Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1901-08-21
A REMARKABLE DUEL
BOTH OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE
QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.

An Enforced Parade Preceded the
Gun Play. which Was on the Pull
and Shoot Ordcr-Why nrntton Was
Glad He Lost His Right Hand.
"fhe post aifcctionate"looking two
handed gun play that ever saw" said
n Colorado gentleman in one of the
house committee rooms. was the one
that happened ut I.a .Tunta. in my
state, between Big Divide Jim Brat
ton and George Cannon, as pizenish
has now passed away as ever famed o,
.45 or twisted a Bowie.
Cannon was the proprietor of the
Gilt Edge honkatonk in La Junta, and
it was at this place that lie had some
trouble with Bratton. The argument
ended by Bratton backing out of the
door with his hands up. Cannon having
the drop. Cannon didn't shoot then be-
cause his gl>n wasn't loaded. He had
been cleaning it and had forgotten to
replace the cartridges. He'd have killed
Bratton otherwise as matter of
course.
"That same night Bratton sent word
to Cannon that he meditated shooting
him up some on the following day.
Cannon wasn't man to take to the
cliffs or the cactus, having plenty of
notches on his gun barrel himself, and
he walked around the next afternoon
like a light battery of artillery. Big
Divide jim Bratton hulged him. how
ever, by turning a corner suddenly us
Cannon paraded down the main street,
and then it was Gannon's hands that
went UP for n change. Bratton had
two guns covering him, and Cannon
knew his gait.
"This,' said Bratton, is where 1 get
an even break for my coin. Now, you
like me so much, Cannon. that want
you to sort of show your appreciation
of me by walkin around town linked
arms with me for awhile
"It was up to Cannon to comply with
this peculiar request. Big Divide jim
Bratton jabbed his guns back into his
belt, and then he clutched Gannon's
left arm and passed 1t through his
right The disadvantage of this ar
rangement accrued to Bratton. 1t left
Ganpon's gun arm free, while in case
of argument Bratton would have to use
his left gun. But Big Divide Jim
wasn't selfish.
"The population Of La Junta was
amazed TO see big Divide jim Brat
ton and George Cannon, who had al
ways been more or less sore on each
other and who had had quarrel that
meant the death of one or both of them
on the night before. walking arm in
arm up and down the main street Of
the town. 1t looked like n peripatetic
loysffeast between the weaof 'em. But
they We're watching each other like
cats. At the end of the street Bratton.
still with his right arm linked to Gan
mons left, stopped suddenly and said:
"George, amt much on the blow
about any gun suddenness that may
possess, but l sure want to give you a
chance. You thrung it into me last
night in n way that's eat up SO much of
the atmosphere around here that
there's not enough air left in this
neighborhood for both of us to breathe
at one and the same time. I'm a-goin
to count three. and when say three"
it's breakaway and finish. You've
got a loose right arm. but amt no
hog. One-two-three!
'The event proved Big Divide Jim
Bratton the quicker man and the better
marksman. He got Cannon through
the heart. whereas Gannon's ball lodp.
ed in Bratton's right wrist. Bratton