Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1903-12-24


RUFFIAN WHO LOOKED AS IF HE
HAD TAKEN ALL THE DEGREES
OF CRIME.
street originally ran parallel with the
river but the current of the Mississ-
ippi, which is ever making some ex-
cuse for change, had eaten away
large part of the bank so that the
upper end of the street ran almost
into the water. The rear end of sew
eral houses on the west side were ac-
tually suspended over the stream,
and it was only question of time
when they would topple into the
swirling waters; but it is rather a
venerable observation that because
thing did not happen yesterday
people are inclined to think that it
will not happen tomorrow. And so,
many persons on upper Commerce
street continued to reside above the
river, knowing full well that there
would be an end to it some time, but
fondly expecting that somehow they
would move out day or two before
the crash came and the river claimed
lot of refuse not its own.
At last they came to Peters Rest.
It was q two-storied house, which
in its day had been considered one
of the handsomest residences in the
city; for, in the early days of Nilus,
this congeries of filth, crime and deg
relation had been the most eligible
part of the town. Yet nobody ever
dreamed at the time of this story
that Hell's Half Acre, which lay
banked in shadows to the north,
would one day be reclaimed again
and traversed by railroads and re-
sound with the hum of business; for
now the desperate and the rough
were omnipresent in that locality.
The exigencies of the time had con-
troverted this old mansion into the
verv worst resort of its kind in the
city. 1t was become the rendezvous
of all sorts of disreputable men and
women. 1t was here that under the
influence of liquor, which was I'M
eoualed in vileness, nll sorts OF evil
pacts were struck, crimes were
planned and new lessons of deprav-
itv were learned. Just this side OF the
Rest was a vacant lot, stretching
down to the river. Hero Fenton said
he would stop while Warde went in.
Before they separated Fenton handed
him a police whistle, and 1t was
agreed between them that II Warde
should blow it, the detective would
know that he was in danger and
would hasten to his assistance. Fem
ton was not at all satisfied with this
adventure of Warde's, but he did not
communicate any Of his uneasiness.
The atmosphere in the saloon was
so heavy and malodorous that the
lights burned dimly and reluctantly.
Behind the bar was q stolid rufnan
who looked as If he might have taken
all the degrees of crime. low brow,
heavy black mustache, small animal
ewes and a profusion of cheap jewel
nv admirably fitted Billy MCGEE to
be the hero of q bloody melodrama
or a prominent character in a Lon
don chap-book. A couple of dissipated
Young men were throwing dice be-
fore Billy, who watched the result
with the interest Of dispassionate
referee. A number Of persons EN-.
bodying various degrees of disreputa-
bility were congregated about the
tables, some handling greasy decks OF
cards, some shooting craps" some
drinking whisky and other congenial
LIQUORS and some talking apart In
whispers on subjects not to be re-
vealed even in that favorable atmos'
phere. There were also on hand
few faded parodies of womanlind,
whose efforts to be gay and mirthful
were of q piece with their ghastly
surroundings.
RIO Ba Contsnued.l