The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-08-10
PURDY WAS KNIGHTLY
AN ESTEEMED MARSHAL OUT IN
OUTLAW TRACY'S LAND.
Dan Costigan's Case Cited to Show
That he Would Bring in Tracy
Alive-But Purdy is Dead.
New York Sun.

New York Sun.
An this hue and cry after Tracy. the
poor reading in my opinion" said George
McNamee. of Seattle who was United
States Marshal in " ashington when that
state was Territory. IF Jim Purdy
was alive I'll pet he would bring Tracy
in quick enough, and alive at that
Jim Purdy was town marshal of Walla
Walla when that town was craggy to
live in. He kept the peace In Walla Walla
pretty well, but he earned his pay. WASH
ington then was a great hiding out corner
for fugitive bad men.
One of them, a sheep herder, turned
gambler from Pocatello, drifted into
Walla Walla in a kind of hurry one day.
Purdy knew why this fellow, whose name
was Dan Costigan. got out of Idaho on
the lope, and when Costigan got in the
two had a bit of talk. Purdy told COST
gan that he didn't intend to bother him
If Ne was good.
have been doing down the line. even If
| do know about it, Purdy said to the
bad man, so long as you behave here.
But you've got to behave, Dam
"Costigan said that he would -Four
days later he got into a wrangle with
barkeeper and shot him. Not caring
to take chances on any gun play with
Jim Purdy whom he knew to be a dead
shot, Costigan hiked for 1t.
1T was two m )nthS before Purdy
heard that Costigan was over in II Waca
settlement on Bakers Bay, at the
mouth of the Columbia River He oiled
his guns and started after Costigan.
The arst mGl he met as he got out
of the spruce @brest and on to the main
street of II Waco was Dan Costigan.
He saw Dan first and could have killed
him where he stood with his back turned
But this wasn't Purdy He wanted to
see If Costigan would not avail himself
of a chance to come along easy like. So
he hailed Costigan.
-" Hello Dam Jim called out, and
Costigan wheeled about pretty suddenly.
he saw Purdy. He saw that Purdy's
guns weren't out. and. without exactly
wanting to open up proceedings. he prob
ably felt that he could go after his guns
as quickly as Purdy could get his ar
tillery out if the time came for that
" Coming along Dan? Purdy inquired
as he walked up to Costigan with his
thumbs in his belt strap.
No said Costigan, I'm not
" Better had Dan said Purdy.
Nope said Purdy. can't see it
'Purdy l was told. looked disappointed
" I kind o thought, DAN said he. In
a grieved sort of way. that you'd act like
you had some sense and come along with
me-.
" Nope replied Costigan. shaking his
head. Can't do 1t. Jim. honest. I'd
like to oblige you, but just naturally can't
see, 1t"
. All right said Purdy. But I'm g.
goin to take you back. Dan You know
that I don't like to shoot a man up none,
but as long as you're bound not to come
along nice and decent. why then. you
want to look out for me. I'm sure a
going to take you back a hull lot.
Well, you get me. that's all said
Costigan, and he began to back down
the street.
He didn't go for his guns. He felt
that would be dangerous and he felt
pretty sure that Purdy wasn't going to
get his irons out right then So he Just
kept on backing. watching Purdy mar
rowly. Purdy just stood with his thumbs
in his belt strap watching Costigan back
ing around the corner.
f'Jihf walked to the western end of the
settlement and got accommodat tons in
the shack of Portuguese salmon fisher
man He knew that Costigan couldn' t
get well out II Waco. So he felt pretty
easy.
After washing up at the Portugese's
shack, Jim walked down to the main
street to get drink and locate Costlgan.
Purdy found that Costigan WAS bunking
off in shack that he'd fitted up down