The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1899-08-10
FOUGHT WITH ROPES
THE LAsso AS a DEADLY WEAPON IN
A coWBoY DUEL.

How Two Deaperadoes VIVA We've
Skilled In HoFsesnansTIf2 ANA
Adopts In Flinging the IonrIat sssus-
fed or This Mortal Coil.
II once witnessed a duel with iasso
ropes between a Mexican and 6n Amer
ican," said Joe Hampton. TT hap
pened about 20 years ago, and it was
about as exciting a piece OF work as /
ever saw. / was foreman ut that time
for the Seven Up e U p horse ranch
in wyoming, and we were on our way
from Sydney, Neb., with q band OF
mares that had been shipped from the
Missouri to Sydney. 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, q tough lot. We start
ed out, and when we got to the Rig
Cheyenne river, south OF the Black
Hills, we stopped to let tae horses rest
for few days. There was one Next
can, Pedro Gonzales, about the most
Ill natured and most Quarrelsome man
ever saw. He fell out with an Amer
lean by the name OF Dick NOAH, an
all AROUND bad man. knew Dick Toy
reputation, and he had bad record,
We'll, one day at dinner time Dict
made some remarks about roping g
Greaser down in Texas and hauling
him across the prairie until he was
no Mazina-, nv
saying 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. | rushed between
them and ordered them 10 put up their
guns. The Mexican's black eyes shcne
like a rattlesna9e's when about TO
strike but be put the gun back ia hsD
belt and Dick did the same,
81 knew there would be trouble, ana
how 20 avoid it was a question nos
easily solved. I ordered the horse
wrangler to fetch up the saddle horses,
for I intended to move on that after.
noon. The Mexican spoke to Dick,
and they walked off TO one SIDE and
talked II low tone for 4 few minutes,
When the horses came up, noticed
both men saddled up their best horses.
ATThey both unwound their lasso
ropes and stretched them oct sias. ba
side, pisk's rope Tes ,ghout Is fe9F
long and Pedtos about GO feet. Pedro
drew his knife from. his Lett. and cllt.
bis rope tie eTaCt length Of Nesss
Then they coilesi uD their fones ~
st1ly. and each man led his hasskisa
opposite direction nniii. thss, -
about t10 yaris apart f4sSaA
mounted like q fash'1and rode. toWair6
each other.
81 stood holding my horse by tire
bride and watched every move. l will
never forget the hook of hate and mur-
der on the Medcan'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.
'NThey rode slowly toward each 9th
er for about SO yards, watching each
other like couple of Gagged panthers.
Then they made 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 begun to circle around and
around
ST 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 it OF be-
fore he could pull up the slack.
'In an instant Pedro had gathered
I'D his rope and threw it again and
caught Dick around the head and one
arm. He drove the spurs into his horse
and started across the prairie, bur Ike
a fash 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 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 short distance and then stopped,
and before could get to him one Of
the other Mexicans had ridden up and
emptied his six shooter into Dicks
body. He then put spurs to his horse
and soon disappeared across the prai-
RE. and that was the last ever saw
of him.
"The other Mexican told me that
was the third duel Of that kind that
Pedro had fought and always got his
man. Seattle Post Intelligsncer.