The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1899-07-06
STREET BATTLE
WITH PISTOLS.
One Dead, Two Dying, Two
Seriously Wounded.
GAMBLERS FEUD SHOT OUT.

EEISCL 0ACA az bAC SOA AN1 "a AI6LAOuL
and Market streets, the most promi-
nent quarter of the city. The man
now dead was a principal in the
affray; one of the dying is the other;
the other dying and both the seri-
ously wounded men were bystanders.
who were unable to escape.
The shooting was between James
Johnson and William A. Boyd, both
gamblers, and its cause dated back
more than a year. Then, johnson
quarreled with Dick Springfield, a
we'll known gambler here, over a
game of cards in the "Sixty-Six"
saloon. One accused the other of
cheating; there were hot words,
oaths and shots, and Springfield, in
the parlance of his ilk, ''passed in
his checks johnson was tried fer
murder, but was acquitted.
Boyd was Springfeld's friend and
he resented the death of his partner
at Johnson's hands. He boasted
that johnson, too, should die with
his boots on, and Johnson heard of
it, and defed Boyd. Each looked
for the chance to get the drop on
the other, but neither was careless
enough to give his opponent the
opportunity he coveted.
About a week ago Boyd and
johnson met and had hot words, |
and johnson drew a pistol and level
ed it at his enemy. Quick as q flash |
Boyd leaped at Johnson and graph
ed with him. They wreatled and |
fought until fually Boyd wrssted |
the pistol from his opponent before
Johnson could fire q shot. Then he
turned in and gave Johnson such a
beating that he nearly killed him.
Johnson's friends rescued him and
sent him home for repairs. He was
laid up until yesterday, and every
day that he spent indoors increased
his hatred for his enemy and his
thirst for Boyd's blood. lie got out
of bad yesterday, armed himself and
started out for the avowed purpose
of settling Boyd, once fer all.
Just in front of the 1.-TWO Broth
ers" saloon, at fremont and Market
streets, Johnson met Boyd They
started, glarsd at each other ard
johnson shouted, ca be pulled his
pistol:
I've got you now"
He fred, but his shot went Wild.
Then Boyd pulled his own revolver
and taking aim at johnson, fred.
The ball struck johnson in the abb
demen, and Johnson began to go
down. Four more shots from the
Boyd revolver followed SO raEidly
that they could scarcely be counted,
each one true, each one lodging, as
did the first, in Johnsons abdomen.
The sixth shot went into his chest
as he fell
But mean Rhile Johnson had not
been idle. Though his first shot
failed to reach his enemy, he kept on
throwing bullets as fast as he could
work his revolver. As a consequences,
while most OF his shots had no effect,
Boyd finally went down with ball
in the left thigh that shattered the
bone and sent him, bleeding and
helpless, into the gutter.
Policeman Bowe had meanwhile
rushed in and taken johnson. who
was fast dying, in his arms. It was
while thus supported, leaning over
the shoulder of the officer of the law
that johnson, taking deliberate aim,
sent his last bullet at Boyd It
struck the fsllsn man squarely in the
right arm, smashing the bone to
spliaters- Then johnson died.
Boyds friends took him to hos
pitsl and gave hin evsry attention
His wounds are serious, but he has
a bare chance for recovery. His
friend Jack Nave, another gambler,
who backed up Boyd in his battle
and is reported to have fred q few
shots or so him salt, is in Jail He
was unhurt.
All this fusillade OF shooting at