The Meeker herald., 1904-12-24
When Two Bad
Men Meet
One always waits TO get the
drop on his adversary.

with surprise Is the way that tough men,
Of 9th their de kind p refrain from drawins or
shooting until one gets the drop on tne
other. So quick and ready are the shoot
facing each other on guard neither one
can fire quickly That the other viii not
return the compliment or shoot oefore
Thus 1t may happen that two bad
men. who have sworn death 70 snsh
ing shots because neither one can catch
the otner unprepared, M,
For instance. take the case of via Bil!
skill and nerve: they had been enemies
| for years: by some accounts they had ak
shots a. long
| at close range. and not until Bnl vas ~,
sassinated by wretch years afterward
at Deadwood WAS the fend with Jim Cur
Clay Allison. New Mexican dead shot
and q man xiller,ne was q man Killer IN
terrible truth-h.<l q record OF twenty-onc
from Dodge city to Santa IN
wSo WASN'T a sfraa to on Stand up to
him. and. furthermore. was lust as quick
with his gun az himself. This man was
sheriff Of Colfax county. They spent
whole afternoon together trying TO get
the drop on each other, but neither could
There was bad blood between them. and
one one, afternoon when they net In bar r,
|
understood between them that II either
one got the drop on the other the slower
botn Unanswered for an opening.
Intentions they laughed and poked and
the proceeding they would lay their pis-
counter. step back to tine other side Of tho
room and then at an agreed signal make
a rush for the revoivers. but neither man
get the advantage Of tho othsr.
Once. as they were taking a. drink to-
Eetth.er; Bowman. With his whisky glass
the glass to the counter and drew his pis-
tol hut a. It came up AllIson's revolver
Into each others eyes. and sign in.
either would have meant the death of
both. which was more killing than either
The ,dalliance with death went on
throughout the afternoon until at last.
and Sey You'd Ssns
this duel to an end.
They cleared the room of spectators and
When W. r pp Morely 70 of 0ee cmar snso''"
at 9f tbe rsR Ss IN Re
managed to get them of the idea OF the
ther trouble. So the two contestants sep
arated. riding out of town different ways.
saving an encounter which almost GER
tainly would have resulted in the death
| OF both.
One who knew Allison spoke thus of
sons sons life is one Of The most somber 20 ro-
mances one generally hears. about West.
ern eamptires Clay lay ALL Allison was indeed
lived In the Red river country. on the
western marshes of the Llane Estacado.
ter seventies He has a record of TWEEN
ty.one dead men. whose graves are scat
tered from 81 i, Dodge Iost City t t9 Santa Fe
the killing of Bill Chunk. a long haired.
smashing. hectoring bravado and pro-
ord--a record that was full OF cowardly
deeds and blood, He and Allison had no
cause Of quarrel they s,S were rival killers.
on the draw was u pleasant matter of de-
bate and wager on the part Of their re-
Naturally II came about that the two
ruffians swore that they would kill each
other on sisht They Syn met one night In a
They sat down at the supper table of a
frontier restaurant. opposite each other.
and drew their six-shooters and lah. them
Chunk ordered oysters. When she
trenches had been set before hin, n.
The table. The bullet failed Of its marx.
and, quick as lightning, Aliison's gun re-
"a little red spot Just between Chunks
eyes showed where the bullet had entered
and the man. swaying from side to side.
bent gradually over and settled down
upon the table and soon was perfectly
| still. with his face buried In the dish.
Shortly nfter this Allison went to
Kansas city. and while there he met and
| loved beautiful woman whom he finally
| married and took to his Texas ranch, to
live In peace with all men. child was
| born to tham-a child whose face was as
beautiful Its mothers, but whose poor
| little body was horribly disi1Eured. CHI.
| cago Chronicle.