The Savannah morning news., 1901-06-27
QUICK WITH THEIR GUNS.
A Remarkable Duel of Two bad Men
of COIorndn

of Colorado.
washington correspondence of the Chira-
so Journal.
The most affectionate looking two
handed gun play that / ever saw" said
Colorado man in one of the House
committee rooms, was the one that
happened at La Junta, in my State be-
tween Big Divide Jim Bratton ana
George Cannon, as pizeGfsh a pair Of
real bad men OF the type that his now
passed away as ever famed a As or
twisted bowie. Cannon was the pro-
prietor of the Gilt Edge honkatonl in
La Junta, and Il was at this place that
ne had some trouble with Bfatfon The
argument ended by Bratton backing out
OF the door with his hands I'D, Cannon
having s!!:c e:si. Cannon ss9s,ss;ist
then, because his gun wasn't loaded ne
had been cleaning 1t and had forgotten
70 replace the cartridges. He'd have killed
Bratton otherwise, as a matter of course
THAT same night Bratton sent WORD
10 Cannon that he meditafed shooting
MIN up some ON the following day Gam
non wasn't a man to take to the cMffs
or the cactus. having plenty of notohes
on his gun barrel himself, and he walked
around the next afternoon like a light
artery of artillery. Big Divide Jim
Bratton bulged him. however. by turn
ing a corner suddenly as Cannon paraded
down the main street, and then Il was
Gannon's hands that went up. for a
change. Bratton had two guns covering
MIN, and Cannon knew his gait
This, said Bratton, is where l get
an even break for my coin. Now YOU
like me so much, Cannon that I want
you to sort Of show your appreciation
OF me by walkin around town linked
arms with me for a while
1T was up TO Canon to conplv with
this peculiar request big Divide Tim,
Bratton jebbed his guns back into his
Deit. and then he clutched Gannon's left
arm and passed II through his right The
disadvantage Of this arrangement ac-
cured TO Bratton IL left Gannon'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 amaz-
ed TO SEQ Big Divide jim Bratton ana
George Cannon. who had always been
more or less sore on each other. ana
who had had a 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
III looked like a perlpatetic love feast be-
tween the two of 'en. But they were
watching each other like cats. At 9he
right arm linked to Gannon's leet, stop
ped suddenly and said
George. I aint much on the blow
about any gun suddenness that may
possess. but I sure want to give YOU a
chance. You thrung 1t into me last night
In 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
time I'm IN
and when / say three" It's a break
away and finish You've got loose
right arm, but ] aln't no hog. One-two-
threev
THE event proved Big Divide jim
Bratton the quickest man and the better
marksman. He got Cannon through the
heart, whereas Gannon's BAN lodged IN
Bratton's right wrist. Bratton had 10
suffer his right hand 10 be cut Off that
same night
"'rhe last time I saw him was aa,out
seven years ago. an Creole. He was sit
ting on the edge Of a bunk In his own
cabin. close 20 a claim he was working
hadn't seen him since he'd lost HIS
hand.
Jim said I. ITS too bad you should
have lost that right hand II the fellow
that plugged you had only got the left
hand. why
Oh. l don't know" said Bratton.
rahosophieally, II IN hA' lost my left
! wouldn't have been able 20 play The
fiddle any more
He reached under ms bunk and
brought forth an old violin. Then he rig
ged up an attachment he had for hold
Ing the bow IN his right stump. and he
played the instrument real syeetly for
me for half an hour.
4 couldn't have done no hugerln' n
Ia hn' lost my left hook. YOU know
he said. simply when he put the old
fiddle away"