The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1899-09-15
DUEL WITH LASSOES
Fought Out to Death Between Two
DesDerate Experts,

Between a Mexican and an Ameri-
can, yes. 1t happened some time ago,
but was about as exciting a piece Of
work as | ever saw. l was foreman at
the time for the Seven Up e U P)
horse ranch in Wyoming, and we were
on our way from Sydney, Neb.. with
aband of mares that had been shipped
from Missouri to Sydney, Neb. We had
to drive the animals overland to the
home ranch.
well, | picked up an outfit of men
around Sydney, Seven Americans and
three MeXicans-a tough lot We stai 1
ed out, and when we got TO The ZIG
Cheyenne River. south of the Black
Hills, we stopped to let the horses rest
for a few days. There was one Next
can, Pedro Gonzales, about tie most
ill-natured ard most quarerlsoIue man
ever saw. He fell out with an
American 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 remark about rOping
'greaser' down in Texas and hauling
him across the prairie until he was
worn out The Mexican answered by
saying that the man must have been
asleep or dead. for you could not rope
live man and do that. Dick jumped
TO his fet and pulled his gun. and Pc
dro did the same. I 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 same.
81 knew there would he trouble, and
how to avoid 1t was a question not cas-
fly solved. I oJdcred the horse wran-
gler to fetch up the saddle horses. for
| intended to move on that afternoon.
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 I 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 forty-five feet
long and PedrO's about sixty feet.
Pedro drew his knife from his belt and
cut his rope the exact size of Dicks
They cOiled up their ropes carefully
and each man led his horse in opposite
directions until they We're about hun
dred yards apart. Then they mounted
like fash and rode toward each other.
I stood holding my horse by the bride
and watched every move. I will never
forget the look Of hate and murder on
the McNiCan'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 look Of mingled fear and rage
combined on his savage face.
"They rode slowly toward each 9TH
er for about fifty yards, watching each
other lil9e n pair of Gagged panthers.
Then they made a dash and both ropes
shot out like n streak Of lightning.
Both men lodged and escaped. IN an
instant they had gathered up their
ropes and began to circle around and
around I could hear the swish of
their ropes as they swung them around
their heads. each man trying to get
some advantage. 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 II
off before he could pull up the slack. In
an instant Pedro had gathered mp his
rope and threw II again AMI caught
, DICK around Cne nCau huu one arm.
He drove his spurs into his horse and
started across the prairie, but like
flash Dicks hand went to his pistol.
and before the Mexican could pull him
from his horse Dick sent bullet
through his head and the Mexican fell
to the ground dead.
"Rut Dick WIS ierked 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 n short distance and then stopped.
and before could Get to him the other
Mexican had ridden up and emptied
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.
The other Mexican told me that was
the third duel Of that kind Pedro had
fought, and always got his man"-Se-
, attic Post Intelligencer.
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