Arizona republican., 1902-05-26
DUEL TO THE DEATH
After . Hard Battle George Alkire
 Kills His Opponent.

A fierce duel occurred in this city one night about q week ago in which George Aikire. after a desperate strus- gle, killed his opponent and left the 70 mains in q frightfully mangled shape. But the remains were little la,s mangled than was a!f Alkire who a3s carefully guarded the secret till Iis physician pronounced him out Of ia n- ger.
 zlr. .AI&:re's oppone,,; was biz vel Cow tomcat that for months has hau.it- ed the -Alkire preserves i'll Rriirs dddi- ton, fo-2Sine on everything asAil2 ble that would attract q cats fancy. He las in wait when members oi the fam fly passed in and out end if they chanced to leave the kitchen door dn- | locked after the visit of the butcher there vas TO meat or the table u ;he | next meal.
 ! On that eVeatful night the screen i door to the kitchen was left unlocked. About the time AIr. Aikire had slept ! himself tired on one side and rolled over to the other he heard q scratching tt the door. Getting Up to lo0l he found the animal had forced an en- 1 trance. Mr. Alkire slipped quietly | ! Then with murder in his heart and q fire shovel in his hand he sailed into tke eat. lie jabbed him fore and aft. u2Por deck and lower deck. sit ais topmains'I and bore away his rear jib- boom. By this time the cat had retreated to the cellar and the f-e shovel It the end of the round v:aa ! EroSgy. It vas cast aside and an iron | == dove down the cellar steps. fired a ham at the cat and called time. As the feline made for the stairs George land eG with the poker between the ears bat it never feazcd his opponent By chis
 time Harry Brown stuck his head l th! oIeh the door of an adjoining room and began to encourage his brother-ir- law. who at that moment was sparriae fer wind. The cat W&s no longer ag-
 sressive but still put up ar able de- 1 fense.
 Harry called time and they mixed
 again. During the first clirch the cat got George by the ankle and let Q mark he will wear to his grave. IT the i're2!laway Nlr. Alkire Was fright fully scratched on the hands F'inally ! 2 heavy blow put the poker out of
 business. bending t nearly double Then George called for gun. E.: this
 time the ct vas in the cellar again MT. Alilire eIaptied a six-sho0ter Harry had passed into him. Passed il. re- member for Harry refused to mix in a family fight and George Was; by this time wild with rage. Though the light was bad in the cellar some O. the i,ul- lets tool effect and the feline stretched uut full length. George counted ten and there was no response. Suppcsing
 the animal was dead he advanced io drag him out of the cellar when he re- ceiVed 2 worse scratching than in any preceding round. The cat could 10. crawl but he could still fight.
 Then Mr. Allzire. airayed in ui7et
 was leit of his pajamas. retired to the l woodward, where le sot shapely mes
 quite club. On the way back into the house his brother, Frank. who had
 witnessed the duel from his screen sleeping room il the yard. called put
 to him. Give t to him. George: it's iots Of fun
 When he reached the cellar again l.e did give it to him and with never a ;aise move. When he emerged from l the cellar his face wore a looE of tri- umpn. Elsewhere he wore very little of aHs thing except blood and rag5. Cor his paiamaS were TO longer beauti ful But he had a dead cat in his hands, and since then has been eating meat regii- 1 llrly. but not cat meat. With the cat out of the way he feels able to cope with the beei trust