The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1907-01-04
DUEL OF KNIFE
VS.. PISTOL

periences which directly or indirectly
had concerned persons of their ac-
quaintance. when @Colonel" Pitzer
Martin of Texas entered into the sub
ject.
II s'pose you all think a man with
knife would have a mighty small
chance against a man with gun
and a dead shot at that--in regular
paced ff-go-at- -the-signal encounter,
don't you?"
There was unanimous chorus OF
assent and the Colonel" shook his
gray head in knowing sort of way
| and smiled family.
81 thought so, too, until one day
few years back, down in the Pecos
valley section. where I saw one of
the oldest duels reckon was ever
| fought. It was between Bob Ander-
son and a Mexican known only to US
as Savior We never bothered much
with the last names of greasers in
those cow-punching days. Bob and
Savior never got aiong any too well
some. trouble over a Nexicau GIRL
belfsve-but they never came to an
open rupture. partly, 1 believe, because
Bob always packed gun. What's
more, he knew how to use that same
gun
Savior had no use for a gun. His
weapon was a long-bladed knife with
heavy handle Il sEas a homemade
affair and Savior set heap by 1t, and
how Savior could iaggle that knife!
He handled it Mexican fashion, OF
course, the hilt down almost to his
finger tips, the blade passing over his
wrist The first and little fingers
: holding the weapon steady, Savior
+ could throw the knife with a peculiar
: jerk of the forearm and send the
rcint true to the mark every time
I'VE were rounding up one day near
Toyah when the quarrel between the
2 pair broke out with fresh violence.
: 1t ended with Bob knocking Savior
down, then stepping back and dYAW--.
: ing his gun, ready for the atfnck ne
expected; but Savior made no such
:. move He got up. his lips white and
r his black eyes blazing. Well, there
e was some lively exchange of talk
q for a few minutes Savior calling Bob,
coward for striking an "unarmed'''
man, and Bob offering to settle with
o fists If Savior would drop his knife,
t agreeing, in turn, TO discard his gun
: But Savior was physically no match
: for Bob, and he knew it, You fight
me-? he asked eagerly. You fight
I me-my knife against your gun? You
give me chance to. get even? You
stand off and shoot throw knife
g yes, you one brave man. You do it,,
;. / know and Savior shook with min
o gled rage and eagerness to meet the
it man he hated. on what seemed to be
II equal grounds.
1. 1T didn't seem quite fair for the
greaser--leastway as we figured III;
but he was keen for fight and Bob
weG fairly beyglae for a chance to do
up his enemy The boss of the outfit,
who had kept from mixing up in the
matter, now took a hand in the game
He said it was only question of time
: before one or the other man would
, be killed and the sooner 1t was oyel
! the better.
Savior dictated the terms of the
: duel We didn't care much~what he
4 asked for because we figured 1t was q
e dead open and shut case that he would
I have a bullet in him before he had
! time to throw his knife. Savior stipu
! lated that he and Bob were to stant
side by side; that Bob should steI
= forward ten PAGES. gun In hand, bu
e held muzzle down, at arms length
i AT the end of the ten PAGES he was
to turn and fire, the instant his foot
marking the end of the tenth pace
:. touched the ground.
e "As Rob stepped out. Savior
IS creuched down. holding his knife II
q position to throw There could be M
n mistake about the counting. Every
!, time Bobs foot hit the ground 1
u chorus of voices called out the mum
u ber As his heel touched for tht
5 tenth time he raised his gun above
Ie his head and whirled about-iust IL
time to catch the blade of the Mexi
cans knife in his throat 1t was al
II done so quickly that we scarcely knew
+ what had happened until we say Bol
,e pitch forward on his face and lie still
"a his undischarged gun rolling in thu
grass beside him. After we got oul
y senses bit. we realized the Who'll.
+ thing. The greaser had watched liks
is cat and the instant Bob's heel hi
If the turf for the tenth time. he le
n fly with the knife. II had only I
! distance Of about 25 feet to travel ans
: it went that distance while Bob wal
ae raising his gun and swinging around
Id A little reflection showed us that y
le a matter Of fact, Savior had = de
4 cided advantage. We didn't say mucI
: about 1t as we had all been uncoll
n scious parttes to Il. but the boss int
Is, mated to savior that he had better ~