The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1904-04-29
FOUGHT STRANGE DUEL.
Cowboy Used His Leather Breeches
Against Sword of Gendarme.

y
with Buffalo Bill. an expert shot and
the husband OF Annie Oakley. who
herself enjoys an international repu-
tation as one OF the most expert rifle
shots in the world. recently told OF
some OF his experiences as a stren-
uouS character with Col, Cody.
4 remember an incident that occur
red at Barcelona. Spain, while we
were there in 1890" said the captain.
When we arrived there we expected
to meet with all the prosperity that
we had been accustomed to, but about
the time of our arrival an epidemic
OF typhoid. smallpox and la grippe set
in and we spent three of the toughest
months OF Our lives. The tents were
deserted and the streets, too, for that
matter. To such hardships were we
reduced that we lowered the price to
10 cents. and we could not have got
even this if the money had not been
mostly counterfeit. AS a result, the
entire company of 200 people were
without salary. and were in such a
disagreeable humor that they were
scrapping with each other half the
time.
AT about the worst stage Of the
game one day. rather strenuous
incident occurred 1t was the funniest
and strangest duel that ever saw OF
heard of. One OF the cowboys was
swinging through the arena with a
pair of leather snaps over his skoul-
ders-shaps, you know, being those
heavy leather or bearskin breeches
the cowboys wear-when, as he was
passing by one Of the Spanish gen
darmes, he accidentally struck the
Spaniard lightly. The gendarme
stopped him and lively colloquy en-
sued, the expressions becoming more
and more excited, neither understand
ing the other. until the Spaniard went
after the American cowboy with his
sword By this time the entire troupe
and the audience had turned their
attention from the show to the side
show which had just been started.
The American had no gun or
knife or sword, and so when the
Spaniald attacked him with the SWORD
he fought back with the snaps which
he had carried on his shoulders. At
first the oficious official took the Of
fensive and thrust his sword several
times into the leather snaps, but the
cowboy warded off any serious bldAy
at himself. and then when the Span
lard had become a little tired. the
strong cowboy went after him with
the Snaps and gave him the WORST
licking I ever saw one man give an
other. He raped him over the head
and shoulders and beat him down un-
til he was thoroughly thrashed, the
crowd meanwhile taking a keen inter-
est in the affair. He had no trouble
with the Spaniards after that.
We had other iunny old times
there. Once my wife and | went 10
buy a turkey ior Christmas. They
are So poor there in Spain that it is
considered luxury TO buy even d
hind leg OF the bird. and so when we
ordered whole turkey we had a
crowd following rs all the way home.
when we were in Germany,at Ben
ieldt. the mayor gave hunting party
in honor OF COL Cody. Annie Oak
ley and some OF the others in the
show. and in the party he was so carr
full OF his dignity that he insisted on
riding on a horse with his silk hat
and white gloves. We gave him a
western horse OF the gentlest kind.
Away he went along the paths and
across the fields and finally to i
ditch. Al! went over but the mayor.
and he wcu!d have gone over all right.
but aS The horse Fitted he pulled him
I'D. and down in .:lc ditch rolled the
mayor. he six hat. the white gloves
and th,. i,,,->r When his honor came