The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-01-04

HuIt F>LIItQ sun drank ana one OFInK
Of Ellsworth whisky was abe1ievedsto make
man burn his wife's dress. BY noon
Smith was aadanGerots maniac. An air
Of expectancy and uneasiness was every
where visible. Men on that side of the
street kept hands on pistol butts and
watched the house Warily as they passed.
At L D. m. Smith left the rear of his
place on horseback and the timid ran for
cover. The sheriff, pistol in hand, tried to
intercept him while the citizens from safe
doorways gaze nlooi1ing advice about
catching rabbits before cooking. Smith, a
veteran Of thirty-five years in the regular
cavalry, now1oYer sixty years DID, guiding
the animal without the rein, gaIloped
around Kingsbury sceFpfully ignoring the
shots fired at him. Reaching the end Of
one broad street he turned, drew both re-
Volvers from their holsters, struck spurs
into the horse and firing each. alternately
raced through the town. Turning at the
other end with the smoking weapons
empty. he came .cantering back, sitting
his horse in spite OF age and drink like
the veteran dragon he was. Somehow he
changed one Of the empty revolvers for
a fresh one unperceived. Capt. Kings
bury stepped out to meet him but the old
soldier brandishing pistol warned him
back. The sheriff, thinking this empty,
still advanced, when Smith, to his aston
ishment began to shoot, aiming at his
feet and legs. 1t was ridiculous fight.
fingsbury shooting over the mad man s
head and the%latter at the sheriff's feet,
while spectators, now safe, howled with
derisive joy. Unnohced the first shot
struck the sheriff;s right foot, making a
painful wound. His boot full OF blood, 1t
required increasing nerve to walk so
Kingsbury rushed" the mad man and
pulled him off his horse just as the last
shot almost scraped his face. It was a
miracle that the captain was not killed
His patience and GOODNESS saved both
lives. Smith was locked up till he got
sober and sent home, but the sheriff
walked with crutches for many a day.
Charley and Frank Johnson, brothers,
kept the Halfway house in 1868 about a
mile from Ellsworth on the road to the
fort. 1t was q rough, uneouth place. One
night Charley Johnson beat a, wagon mas
ter by the name of Sweringer with the
handle of a revolver. All knew that their
first meeting meant death to one or both.
One night at Goes. dance and gambling
hall Charley pushed his way from the
rear to the front OF the. hall and was
going out. The place was crowded. The
tables were surrounded and the floor full
of dancers. He had cleared the dancers
and was approa ching the door when Swer-
niger entered.,.T Both stopped suddenly
about ten feet apart. A few saw what had
happened and hastily sotsfout of range,
but to most the shots were the first dan
ger signals. With Incredible sWiftness and
concert each drew his weapon. John
sons pistol flashed first but SweTinger
followed so closely that the two made one
prolonged report. The crowd parted and
ran to cover and women screamed. The
revolvers cracked till both were empty.
The first of their shots were fired together,
g.,4z-
val between. At the third time Sweringer
began to sink but his shots, though slow
er, came regularly, the last after he was
but heap on the floor.
johnson. without coat or waistcoat,
wore a freshly laundered White shirt.
With the first shot crimson was seen
spreading on the bosom. When his antag-
onist fell the whole front was blood
soaked. With the last shot friends rushed
in and as Johnson turned away he stag
gered and had to be supported out Of the
door He was finally carried to the Mar
shall house adjoining, a stream of frothy
blood flowing from mouth and nostriIs.
When the bloody clothing was removed
he was found to have FIVE bullet wounds
IN the breast and one through the lungs.
He died tnirty-ive minutes after the
shooting. As he was led from the dance
hall, the scnseless wagon master was
taken up and also carried to the Marshall
house where he lay in the same condition
till he died at dawn Neither spoke after
the shooting. @
At the time Sweringar was fighting this
suicide duel at Ellsworth his friend, AL
len, in charge OF ttirty-fve empty six-
mule wagons was slowly making his way
from New Mexico. On the Eleven Mile
Ridge, about 26o miles from Ellsworth,
while the train was strung out and Off