Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-07-12
A THRILLING DUEL.
Mexican and American Cowboys Set
tie Their Differences With LassOes.

Mexican and American Cowboys Set
tie Their Differences With LassOes.
From the Seattle Post 1ntellgencer
Between Mexican cand an American,
yes" said Joe Hampten. 1T happened
about twenty, years ago, and it was about
as exciting a. piece of work as I ever saw.
I was foreman at that time for the Seven
Up G p horse sauch;tin Wyoming and
we were on our way from Sydney. Neb.,
. with band Of mares. thai had been shipped
from Missouri to Sydneysa Neb. We had to
drive the animals overland to the home
ranch. NJ, y" IT, -.. '... ~
well. ! picked up an outfit of men
around Sydney, seven Americans and three
Mexicans, tough lot. We started out, and
when we got to the Big Cheyenne river,
south of the Black Hills. We stopped to let
the horses rest for few days. There was
one Mexican. Pedro Gonzales. about the
most ill-natured and most quarreiSome ma n
J ever saw He fell out with an American
by the name of Dick McAll, an ail-around
bad man. 1 knew Dick by reputation and
he had a bad record. -r
well, one day at dinner time Dick made
some remarks about roping a greaser down
in Texas and hauling him across the prairie
until he was worn out. The Mexican an
swered by saying that man must have been
asleep or dead for you could not rope a
live man and do that. Dick jumped to his
same. 1 rushed between them and ordered
them 10 put up their guns. The Mexicans
black eyes shone like a rattlesnakes when
about to strike, but he put the gun back in
his belt and Dick did the same.
Is Il knew there would be trouble and how
to avoid it was a question not easily solved
l ordered the horse wrangier to fetch up
the saddle horses, for 1 intended to move
on that afternoon. The Mexican spoke to
Dick and they walked off to one side and
talked in a low tone for a few minutes.
When the horses came UP 1 noticed both
men saddled up their best horses. They
both unwound their tasso ropes and stretch
ed them out side by side. Dicks rope was
about forty-five feet long and Pedros about
sixty feet. Pedro drew his knife from his
belt and cut his rope the exact length of
DICKS Then they coied UP their ropes
carefully and each man led his horse in
opposite directions until they were about
100 yards apart. Then they mounted like a
flash and rode toward each other. l stood
holding my horse by the bride and watched
every move. will never forget the look of
nate and murder on the Mexicans face.
his lips We're apart, showing his white
teeth. and a wicked smile seemed to play
about his mouth. Dicks jaws Were set
tight, and a look of mingled fear and rage
combined on his savage face.
They rode slowly toward each other for
about fifty 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 gath
cred up their ropes, and begun to circle
around and around. 1 could hear the swish
or 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 close cali for Dick. for the Mex
lean got his rope over Dicks head. but
DICK threw 1t off before he could pull UP
the slack In an instant Pedro had gather
ed up his rope ard threw it again and
caught Dick aroun4 the dead and one arm.
lie drove the spurs into his horse and start
ed across the prairie, but like a flash Dicks
hand went to his pistol iAfad before the Mex
lean could pull him frean his horse Dick
sent bullet through his head and the Mex
lean fell to the ground dead.
But Dick was jerked from his horse with
terrible force. for the Mexican had made
the end Of his rope fastoto the saddle horn.
The Mexican's horse ran short distance
and then stopped, land before I could get
to him one of the other Mexicans. had rid
den up and emptied his six-shooter into
Dicks body. He them put spurs to his
horse and soon disapBared across the
prairie and that was the last ever saw of
him. The other MsxieaBe told me that was
the third duel of that kind that Pedro had
nd ,11r-ox n