The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-07-26

Eve set him down as pizen mean. He
might be a blamed sight better. and he
might be Il heap wuss.
1T appears that Tom started for
Injun Hill the other day to find a new
brand of forty rod. 1t appears that
Joe started from Injun Hill for Sandy
Bend at about the same hour. AS q
result, the two of 'em met on the trail
about half way. They met jest where
some n had dropped a bag Of -four.
and both jumped forward and laid
claim to the find. Very nacherally
there was a row. Had this court bin
there hisself he would have pulled his
gun and defended his rights. There
was a proper amount Of cussin' and
jawin', and then Joe Hazard grabs
up the bag and starts off with it. Tom
MacLarney opens fire on him as lie
goes.
"This our is willin' to bet fifty IL
one that he could have put a bullet into
Joe's leg six times over before he got
out of range, and there's fifty other
men in Sandy Bend who could have
done the same, but Tom MacLarney
wasn't seem straight. He did plug
the bag and let all the -four run out as
Joe made off, but the rest Of the bullets
went hyin' all over the territory Of
Wyoming.
"It was poor shootin'-mighty poor.
1t was such shootin' as any man of US
would be ashamed to tell of. But Tom
felt that he must git ever or bust. l
was behind the bar in my Red Dog
saloon, and business was goin' with a
rush, when Tom comes in. He was
breathin' hard and lookin' anxious.
whats yer drink says l as l
leans over the bar.
"'Ill take Il bari O. justice says he
as he pounds on the board.
"'What's wrong?
give been robbed
"Then this court has to put aside
biZness and sit down and inquire all
about it and issue a warrant for Joe
Hazard. 1t was not until Joe was ar
| rested that the true facts in the case
leaked out
"It appears that while he had an old
pistol with him. it was out of repair
and unloaded. All the shootin' was
done by Tom, and outside OF hit:in' the
| bag of fou he wasted ten cartridges
He didn't ~ make JOe's hair curl
This court spent two hours maxim al
investigation, and be found the facts
as related. The statoos of Wyoming
don't say nothin' to guide a jestice OF
the peace in a case like this. The stat
COS don't reckon on no such cases bein
pulled off, or if they are that the jes
tice will know enough to handle then
accordin' to Hoyle.
I'm feelin' sorry for poor Tom Mac
Larney in a way. He amt to blame
for his squint. He wouldn't have hat
it if he had been given a choice in thu
matter. What l do blame him for
however, is luggin' around a u ant
thinkin' he could use it as well as any
body else. He orter have known bet
ter. He orter have tried sbootin at
tree, and thrown away his gun for
club. And this court can't Dcssibl.
excuse the fact that arter his Siiootir
had proved a failure Tom comes ga
lopin' down from Injun Hill and holler
for jestice and makes u that he la
bin robbed of his bag Of Jour.
81 don't need to reserve decision 10
a week to study up the law on the case
I'm goin' to say to Tom right here an
now that he can't git out OF this tour
!, room and this town of Sandy Bend an
l too soon. He can't stay away tool Ions
] He can't give rs any too little Of hi
future society. I don't want it to 6