The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-11-20
ARIZONA KICKLErs.
The Nan That Called TO Reprove the
Editor.


Especial Notice-We are not the ed
itor of the Arizona Kicker, but only
his Horse editor, at a salary of IS per.
Owing to the fact that the Ed. of the
Kick. has had his right hand crippled
by a bullet and is unable to hold a
pen, we have been asked to take the
following from dictation. We may
add that we witnessed part of the
affair below described, and that the
editors demeanOr was all that could
be desired on such an occasion. Were
our salary S14 per instead Of IS, we
could feel no more proud of our
chieftain):
Another eritter has fallen by the
Wayside.
Another man who thought he knew
it all has gone hence.
Another headstone will shortly ap-
pear in our private editorial grave
yard. making the eighteenth.
1t is more in sorrow than in anger
that we call our horse editor in and
dictate the particulars of a tragedy
that happened in our sanctum at about
2 o'clock last Wednesday afternoon.
At various times duri g the last two
months we have received postal cards
from Salt Lake City signed 'Avenger.'
Each and every one of these cards has
contained a threat to remove US from
this earthly sphere although in no
instance has a specific reason been
EAHNAA we nave 4lOL let the matter
worry us in the least. II 'Avenger"
turned up, all right; II he failed to
put in an appearance, there would
be no disappointment on our part.
On Wednesday afternoon, as we
were finishing an editorial on reci-
procity with Canada a tough-lOOking
individual entered the sanctum and
aunounced that our hour of doom had
arrived. He had a gun in either hand
and from the way he handled them we
arz4A hf- rfrr To
spoke without buster. and in quiet
even tones.
Our guns were lying on a table ten
feet away. and we realized at once
that We were at the fellows mercy. 1t
appeared as If he had planned to
finish us Off without explanation, but
after two OF three minutes we con-
WINGED him that he owed it to US to
give some sort of reason. He there
upon stated that he had seen articles
In the Kicker from time to time to the
erect that we intended to be csndf-
date for the presidency next term. He
reared that we would be elected and
that if we once got the reins OF gov
eminent in our hands America would
go to the dogs.
we offered to argue the point and
give away our presidential policy in
case Of election, but the man had come
9 long distance to shoot us and did not
want TO be done out of his fun He
had just given US sixty seconds in
which to register in the faraWay land
when our Horse Editor entered. He
had come to ask US to agse his salary
10 $40 per, and We Should proba bly,
have split the difference with him but
for the presence Of the man with the
guns The entrance of the Horse H1df-
tor produced a diversion and we took
advantage of 1t to spring for our guns.
"Avenger" fired at us twice before we
got our hands on the weapons. The
Horse Editor very sensibly sat down on
the hOor to rest. and the popping OF
the guns and the whistle of the bullets
sounds.
When the smoke lifted '.Aveneer,,
was on his back and we had a red-hot
bullet through the palm of our right
hand. -Four Of his other bullets had
cut our, clothing. We bent over the
man TO see how badly he was hurt. but
a e1ngIe glance told us that his snirif
had fed. He had come to STAY and
been slewn.
From one point OF view it was a sor-
rOwIul affair. The man had Rugged q
delus1on FOR months. and just when If
seemed as IL everything would work
out all right he fell ike a weed bv the
WaVFide. 1T was also an unp1ea Mt
thing for us to realize that we haS
been Obliged to shed more human
blood to save our own.
From another point Of view st was
the prettiest. neatest little affaly fhaf
"a az s@l-A AoE the last
I'VE years. When. the guns commenced
10 pop there was nS cessaffcS until
each man had fred his twelve bullets.
There was no shouting or yelling OF
lodging Even the Horse Editor re-
membered at the most critical stage
that Ct was no time to press his claims
for raise of salary. We felt e,-,1ltant
and lifted out OF ourself. and no doubt
HAvenkern had the same FEELINGS.
The lively fusiflade sDeediiv alled the
Office with excited citizens end as soon
as a surgeon had dressed our b. nd a
cor0ner's jury was erqpaneled and an
Inquest was held. We were speedily