The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1900-06-09
PRESSING AGAINST HIS NECK.

PRESSING AGAINST HIS NECK.
such great things. No sooner had he
made the inquiry than he felt a ring Of
cold steel pressing against the back of
his neck, and then a quiet, rather lisp
ing voice said: "Hindman, if you move
a muscle you are a dead man. I'm
Dahlman, the sheriff, and l want you
to shuck your weapons and lay them on
the bar. One false move and you are
as dead as the late lamented j. Gaze
sar." Something in the tone of the
voice impaired to the drink-crazed
mind of Hindman that he was up
against it. He weakened and disarm-
ed without a protest, and when Dahl
man had gathered up the discarded
weapons Hindman was marched to the
Jail and locked up.
One of Chadron's gambling halls hal
been the scene of several cold-blooded
murders, the victims being tenderfeet
who had lost their money and then
made a "holler." They were beaten to
death, and as the self-defense theory
was always set up, the murderers man
aged to escape justice. Dahlman tried
several ways to close up the disreput-
able joint, but without success. One
night he walked into the hall and
quietly bought a stock of blues, paying
for them with 81 900 in gold. He then
unloaded $4,000 in greenbacks and an
nounced that he would play it all pro-
viding the roof was lifted. This meant
removing the limit. Dahlman had
never been known to play faro, and
the men backing the game nearly fell
dead from sheer delight. They re-
moved the limit and the game began.
At the end of nine hours the dealer
turned the case, remarking: Banks
broke" Dahlman pocketed his win
nings, which were over $11 900, and
turned to go. AS he stood in the door
way he said:
Il want this to wind up this place OF
business. The room is needed for a
Methodist meeting house. | want all
your traps removed by noon tomorrow.
and if they are not I'll make trouble"
Hare-Lip Charley's place was closed
for good that night. The following
Sunday an itinerant Methodist minis
ter presided within it's walls over the
first religious meeting ever held with
in the corporate limits of Chadron.
One night a cowboy named France
killed a female attache of a dance hall.
France was impelled by jealousy and
whisky, but when he saw the dead girl
lying at his feet he sobered up and i'm
mediately fed. Dahlman started after
him within an hour. 1t was a long
chase and Dahlman did not come up
with the fleeing cowboy for two days.
When France saw that further flight
was impossible, he killed his broncho
and lay down behind it, throwing his
Winchester over the animal and an
nouncing that he would die before be-
ing taken prisoner.
"All right" shouted Dahlman, who
rode back about 500 yards and dis
mounted. After hobbling his horse he
made a fire and prepared his supper.
Twilight fell, and as darkness came on
France tried two or three shots at the
sheriff, but the distance was too great.
When morning came Dahlman was
rubbing down his horse and France
was sitting on his dead animal. The
murderer took several shots at the
sheriff, but Dahlman, having nothing
but his ~revolvers, did not fire in return.
During the day Dahlman quietly gath
cred a pile of dry prairie grass, and,
when night came he removed his
clothes and stuffed them full Of grass.