Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-04-14

| Odds Didn't Figure With Jack Wat
| son When He Concluded to Go Into
u Melee, and His Nerve Once Saved
| an Innocent Man.
The gamest man and the best fight
er that l ever knew.and I've known
quite number in my day-was little
Jack Watson of California" remarked
| Senator William NJ. Stewart of Nevada
one day in Washington when he was
| in story telling mood To a party OF
| interested listeners.
| Watson had been Il member of Jack
Hayes famous company, and. though
he didn't weigh over 120 pounds and
in height measured but . feet inches.
he would fight at the drop of a hat the
biggest man that ever breathed. L
don't know what state gave him birth.
but he was Il native of the south, and
all the pioneers of Texas knew him
well.
1.-The little chap didn't provoke diff
culties, but | verify believe he enjoyed
fighting for its own sake, and odds
didn't figure with him once he con-
cluded to go into melee. His long
suit was shooting. and Il deadlier shot
never fingered a re:olver.
Il shall never Forget the first time
that Jack Watson and | met. for the
circumstance was of the sort that
burns itself upon mans memory. l
was riding into Il mining camp in Ne
vada county and stopped ut n watering
trough to let my beast drink. About
the same time stranger OF very
diminutive stature rode up, and while
our animals refreshed themselves we
engaged in some casual conversation.
The stranger was Watson.
Before we exchanged half n dozen
sentences our attention was attracted
by great noise. and, looking around.
we saw ut least 200 men coming our
way with Il prisoner The prisoner
was n remarkably fine looking man,
but his captors had stripped him to the
waist, and the evident intention was to
fog him.
Before I could hardly realize what
was happening Watson spoke up. Dare
you go in with me and stop these men,
1t seemed bravado. but there was a
ring in the small ones voice that
sounded like business, and /, being
young and foolish, answered, Il dare
I'VE rushed after the mob at racing
speed, ana when l got close enough to
the leaders l yelled ut the top of my
lungs: Hold on, boys; you've got the
wrong man"
This was an inspiration, for l real
ly knew nothing of the case, but
hated to see such n magnificent looking
fellow undergo the humiliation OF n
public beating. But my cry caused
Il halt, and with Watson beside me L
repeated that they had the wrong man
and. still using my highest notes. call
ed for the appointment of n committee.
at is curious how easily n mob is
sometimes swayed. In less than ten
minutes this one. previously so impas-
stoned, had Gained down and was lis
tening quietly to the Investigations Of
the committee. Of which l had been
made chairman.
1T seems that the prisoner was, AS
apprehendcd, respectable and worthy:
man. and he had letters upon him that
vOuched for his integrity. He had
been accused of stealing 5000 in gold
by a miner, but we not only established
his innocence, but started an examina-
ton that led to the discovery of the
real thief.
after this l saw Jack no more till
one day In San Francisco, when I
found him in a most wTetched condi-
ton. He had gone to n political meets
ing where he was persona non grata,
and there was immediate trouble. Jack
killed two men, but was himself al
most riddled with bullets. An old ne-
gro took me to him, and found him
in an apparently dying condition. If
he had one bullet hole In him, he had
20. He had no doctor. no nurse, no
food, no friend but the old darky.
Il got him room in a good hotel
and the best physician money could
hire. The doctor thought he had a
bare chance to live, but was very du-
bious of his pulling through. His nerve
saved him. and in n few weeks he
was going around as game as ever.
'Thc next news of Jack came from
Pasadena. lie had gone to a ball and,
to the favor Of the belle OF
the town, reused the enmity OF n dozen
young Sallants. The shooting began
ress. but 1t was n bad day for Jack
Watson's assailants, for when the fir
ing ceased there were five of them
corpses, while he escaped unhurt.
Jack finally became n member OF
the legislature and. strange to say, died
a peaceful death. respected and loved
by all his neighbors. "-WashIngton
Post.
The eyes Of snakes are never closed.
Alive or dead. sleeping or waking. they