The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1900-06-28
The Man on the Bridge

q ne city marehal. There was more in
Il than in prospecting anyway, or to
nut it plainly there was as much wealth
q / chose to gather in, with every
prospect of public funeral in case
/ happened to get shot. The trouble
xas where to draw the line, for it ]
lust let things slide the boys would
massacre each other until there was
nothing left but the town site, and
II I did my duty the first thing would
have been to clap the whole popula-
fion in iail or run them all out of the
country. 1 did neither, but just dis
eliminated. Suppose man got into
trouble, the first thing to find out
was whether he had vote, secondly
n be had voted to put me in office,
thirdly If he belonged to the Knights
Of Labor, Knights of Pythias, Miners
union, or any other kind of secret
society. Should he prove any of these
things or be well fixed as regards
wealth, it was no use to bother beyond
formal arrest and wink with the
on eve. II he was a destitute alien
without any friends he had no right
] 10 get into trouble, SO I made an ex-
ample of hirr. Another difficulty was
about unlicensed or prohibitive busi-
ness; but if had turned the law loose
On every offender I should have closed
Up all saloons, gambling halls, restau-
rants, dance houses and theaters-in
fact the whole city of Amber, includ-
Ing the church, for running q gam
bling show which was advertised as a
baxar. There were a few other indus
tries, laundry, q mortuary and a
hospital, but they were mostly liable
Tor overdue taxes, 80 that I ought to
have put them all in the jug, includ-
Ing the city marshal, which was me.
The usual thing was to blackmail
everybody instead of running up jail
expenses, but the question was where
70 draw the line. You see if l didn't
/ blackmail enough, people concluded
ms useless, and if assessed them toe
much they kicked like the bulls Of
8sshan. AS Dan McPhail said once in
1 he vigilance committee when I jacked
him up for cumbering the sidewalk
with packing to show what Z
stock Of goods he had to "sacrifce"-
This job requires tact"
Vow in case there's any benighted
j pilgrim here who doesn't know Am.
Der Gulch, I'd better explain that its
nthe Bitterroot mountains of Idaho
between Dead Mule pass and the
Northern Pacific railroad. Well, as
was saying, was city marshal of Am
Der III the fall of 80, when an English
nan turned up from goodness know.
where. dead broke. "Look here" say,
Ae. ayou're city marshall
II air."
We'll, look here" says he: "I'n
broke. Eve tramped here oalt of Wash
snston territory, and my partner al
spokane Falls has stolen all my clothes
except what I've got on"
What made you come here, any
how" says I.
Look here" says he. 81 got strand
= IN the farming coun. Try with win
ser coming on, and I'd have starved t,
seath for all the work could get. S,
4 nade Tor the nearest mining camp"
Ae had an old SLOUGH hat, a shirt
ERALS and pair of boots; hadn'
- 2 square meal for months, locke,
straight in the eyes, and what h
Nd was true.
Wen" says I, "what do you want I?
&c looked up the street, then down
saeeting his thoughts, then at m
saight.
se written three times to tn
okanc police to ask them to recove
Clothes. I got no answer-now
mt you to write"
20 to that store" says 1, pointin
Dsn McPhail's, "rig yourself ou,
teH them to charge it to me-"
Z ne thanked me, turned his hea
wiped his eyes with one finee,
faeed me again. I'm not ths
g mas. Win you write th
eosrse I did. He had proved th.
sAeush he vas only an alien Bri