The Washington weekly post., 1900-11-27
BY NJ. QUAD.

without dont-. the most singular 1uel
that ever took place In the United States
occurred at Sante Fs. ~ NJ. thirty-aye
years ago. II was several years previous
TO the first Pacific railroad and while yet
every pound Of goods going to the far
West had 10 be hauled across the gr-at
plains by freigh. wagons or sent around
Cape Horn BY see.
Two men in 4 Rogers & Blair outfit
fell in love with the same girl 10 Santa
Fe. One was an American named Jack
Hines. and the other was a full-blooded
Mexican who was simply known as Don.
The girl was a half breed. and none of
Us outside the two rivals thought her
worth fighting over. / do not think she
really cared for either man. but her game
was eoquette and keep them on the ragged
edge and make the most she could out
Of 1t. She received many valuable pres-
ents from the rivals, and I know that
Hines lent her father money, which was
never returned. For a time the rivalry
was a subject for joking among US, but
when we saw that either man was ready 10
fv at the others THREAT on the smallest
proyocation the case became serious.
They were not only good meE for the out
they were game men, and II they came
together nothing was surer than one
would be killed.
The affair had gone on for seven or
eight months before the outbreak came
We were In Santa Fe, making ready fo-
a start East. when the Mexican one
evening approached a fire beside which
Hines sat alone and threw a package of
powder on the blaze. With a leap aside
he escaped consequences, but Jack Hines
was blinded for life. 1t was a contempt
ible thing to do and but for the civil au-
thorities the Mexican would have been
lynehsd AS 1t was, he was kicked and
beaten and bounced out Of camp. A day
or two later, as the girl had gone back
on bin. he tried to carry her of by force.
but had TO let her go when she stabbed
him. Hines depended on her pity in his
misfortune. but she calmly told him that
a blind husband would be of no use to
her and laughed his tears to scorn He
had a relative in the city and was taken
In and cared for, while the Mexican cross
ed the Rio Gran6e for time It was a
year later. and Jacks old outfit and all
his friends happened to be In Santa Fe
again when Don returned. He had grown
uglier and meaner in the twelve months
We would have picked a fuss with him
and shot him down, but Jack Hines had
no sooner heard of his presence than he
said:
Boys. you must arrange for a duel
shall never rest content until 1 have kill
ed that Mexican"
"But you are bind" we protested.
Never mind that. l must fight him and
kill him. blind or not. and the whole Of
Santa Fe shall look on"
When we found that he would have II
SO, We carried a challenge to Don and
also asked the authorities to let us have
a public duel Some weak objections were
made. but they yielded the point A
fight of some sort was an hourly incident,
and duels came off two or three times per
week. The Mexican laughed in derision
at the idea, but readily accepted the chal-
lenge.
"Yes, I will meet the Americana" he
said. land ! will slice and cut and prick
for one hour by the watch before / Pive
him the grand finish. The crowd that
looks on will see some of the finest knife
play ever shown on this side of the river.
Tomorrow at noon. eh? 1 will be as
prompt as the SUM-"
You may believe that when ;he report