The sun., 1903-12-20
BRONCO JOHNS CHECKS IN.
A Man Of Mystery Who Was Very Quick
In Pulling q Gun.

LINCOLN, Neb., Dec. l2.-Bronco John
Daley las casked in. His name doesn't
appear in any of the school histories, but
that is the fault of the men who write them,
not of John. In the days WREN the frontiers
men were blazing the trail from Julesburg.
in Colorado, to Virginia City, in Nevada.
Daley was known far and wide as the
quickest man on the draw in the whole
region This did not even except Wild Bill
Hickok who had better press agent.
Daley died in destitute circumstances
in the wilds near Julesburg, where he first
made himself known. He was always a
mystery.
He started from Missouri with the party
of men who broke out the trail to the big
gold camps. and he first attracted attention
by his book knowledge. After the crowd
got little farther along toward the West
his ability in the gun tanning line earned
for him a respect that his book learning
had not awakened.
Some of the boys said Harris Chat
field New Mexico cattleman, who was
one of the party that accompanied Daley
to the gold camps, made an attempt to
find out where he came from, but they
were blocked in every attempt.
"Ke had an air of distinction about him
that was strange in our crowd, and it was
not until we saw him handle his gun that we
saw what an expert he was. 1t was treat
to see that mans hand 60 to his belt and
flash back again with the drop on fellow.
"One Of our men found to his SORROW that
it had q magic quickness. He was left
handed and nearly always got his man
in the region OF the hea,t. He never
He alvaya killed
Il remember an incident that happened
after we got to Virginia City. Daley and
] took stroll up the valley to see what
the country looked like. After short
walk we came upon saloon and Daley
invited me in to have drink with him.
There we're many bad ones around the
ha NC -outs in those days and when we
went in we were scrutinized by more than
a dozen of bad lockers. Daley gazed
about him in his rather austere manner
and with his usual dignity. He was al
ways the gentleman, no matter where he
somehow he did not take with the
bunch and one OF the crowd walked up to
s;Your kind don't go here said the
chap, who was evidently seeking fight.
"bailey looked at the man with an ex-
preston Of contempt. He pulled out a
pun that re1ched mes rly to his knees and
Lid 1t on the bar. With quick movement
of his hand he sent 1t spinning about on
the surface OF the rude counter and then
msde the soul of the braggart frontiers.
mnn feel the taste Of terror when he turned
his piercing eyes upon him;
See. 1 am unarmed,' he said to the
man. If you have the nerve to shoot,
take that gun and get to work. You have
the look Of murderer, but not one who
does his work in the open. Take TINT
gun, you coward his voice rising No?
thought so. knew 1t wasn't in you;
aDailey knew his man and the fellow
fell back in the crowd. never once having
moved to draw his own gun or take that
thrown upon the bar by Daley. After
th-t DALEY was me , kins pm OF tne sowh, WI .,
he tossed his shooter on the counter In
his wsistcoat pocket he had two derringers,
with which he would have killed his man
upon the first sign that the latter meant to
do business