Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1901-07-10
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 Order-why Bratton Was
Glad He Lost His Right Hand.
The most afcctionate looking two
handed gun play that ever saw" said
/ Colorado gentleman i'm one of the
house committee rooms, was the one
| that happened at La Junta, in my
state. between Big Divide jim Brat
ton and George Cannon. as pizenish a
pair of real bad men of The type that
has now passed away as ever famed
40 or twisted a Bowie.
Cannon was the proprietor of the
Gilt Edge honkatonk in La JUnta, and
it was at this place that he had some
trouble wirh 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 gun wasn't loaded. He had
been cleaning it and had forgotten TO
replace the cartridges. He'd have killed
Brattop otherwise as matter of
course
THAT same night BrattOn sent word
to Cannon that he medtated shooting
him up some on the following day.
Cannon wasn't a man to take to the
cliffs or the cactus, having plenty of
notches on his gun barrel himself, aud
lie walked around the next afternoon
like light battery of artillery. Big
Divide Jim Bratton bulged him, how
ever. by turning 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 him, and Cannon
knew his gait
This said Bratton, lis where L 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
1T was up to Cannon To comply with
this peculiar request. Big Divide jim
Bratton iabbed his guns back into his
belt. and then he clutchcd Gannon's
left arm and passed 1t through his
right. The disadvantage of this ar
rangement accrued to Bratton. 1t 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.
1.-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 n 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 peripatetic
love feast between the two OF 'em. But
they were 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 l may
possess, but l sure want TO give you
chance. You thrung it into me last
night i'm Il 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 10 breathe |
at one and the same time. I'm a-goin |
to count three. and when | say three
it's breakaway and n 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 /
He got Cannon through 1
the heart, whereas Gannons ball lodg |
ed in Bratton's right wrist. Bratton
had TO suffer his right hand 10 be cut
OFF that same night.
The last time / saw him was in /
Creole. He was sitting on the edge OF
n bunk i'm his own cabin, close to a
claim he was working. l hadn't seen
him since he'd lost his hand.
Jim said /, it's 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
IF I'd ha' lost my left.
wouldn't have been able TO play the
fiddle any more
HE reached under his bunk and
brought forth an old violin. Then he
-igged up an attachment he had for
holding the bow in his right stump.
and he played the instrument real
'weetly for me for half an hour or so.
"I couldn't have done no fingerin il
"a ha' lost my left hook, you know he
said simply when he put the old fiddle
way w-WaShinOfon Post