The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-10
DUEL WITH LASSoES.
A Mexican and an American Fought it
Out to the Death

OuI 10 Ine OGatn.
Between a Mexican and an Ameri-
can, yes. 1t happened about 20 years
ago, and it was about as exciting a
piece of work as I ever saw. I was
foreman at that time for the Seven Up
G U p horse ranch, in Wyoming, and
we were on our way from Sydney, Neb
with a band of mares that had been
shipped from Missouri to Sydney, Neb,
We had to drive the animals overland
to the home ranch.
well, 1 picked up an outfit of men
around Sydney, seven Americans and
three Mexicans-a tough lot. We start
ed out, and when we got to the Big
Cheyenne river, south of the Black
Hills, we stopped to let the horses rest
for few days. There was one Mexi-
can, Pedro Gonzales, about the most i'll
natured and most quarrelsome man l
ever saw. He fell out with an Ameri-
can by the name of Dick McAll, an
all around bad man. l knew Dick by
reputation, and he had a bad record
well, one day at dinner time Dick
made some remarks about roping a
''greaser' down in Texas and hauling
him across the prairie until he was
worn out. The Mexican answered by
saying that that man must have been
asleep or dead, for you could not rope
a live man and do that Dick jumped
to his feet and pulled his gun, and Pc
dro did the same. 1 rushed between
them, and ordered them to put up their
guns. The Mexican's black eyes shone
like a rattlesnake's, when about to
strike, but he put the gun back in his
belt and Dick did the saDaa
Il knew there would be trouble, and
how to avoid it was a question not
easily solved. I ordered the horse
wrangler to fetch up the saddle horses
for | intended to move on that after
noon. The Mexican spoke to Dick,
and they walked off to one side and
talked in a low tone for few minutes.
When the horses came up l noticed
both men saddled up their best horses.
They both unwound their lasso ropes
and stretched them out side by side.
Dicks rope was about 45 feet long,
and Pedros about 60 feet. Pedro drew
his knife from his belt and cut his rope
the exact length of Dicks Then they
coiled up their ropes carefully, and each
man led his horse in opposite directions
until they were about a hundred. yards
apart, Then they mounted like a
flash and rode toward each other
SIOOuy .IOlQlIlB my nOGSG by the DTlQfG,
and watched every move I will never
forget the look of hate and murder on
the MeXican's face. His lips were
apart, showing his white teeth, and a
wicked smile seemed to play about his
mouth. Dicks jaws were set tight
and a look of mingled fear and rage
combined on his savage face.
"They rode slowly toward each other
for about so yards, watching each 9TH
er like a couple of Gagged panthers.
Then they made a dash and both ropes
shot out like streak of lightning.
Both men lodged and escaped. In an
instant they had gathered up their
ropes, and began to circle around and
around. l could hear the swish of their
ropes as they swung them around their
heads, each man trying to get some adj
vantage, They charged back and
forth and finally both threw their ropes
again. 1t was a close call for Dick
for the Mexican got his rope over
Dicks head, but Dick threw it off
before he could pull up the slack, In
an instant Pedro had gathered up his
rope and threw it again and caught
Dick around the head and one arm.
He drove his spurs into his horse and
started across the prairie, but like a
flash Dicks hand went to his pistol,
and before the Mexican could pull him
from his horse Dick sent a bullet
through his head and the Mexican fell
to the ground dead.
But Dick was jerked from his horse
with terrible force for the Mexican had
made the end of his rope fast to the
saddle horn. The Mexican's horse ran
short distance and then stopped, and
before | could get to him one of the
other Mexicans had ridden up and emp-
tied his six-shooter into Dicks body
he then put spurs to his horse and soon
disappeared across the prairie, and that
was the last I ever saw of him Tho
other Mexican told me that was the
third duel of that kind that Pedro had
Fought, and always got his man.
Seattle acknowledgements.