The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1901-08-22
Welcomed to Tombstone.

mo, I never intend to set foot III
Tombstone, Arizona, again" remarked
James Bosco, at the Albany last night;
that is provided, of course, that God lets
me live and gives me strength and
knowledge to guide my steps You want
to know why? 1t was like this: Twelve
years ago l graduated from Princeton
University, in both the law and literary
departments. Immediately came " est,
for it was my ambition to hang out my
shingle in place that afforded plenty OF
criminal law. was in Ell Paso, Texas,
when was told that there was a small
town in Arizona called Tombstone, and
that there ought to be plenty Of criminal
practice there, as murders and such things
were common. While on my journey |
fell in with 'greaser,' who had limited
English vocabulary, but who succeeded
in making my hair stand on end 10y IN
forming me that one young lawyer who
had, in past years, attempted to prosecute
a man for killing another in Tombstone,
was himself shot by the sheriff, who hap
pened to be friend of the murderer. l
noticed crowd of cowboys and gamblers,
who eyed me closely, and few low re-
marks were dropped. took no notice OF
this, however, but stabbed my horse and
put up for the night at the only lodging
house 1 could find. Having nothing better
to do, retired to sleep about s O'Clock,
and, being tired, soon fell asleep.
II don't know at what time was awak
ened, but it was probably about midnight
that heard 4 great knocking at my door.
/ jumped out of bed and opened it. Then
I went to bed again, and on looking up Il
sight met my eyes which would have
frightened Drawer men than /; but l had
always heard that the best plan in cmcr-
gencies was to keep cool head, and SO |
tried to appear cool.
AT least twenty half-drunkcn cattle
rustlers and rowdies stalked into my
room, with drawn guns and serious faces.
Then remembered telling the lanuiord l
was lawyer, and my heart failed me.
"See here, ye tenderfoot," said the leader
to me, 'ef ye've got the nerve yell not git
hurt, but if We show the white feather yell
git streak O. moonlight through yc.' |
made no reply.
Then, before realized it, a pistol shot
rang out, and the ball shattered the Win
dow pane. This was only signal, and l
was greeted with fusilade. Bullets pat
tered against the walls, broke the furni-
ture and some actually ploughed through
the mattress on which / lay. Their marks
manship was wonderful, for with what
seemed a great deal of reckless shooting
I was touched but once, and then the ball
only took the skin from the calf of my leg.
I expected each instant to be killed, but
knew that if kept still had some chance,
whereas if l had moved it would have
been certain death.
presently there was pause, and with
all the nerve could muster l said, Gen
tlemen, if you're done shooting I'll go to
sleep They were amazed at my GOODNESS
and to show their admiration for grit, they
left me alone in my glory and filed out
of the room.
81 never closed my eyes after that, but
at the first sign of day dressed and went
down to saddle my horse.
The part Of the whole affair that al
ways struck me as being ludicrous was
that when I went to pay the landlord for
my nights lodging he had the brass to
present me with a bill of $12 for broken
glass and furniture.
'Did hang out my shingle in Tomb
stone? Well, not much. When the first
beams of the rising sun shed their light
over the prairies I rode out of Tombstone,
never to return"