The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1900-02-25
Kansas Killers
travelling Men Compare
Kansas and Kentucky Shooting.


parison OF Kentucky and Kansas courage
| and much speculation as to whether Ken
| lucky was ever any worse or as BAD as
Kansas was long after the state was ad.
niJted to the Union. To show that Kan
sas was worse for shooting a Winfield
man sends the Eagle the account OF d
conversation that took place in small
Kansas town, Of the railroad, one day
recently. Some of the names are changed
some Of the men mentioned are settled in
business in southern Kansas and while
they Ndo not denny their early career,
are TOO modest to authorize a recount o.
it Tor public print:
The day was cold and chilly and after
the monday meal many Of the travelling
men sat warming their shins and sending
puffs Of smoke curling and circling Up
into the ALREADY murky atmosphere.
Silence reigned for a short time only.
Then a thin-faced, angular appearing
chap showed his chair up a little closer
to the stove and said. We'll. suppose
We get up an argument or something 10
break this monotony. l move We dis
cuss the question: Resolved. That Al
johnson IS a scalawag and a scoundrel.
I suggest also that we leave the decision
to three competent judges, and II their
verdict don't agree with our opinions.
that We have recourse 10 the kentucky
fad "Ughi I'd rather be excused,
guess said the great big burly fellow
who was TO be the victim of the motion.
Good. Shouted another. only Ia move
to ba oric in
that We call upon the Kentuckians to
do the final settlement act
well. now" said the motion victim, II
guess if the Jayhawkers should line Up
against those Corncrackers that they
would show them a thing or two along
the shootln' line" Yes that's So" said
the thin. angular looking chap. its only
those mOuntaineers and mOonshiners
down there that are used to the shoOtin'
irns. while out here every KID from
fourteen up carried some kind OF
shooter. However, they are usually in
quest Of smaller game. But they are
pretty cold-blooded, after all, down
South" 'Pshaw." said a wizzen-faced
man, as he leaned his chair back against
the wall, there's lots of bluff about
these Kentuckians. When it came to a
show down in this political wrangle,
why they backed out on both sides.
They do little cold-blooded fightin' once
in a while, like that Colson-Scott affair,
but they would stand a ID poor
show in comparison with one of these
scraps that happened out here a few
years ago" you bet said a stockily-
built fellow, with black hair, a short
stubby mustache and pair of gold spec
tacles, over, under and through which
couple of steel blue eyes looked steadily.
Now, there's Bat Masterson," and the
speaker stopped and after thinkin a
moment went on. You'd never take him
to be a bad man, he's just as polite
man as you'd want TO meet, but, sir. he
was killer You know him." turning
to a fellow traveller, "a fine man you bet.
Well. sir, 1t takes a cool head to do what
he did. You know the time he went out
into the street there in Dodge City and
avenged his brothers killing?" l tell
you that was grit. Why he just walked
out there and when them cowboys came
gallopin' and yellin down the street, he
moved EN- down right and left and when
the smoke cleartd away, three cow
lay stretched out on the ground
He didn't seem to care a bit for KILN
a man. When he was twenty-six he had
killed just as many men as he was
years old
"WeH. gentlemen, said the thin-faced
fellow. Il don't believe that there are
very many men who have killed their
men and who can kill man without any
Of conscience.
OH the big fellow laughed in deri-
sion, there's just lots Of EN-. l saw an
Usage Indian that [ don't believe cared a
snap for KILN a man. Why one dark,
stormy night his old father. who lived
out there in them hills. near where Paw
nuska is now. was called TO his door and
seized by someone and dragged out into
the dark and that was the last seen Of
him till day or two afterwards, when
In searching for him. they found his
body away up a deep ravine, with the
head mashed TO a pulp. one day shortly
afterwards as a crowd OF gamblers was
seated at a table in a little town down
N the territory, some fellow spoke about
.4ldL VAtA man q GlANEi NtAAtis anu ST.
hat haf-breed Usage who happened 10
be at the table just turned around and
said, oh, HI I killed that oil -
- myself and went on shuffing the
ards We all believed him. too"
We'll I'll tell you" spoke up another,
that man Dartman Of the Indian coun-
~. was a killer, too" Yes" said his
nearest neighbor. but I don't think he
enjoyed KILN his man He wouldn't
shoot unless be was fully justified
Yes sir" chimed in the thin-faced (
hap again. L stil believe there are very 4
ew who. without any scruples. viii Just
.tep out and kill man for the fun o.
l." "Aw. you're mistaken" said the
-tockay-buiit fellow. there have been
nd are lots of EN- Why. / remember +
losn there in Caldwell one day IN 1878.
fellow wear.n a tail six plug hs-.
ane into town and was waIkin' down
he street sH1nzin' himself and Ioesia'
.ig-Hke. when three cowboys ridin' along
sIEei hxm and 1ne u them yeIet
,ulllng his gun and beginning 20 shoot a.
he same tine. Ts3yiS-ee there Do 80
ea that what Is it7 ! be- yog 7 can
mock IL Of first Whoog-ee. Look our
here. stove-plps-
" I'll g. We. I'll BET yog cant. .
aou.ed he other -s-o. PIT. hang. bang
.anE. and the startled pedestrian gain
red himself toEethar and s9rint.-5 Cor
be ue,zres- open door. sat doxn Ire-1b-
ng and pale as deata- he had scarcely
~ there wien she cowboys cauzht s3gat
Z him again and one u them giving a
,o-1anche ye.L sal. Fio. rw watea 4.
. Of He swung his six-saooyer over
IL head and Dropped * % "A .cvel kin
NJ hat and fred TIE man attn The
TX hat rcsls6 Over wl1a a 5zIles-ssols