The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1901-06-06
BOTH QUICK WITH GUNS.
a Remarkable Duel of Two Bad Men
of Colorado

of Colorado
1.-THE most affectionate looking two
handed gun play that l ever saw" said
a Colorado man in one of the house
committee rooms, was the one that
happened at La Junta, in my state, ba-
tween Big Divide Jim Bratton and
George Cannon, as pizenish a pair of
real bad men of the type that has now
passed away as ever famed a AS or
twisted a bowie. Cannon was the pro-
prietor of the Gilt Edge honkaton,-
in La Junta, end it was at this place
that he had some trouble with Brafton
The argument ended by Brattnn back
ing out of the door with his lands up
Cannon having the drop Cannon
| didn't shoot then because his gun
wasn't loaded; he had been cleaning it
and had forgotten to replace The cart
| ridges. He'd have killed Bratt IN other
/ wise, as a 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 buged aim, how
ever, by turning a corner suddenly as
Cannon paraded down the main street
and then it was Gannon's hands that
went up, for a change Bratton had
two guns covering him, and Cannon
knew his gait.
This said Bratton, is where
get an even break for my coin. Nov,
you like me so much, Cannon, that !
want you to sort of show your appre-
citation of me by walkin' around town
linked arms with me for while
ut 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 Cannon
left arm and passed it through his
right. The disadvantage of this ar
rangement accrued to Bratton. IT ieft
Gannon's gun arm free, while in case
of argument Bratton would have " use
his left arm. But Big Divide Jim
wasn't selfish.
'The population of La Junta was
amazed to see Big Divide Jim Bratton
and George Cannon, who had always
been more or less sore on each other,
and who had had quarrel that meant
the death of one or both of them on
them on the night before walking arm
in arm up and down the main street of |
the town. 1t looked like a peripatetic
love feast between the two of 'em. But |
they were watching each other like
tc baa Of l,oc CT
still with his right arm linked to Gan |
mons left, stopped suddenly and said:
sc George, 1 amt much on the blow |
about any gun suddenness that / may
possess but l 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
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 a finish. You've
got loose right arm, but l amt no
hog. One--tWC-three!'
"The event proved Big Divide Jim
BrattOn the quicker man and the bet
.er marksman. He got Cannon through
the heart, whereas Gannon's ball
edged in Brattons right wrist Brat
ton had to suffer his right hand to be
cut off that same night.
1.-THE last time 1 saw him was about
seven years ago, in Creede. He was
sitting on the edge Of a bunk in his
own cabin, close to u claim he was
] hadn't seen him since he'd
ost his hand.
jim said l. it's too bad you should
lave lost that right hand, If the fell
cw that plugged you had only got the
eft hand, WHY
oh, I don't know said Bratton,
If I'd ha lost my left
wouldn't have been able to play the
iddle any more
HE reached under his bunk and !
forth an old violin. Then he |
igged UP an attachment he had for |
e,ding the bow in his right stump, and
lie played the instrument real sweetly
or me for half an hour.
az couldn't have done no fingerin' if ! I
d ha' lost my left hook, you know he
aid, simply, when he put the old fid-
lie away. Washington correspond
nee of the Chicago Journal.