with only
a slight wound in the shoulder and went
| straight to Curtis headquarters. He must
| have brought in important information
that time, for the army changed front be
fore night, heading off movement to turn
| the Union flank.
THE stories that were told about Wild
! BINS escapades down there in Missouri
| after the war would fill a book Some
| of them were almost Incredible. l re-
member one that it was said Bill told him
| self concerning a single-handed fight he
| had with the McCandless gang shortly
! after the war broke out. The men in this
| McCandless gang were border ruffians in
! the Kansas row, and, of course, they went
with the secessionists in the rebellion
! Hickok, believe was guiding party of
union volunteers from Nebraska or
| Kansas over into Missouri when the fight
| took place. He had ridden out onto the
! prairie alone one day to visit widow who
| was friend of his. and while there Nc
| Candless and nine of his men rode up to
| the house. All were armed, some with
| pistols, others with shotguns. and rifles,
| and one or two with bowie knives only
II