The copper era., 1902-07-10
]. OLD-TIME SKETCHES
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A CAME ONE.

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 Somewhere aboat lS75 at Custer City,
 now Pennington county, South Da-
 kota. there were two partners in placer
 mining. One vas named Jim Rob bins, and his partner came to Custer,
 got on a jamboree, ard was arrested
 for shooting up the town. Robbins
 owned a team @ oxen and wagon
 which was used 70 haul placer dirt to the main stream rom back in the kills. They would work few days and get
 load of dirt. then haul it to the stream
 and wash it out. But as Jim's pardner
 was missing andtwas needed to assist
 in hauling and vt Shing, Robbins went
 to Custer and fou}d his pardner in the
 custody of an ofcer. They had no
 money but after btudying spell Jim
 told the court aiat he would stand
 good for his pa,1Sei''s costs. So they
 went tac'- tq q but one day found
 where some one S2$1 driven their oxen away. Jim got on a borrowed horse
 and struck ont for Custer on their
 trail When he reached town he found
 his cattle in a corral. He drove them
 out and started them back for his
 home in the hills. He had long
 Sharp's buffalo gun. no revolver, but
 was loaded down with ammunition.
 There was a young fellow there acting
 as officer for the town, and he started
 out to bring Robbins and the cattle
 back. He carried Sharp's rife and
 pistol. Some three miles out he over-
 took Robbins and as he came up Rob
 bins wheeled his horse in such po- sition that it threw Dr.. Pierce on the
 left, and Jim's big gun pointed right at the officer. Dr. Pearce asked
 Where are you going with those cat tle?" Jim replied "You can't rob me of my cattle.' Pearce said You must go bacl: with me-" to which Jim replied, II will kill you before I will
 let you take my cattle. They are all
 have and no law or lawyer can take
 them away from me. You drop your hand on your pistol and you are dead man." Doc. saw he was up against it.
 As they came to d pile of rock on each side of the road Doc. pulled his pistol and shot, but missed his man. the bull let taking effect in Jim's horse. The horse dropped, Doe. jumped from his saddle and got behind pile of rocks. Jim also took refuge behind a rock, and with their great guns they both tried to kill each other. Shot after shot was fired and for thirty minutes the fu5silade was kept up. After a while some twenty or thirty men came to assist the office. As they approach ed Jim said, Doe :, you have killed my horse and I am going to kill yours" Doc. sreplied. Jim, if you kill my horse I will kill your cattle" Then neither of them had round Of ammu-
 milton left. Robbins saw the game was up, so he said, "Doc., I will sur render to you if you will make that outfit let me alone. l want no stran- glers hold of me-" Doc. promised protection, and Jim came out and went to hand his gun to the officer, who said, Keep it, Jim, you arc too good a man to take gun from There was young lawyer in Custer who caused all this racket. He wanted to be officious and get what money there was in it. Doc. took Tim back to his own cabin and put the cattle and horse ! up. Jim had carried his saddle on his 1 back, and when he reached the cabin | he sat down outside and took some old | bread crusts out Of his saddle pockets | and commenced to eat. Doc. told him 1 to wait as he was going to get some supper, but Jim refused saying that he did not eat anything that he had | not earned, and that he would not touch grub that was given to him, ! which made Doc. feel bad. Just then | lawyer Harvey came up and asked the | officer why he did not put irons on his prisoner. Jim jumped and got the officers gun, and Doc. said, Jim don't | hit him, but give bim a big scare" Harvey commenced to run, while Jim | threw lead all around him. It was a | grand sight for Harvey made the race of his life. That night purse was | made up to defend Robbins. d lawyer ! secured and on the next day he was given jury trial and acquitted. Doc, and Jim afterwards became pardners and were together many years, and | never met two better men in my life. saw Harvey afterwards in Deadwood | and he told me that little affair edu- cated him. C. E. $.