Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1899-04-23


Hill.
Everybody at Tn Pan Diggings knew
that there was bad blood between Joe of
Washoe and Big Jack Hill. They were
miners, proprtetors and politicians, and
each had large following. The disagree
ment began about claim. and for some
time it was only a disagreement At the
end Of month. however, the men had
sworn to kill each other on sight. BIZ
was with US at Tin Pan, while Jack was
at Strawberry Bend, thirty miles away
They didn't go hunting for each other
like couple of guerilas. and it was long
weeks before they happened to meet at
| Golden City. Big Jack had just left hts
gun to be repaired. and he was defense
Joe. With any other man in front of him
he would have gone down, as it was his
business to be heeled for such an emer-
gency. but Joe OF Washee was the squar-
est of square men. He out with his gun
as quick as a flash. but before his finger
had pressed the trigger he OWNED how
it was. Big Jack stood there with his
arms folded across his chest, and for a
/ long minute neither man spoke. Then
Joe OF Washoe smiled and said:
Jack. It's dangerous walking around
without one"
It'll owe you one,." replied Jack with a
laugh, and they turned their backs and
walked off
A month later Big Jack started out one
day to hunt ice down. He heard that he
was at Top Notch, ten miles away. and
as the waiting was eating on his nerve
Lav 4 ~.
He went alone. and he kept to the trail,
as square man should. At the end of
two hours he waIkind into the mining
camp and looked around for his enemy
Joe was sitting in the shadow Of rock,
alone and defenseless, and Jack was
standing over him before he heard his
footsteps.
ITS a careless trick OF yours, joe"
says Jack, as he stood there with gun
in each hand and smile on his face
And I'll owe you one replies Joe,
as he looks up.
1t was six weeks after that when
things got so bitter that a duel was ar
ranged. Wed all been hoping that the
quarrel might be smoothed over, as all
knew that both men were dead shots, but
when it was seen that one or the other
must fan the idea was to arrange things
to give both fair show. 1t was settled
that on certain day Big Bin was to
come over TO Tin Pan, and there was to
be shooting with revoivers at ten PAGES.
Each man was to be allowed twelve shots,
and If nobody was killed that was to end
the affair That somebody would be kill
ed, however, was dead sure thing and
most of US belle led that both men would
be dead before half their bullets were ex-
pended. The day was put two weeks
ahead, IN order that everybody within fif-
ty miles might be OK hand, and when the
date came round we Sad four hundred
strangers ait Tin Pan. Nobody thought it
possible that d fuke would occur. Joe OF
Washoe and Big Jack were men to keep
their word if they had to crawl on their
knees over the hills.
At sunrise everybody at Tin Pan was
up and moving about, but here was no
exuiting or Boosting. 1t was more like
public funeral. Joe Of Washoe was left in
his shanty to himself, and he didn't APP
pear until shout arose that Big Jack
was coming down the trail at the head of
his Top-NGtchers. AS the crowd came
into camp Jack was lurch.ng and stag
ger:ng like a drunken man. 1t wasn't a
case of whisky, though. He'd been taken
Ill the night before and not one man in
a thousand could have even stood on his
feet with such a fever as was burning him
up. They had had to carry him part of
the way, but come he would. When we
saw his condition there was loud de-
mand that the duel would be declared off,
but Big Jack wouldn't hear of 1t. Joe
went down to him and looked him over
and refused to so on, but Jack drove him
away by declaring that he was a coward
1t was after that that they took their
places each with a gun in hand, and when
all was ready the word was given to
open fire. We didn't know what Joe was
going to do. but he had his mind made UP
before he stood in front of his man. He
stood up there, stiff and straight, and a
fair mark and never fired a shot, and the
fevered and ratified enemy fired eight
shots, some of which cut his clothing,
and then dropped down in a heap. Joe
was the first to walk over to him, and af-
ter overhauling him bit he rose up and
said:
Hes got the typhus fever. and he's got
it bad. and Wen take him up to my
shanty."
The crowd may have been disappointed,
but there was no growing. Providence
seemed to have stepped in to prevent the
fight. Big Jack was cut of his head and
ravIng before we got him to bed and then
for six weeks Joe OF Washoe nursed him
as if he had been his brother. 1t was
fever TO be feared, and for two weeks
most of the miners left the camp. When
the fever had its run Big Jack was left as
weak as child. and taken altogether 1t
was three months from the day he arrived
before he was ready to leave US. Joe OF
Washoe had all the credit Of pulling him
through, and the long watch had been
hard on him Not one word had passed
between the two as to the quarrel, and
not word was spoken until the hour
came for Big Jack TO leave. Friends had
come over for him. and he was all ready
to go when he turned to Joe and said:
Joe, I'm in debt to you, and / want to
pay How many shots did 1 fire that
day?"
Just eight" answered Joe.
"And how many did you fre?"
''None"
Then | owe you eight"
He stepped off ten PAGES and turned and
faced Joe and folded his arms There