The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1901-06-12
\ REMARKABLE DUEL
BOTH OF THE PARTICIPANTS WERE
QUICK ON The TRIGGER.

QUICK ON THE TRIGGER.
An Enforced Parade Preceded the
Gun Play, Witch Mas ON the Pull
nnd shoot order-Why Brattou Wa.
Glad lie Lost His Right Hand
'fhc most aifcctionate looking two
handed gun play that l ever saw" said
Colorado gentleman In one of the
house committee rooms, was the ono
that happened mt la Junta, In my
state, between Big Divide jim Brat
ton and George Cannon, as pizenlsh IA
pair of real bad men OF the type that
has now passed away rs ever famed
40 or twisted a Bowie
Cannon WIS the proprietor of the
Gilt Edge honkatonls in La Junta, and
1t WAS mt this place that he had some
trouble with Brattou. 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 gun wasn't loaded. lie had
been cleaning II and had forgotten to
replace the cartridges. He'd have killed
| Bratton otherwise as matter of
| course.
That same night Bratton sent word
IL Cannon that he meditated shooting
him up some on the following day.
Cannon wasn't IA man To take to the
cliffs or the cactus, having plenty OF
netehes on his gun barrel himself, and
he walked around the next afternoon
like II light battery of artillery big
Divide jim Bratton bulged him, how
ever, by turning II corner suddenly as
Cannon paradcd down the main street,
and then 1t was Gannon's hands that
went up for Il change. Bratton had
Two guns covering him, and Cannon
knew his gait
This. said Bratton, is where | get
an even break for my coin. Now, you
like me 50 much Cannon. that | want
sau To sort OF show your appreciation
Of me by walkln around town linked
arms with me for awhile
1t Nas up to Cannon to comply with
this peculiar request. big Divide Jim
Bratton tabbcd his guns back into his
belt, and then he clutched Gannon's
left arm and passed 1t through his
right The disadvantage of thls ar
ranEemrnt accrued To Bratton. 1t left
Gannon's gun arm free. while In case
of argument Bratton would have 10 use
his left gun But big Divide jim
wasn't selfish.
The population Of In Junta was
amazed 10 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 II quarrel that
meant the death of one or both of them
Oh the hight before. walking arm In
arm up and down the maiu street OF
the town 1t looked like peripatetic
love feast between the two OF 'em But
they were watching each other Ike
cats At tie end of the street Bratton.
still with his right arm linked to Can
mons left, stopped suddenly aud said
George, | uiu't much on the blow
about any Gun suddenness that | may
POSSESS. buJ l sure want To give you n
chance You thrung 1t into me last
night In way that's eat up So much of
the atmosphere around here that
tti'it - llbl 'libuEi an WI III tlil1
nclGhhorhood for both Of us te breathe
nj one aud the same time I'm ugoIn
10 count three. and when | say three
It's a breakaway aud Il finish You've
got loose right arm, but | amt no
hog one two three
The event proved big Divide Jim
Brattun the quicker man and the better
,tt.l-. L.. In 4, nah
Tire heart, whereas Gannon's bnll lodg
ed Ia Brnttou's right wrist. Bratton
had TO suffer his right hand to he cut
eli that same night
"Ilie last time saw him was in
Creole. He WIS sitting on the edge OF
a bunk IN his own cabin. close to n
claim hc was working | hadn't seen
him since he'd lost his hand
Jim said |. ITS too bad you
should have lost that right hand. II
tie fellow that plugged you had only
got the left hand. why
''Oh. don't know, said Bratton
plllosoplieally. IF I'd ha' lost my left,
| wouldn't have been able to plny the
fiddle any more
lie reached under his bunk and
brought forth an old violin Then he
rugged W an attachment he hid for
holding the how iu Ills right stump.
and he played the instrument real
swcctly for mo for half an hour or so.
- couldn't have done no fngerln II
Ed ha' lost my lcft hook, you know be
said simply when he put the old fiddle
NHugl.I1Hf,,