The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1899-10-25
DUEL WITH LAsSOES
Fought Out to Death Between Two
Desperate Experts.

desperate EXPERTS.
Between "A Mexican and an AmerI
can, yes. II happened some time ago
but was about as exciting a piece OF
work rs | ever saw. | 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 TINT had been shipped
from Missouri to Sydney, Neb. We had
TO drive the animals overland to the
home ranch.
well, | picked up an outlit 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 n few days. There was one Mexi.
can, Pedro Gonzales, about the most
ill-natured and most quarerlsome man
ever saw. He fell out with an
American by the nnme of Dick McAll,
an all-around bad man. ! knew Dick
by reputation and he had n bad record.
We'll, one day Mt dinner timo Dick
made some remark about roping n
'greaser' down In Texas and hauling
him across the prairie until he was
Worn out The Mexican answered by
saying TINT the man must have been
asleep or dead, for you could not rope
live man and do that. Dick jumped
to his fct and pulled his gun. and Pc
dro did the snme. rushed between
them and ordered them TO put up Their
guns. The MeXicans black eyes shonC
like rattlesnake's when about tc
strike, but he put the gun back In his
belt, and Dick did the same
81 knew there would be trouble. and
how To avoid II was n question not ens-
lily solved. ] ordered 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 n
low tone for a few minutes. When tho
horses came up | noticed both men
saddled up their best horses. They
both unwound their lasso ropes aud
stretched them out side by side.
Dicks rope was about forty-five feet
long and Podro's about sixty feet.
Pedro drew his knife from his belt and
cut his rope the exact size of Dicks
They ooiled up their ropes carefully
and each man lod his horse In opposite
directions until they were about hun
drcd yards apart Then they mounted
Hike II flash and rode toward each other.
I stood holding my horse by the bride
and watched every move. | Will never
forget the look of hate and murder on
the MeHicans face, His lips were
apart, showing his white teeth and n
wicked smile seemed TO play about his
mouth, Dicks iaws were set tight
aud II look OF mingled fear and rngc
combined on his savage face.
'"fhey rode slowly toward each 9th
err for about fifty yards. watching each
other like pair of Gagged pnnthers
Then thoy made dash aud both ropes
shot cut Hike n str1ak of lightning.
Both men lodged and escaped. In an
instant they had gathered UP their
ropes and began to circle around and
around | could hear tho swish OF
their ropes ny they swung them around
their hends, ench man trying 10 get
some advantage. They charged back
ana forth and finally both threw their
ropes again 1t was n close call Tor
Dick for tho Mexican got his rope
over Dicks bend, but Dick threw II
off before he could pull up the slack. In
mn instant Pedro had gathered up his
vope NM threw " uSnin ma cnught
Dlck' around the hend mud ono arm
He drove his spurs into his horse and
started ncross the prairie. but like q
flash Dicks hand went to his pistol
and before the Mexican could pull him
from his horse Dick sent n bullet
through his hond and the Mexican fell
10 the ground dend
"Rut Dick Wa icrked from his horse
with Terrible force, for the Mexican
had nude the end Of his rope fast To