Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1898-08-26
ATWOOD II AID NERVE.

W'l'OOD Had FNV.ERV W..
"The coolest nerve ever saw displayed
by anyone" said the gray haired, young
looking man, "was Jack Atwood's, when,
after being shot at from behind, he paused
to nail his poker hand to the table with q
bowie knife before turning and drawing his
own revolver to return the fire.
atwood was queer fellow in many ways.
Physically he wasn't much to look at, but,
he had dandifed habits that seemed curious
ly out of place in q man whose business kept
him constantly in association with the:
toughest men in the country at that time
I am speaking OF the lumbermen on the up
per Mississippi 30 years ago-and who was,
in fact, as wild as the widest OF them.
''He was small and little stoop-shoul-
dered, and his face was narrow and sallow,
with queerly crooked nose, and sharp lit
tie eyes that were set much too close together
to be pleasing. He was as vain as peacock,
though, and dressed always in fashion plato
style, shaved every day and waxed his mus
tache, which was a habit nobody else in
dulged in west Of Chicago in those days, %
far as my observation went.
'He was good deal of politician, and
was suspected of writing some of the most
violent articles that appeared in the local
papers at time when Minnesota Journalist
was not conspicuous for it's close regard fo9
the amenities of life. There had been deal
of scandal about member of the state }a9.
islature from Minneapois-cal him Dovb
for some time before the fight that speak
of, and Atwood had been among Davis moot
violent critics.
@This particular night there was quite Q
crowd in Bill Gailoway's gambling house a
the east side of Minneapolis, near the Cd
Fort Smelling road. Atwood was playing
bermen, friends Of Atwood's, and the fifth
the first game I had ever seen played viii
$40 gold pieces for chips
"Of course, for the heavy betting they
used paper money, for as the ante was one
chip, and it took two to come in, there were
not chips enough to bet with when the big
hands came. Limit games were not much
but table stakes usually meant few hum
largest l had ever seen up to that time, foI
each player had good-sized wad, and there
must have been $4,000 or $4,000 in sight
at least.
Nothing special occurred for over an
hour, when there was a jackpot which
was opened for $780, and somewhat to my
surprise all the players came in. It was a
jack for five chips, in the first place, and had
been sweetened once, so there were $500 in
the center before the draw.
"The second surprise came when each man
drew two cards, excepting Atwood, who
49, lo1l k1o.u oo~,l.
close, so none of us around the party knew
that Atwood had four jacks. They weren't
playing straight Pushes, so his hand was al.
most sure one.
"The opener put up another hundred on
the strength of his three of kind. The next
same thing, and so did the fourth. He was
seven spot, while the others had not bet-
tered. Atwood made it thousand to play.
One, two and three dropped out. Three of
struggle, and that is what each of them had.
'"The St. Paul man was delighted, though
he tried hard to conceal it, and he came back
at Atwood with another thousand. He was
ahead of the game, having about 5000 in
while Atwood had only about half that.
That left him enough to raise St. Paul once
more, and he did it promptly.
"1 suppose III have to call you,' said the
latter, seeing it's table stakes, but I'm sorry
you haven't more money with you
4 have $4,000 in the bank said Atwood.
other raise
"Checks were not in great favor at Gallo.
ways, and the St. Paul man hesitated natu-
rally enough, but one of Atwoods clients
spoke up. I'll cash your check for you,
jack he said, and just then the shot came.
"The entrance to the room was midway
between the faro and poker tables, and At
wood sat with his back toward it. Davis had
entered the room noiselessly and had fired as
soon as he saw Atwood. Shooting from be-
hind will ruin man in any community, and
don't suppose Davis would have done it
if he hadn't been half drunk and half mad
with rage as well. He probably wouldn't
have missed his shot, though, if he hadn't
been drinking. l was watching Atwood
closely and hadn't seen Davis enter.
Gas it was saw the left end of Atwood's
mustache disappear at the instant the shot
rang out and red streak show on his cheek,
DuC ne Qlln turn us uedu. lie IedcNeu
down as quick as ferret and drew knife
from somewhere below the line of the table
top, laying his cards face down on the table
with his left hand at the same instant.
The game stands as it u.s. he said, with
out quaver in his voice as he drove the
knife through the cards and the baize cover,
deep into the wood, with vicious stab
Then just as quickly he reached for his hip
pocket and stood facing around with re-
volver in his hand leveled at Davis.
1.-TWO other shots rang out as he rose.
They were fred by Atwood's friends, but
fortunately they hit nobody. Another man
had seized Davis gun as he was trying to
shoot again, and there was scufle going on
in moment, with three or four men on q
eide, all of whom, however, were trying to
force Davis out of the room.
"Atwood held his fire, seeing that there
was group Of men in front of him, an'
stood still as he saw the struggle going III
When he saw that Davis was being pr e1hrl
out of the door be smiled, but didn' { sav
word. Perhaps ought to say he fdnued
Smile is too pretty word for hi faoe:-
'When big enemy Was e;atside,, and the
door was closed, he put his pistol back in hi,
rocket and felt of his cheek caref,,11v r