Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1904-01-27
A MAN OF MYSTERY.
The End OF Bronco John. Gentleman
FrOntiersman Who Was Light
ming with q Gun.

| Bronco John Daley has cashed 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 when the frontiersmen were
blazing the trail from Julesburg, in Col
orado, to Virginia City, in Nevada, Daily
was known far and wide as the quickest
man on the draw in the whole region.
This, says a Lincoln (Neb.) report to
the New York Sun, did not even except
Wild Bill Hickok, who had better press
agent.
Daley died in destitute circumstance
ces in the wilds near Julesburg, where
he first made himself known. He was
always mystery.
He started from Missouri with party
of men who broke out the trail to the
big gold camps, and he first attracted at
tention by his book knowledge. After
the, crowd got a: little farther along to-
ward the west his ability in the gun
tanning line earned for him a respect
that his book learning had not awak-
ened.
Some of the boys" said Harris Chat
field, a 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.
HE 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
go to his belt and flash back again with
the drop on fellow.
"One of our men found to his sorrow
that it had a magic quickness. He was
lett handed and nearly always got his
man in the region of the heart He new
er wounded. He always killed.
Il remember an incident that hap
pened after we got to Virginia City.
Daley and took stroll up the valley
to see what this country looked like
After short walk we came upon sa-
loon and Daley invited me in to have
a drink with him.
There were many bad ones around the
hang-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 always the gentleman, no matter
where he was.
Somehow he did not take with the
bunch and one of the crowd walked up
to him.
"'Your kind don't go here said the
chap, who was evidently seeking fight.
Daley looked at the man with an ex-
preston OF contempt. He pulled out a
gun that reached nearly to his knees
and laid it on the bar With a quick
movement of his hand he sent it spinning
about on the surface of the rude counter
and then made the soul of the braggart
frontiersman feel the taste of terror
when he turned his piercing eyes upon
him.
See, I 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 that
gun, you coward his voice rising. No?
thought so. l knew it wasn't in you.
DALEY knew his man and the fellow
fell back in the crowd, never once hav-
Ing moved to draw his own gun or take
that thrown upon the bar by Daley.
After tina t Daley was the king pin of the
town.
But he wasn't taking any chances
when he tossed his shooter on the coun-
ter. In his waistcoat pocket he had two
derringers, with which he would have
killed the man upon the first sign that
the latter meant to do business"