Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1899-09-20

months after his arrival in that region
his business become pretty well known
to the people. He was hold up man,
and his specia lty was stagecoaches,
buck boards that carried one or two
passengers and country stores. Early
in 1880 he went west for awhile, and
| in a barroom in Victoria met King
Fisher, whose reputation was then al
i its height. Fisher was born in GoliaG
county, and his right name was John
King. He was slender, like Long
ley; but of olive complexion. His
eyes were dark blue and his mustache
black. His face was exceedingly hand.
some, and he was one of the most ex
pert as well as one of the most grace
full riders the west has ever known.
He assumed the name Of Fisher when
be left his native county. There was
good deal of the romantic and de.
bonair about him, and history of his
exploits would fll book.
His trail and Eongley's had not
crossed until their Victoria meeting.
But they knew each other by hearsay,
and there could be but one result OF
the meeting. They drank together
and took cigars together, and had an
other drink and squared off for talk,
each leaning an elbow on the counter
and noticing every movement of q
finger. From the first it seemed that
Fishers personality had depressing
effect upon Longley. Something that
the fearless scoundrel could not ex-
plain or understand was tugging at his
heartstrings, and as the apparently
purposeless conversation went on he
grew whittier and whittier under his tan.
He knew that in quarter of an hour
the test would come, and he did not
feel himself fitted for it. He had Of
ten desired the meeting and had pic
tured to himself the addition to his
reputation to come from Fishers death
The opportunity was at hand, and he
could not rise to it.
"Well," he said at last, in weak
effort to stave off the final moment
"let's have another"
The liquor was served, and as he
reached for his glass his hand shook
At that moment Fisher grabbed him
by his yellow mustache and gave il
savage tug, yanking his head around
Longley faced him for moment, STAN
mering, but made no motion to dra"
his weapon. Then Fisher slapped
him twice with the open hand, the
blows sounding through the room
The barkeeper had ducked under the
counter, and two or three loungers had
crowded into far corner to be out oi
harms way. Longley made no resis'
lance. He said only pleading ly:
"Don't do that, King; don't dc
that"
Fisher reached under the cowed
wretch's coat, took his six shooter
from its scabbard, extracted the cart
ridges, threw the weapon on the coun'
ter and called to the barkeeper, with a
laugh:
"Give me some on this here. It's
the great Bill Longley's pistol"
He drank pint of champagne slow
ly, looked at his foeman and swagger-
ed out. The barkeeper offered Long
ley the pistol, but he would not take
it, saying that he was not man enough
to keep it. Haitian hour later he was
on his horse, weaponless and headed
eastward. He went back to the Sabine
country and a year later was hanged
for murder.
King Fisher owned ranch in
Uvalde county, and it was just 80
miles from his front door to the border
town of Eagle Pass, then containing a
population of 1900 not counting q
small army post, Fort Duncan, which
stood a mile south of it. Three miles
west of Fishers house the main county
road forked. One prong ran by his
front door, the other ran two miles to
the rear of his home, making consid
cradle detour. They Joined agair
three miles farther on. At the fork
Fisher nailed board on tree bearing
the legend -;
"Take. the right hand road. The
other road is King Fishers road"
For two years he actually forced
every man in Uvalde and Dimmitl
counties, who travelled that route, te
20 two miles out of his way. Viola
ton of the order meant shooting and
probably death. Nor was there any
one of this hardy frontier population
bold enough to bell the cat.
One night in an Eagle Pass monte
room his luck had gone against him
and he was irritable. Finally he made
some remark rejecting upon the hon
esty of the dealer. Sitting next te
him was a Mexican named Manuel Els
..ol, ,,,bo oopoa from Piedras Nepras