The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-08-11
NOT A HERO, He PROTESTED
DEED THAT GAVE FAME To TIM
THOMAS or Las VEGAS.


One ar Those Lost On the steamer G'OIHul.
bta-So Modest That He DiHrisimed
Credit FOR Bringing In Dead Two hes.
Deradoes VINO Held Up q Faro Bank
Tim Thomas OF Las Vegas. who spent
twenty years protesting that ne wasn't no
hero, but only a volunteer, was one Of the
men who went down with the steamer
Columbia of the coast OF California the
other day, said the man from New Mexico.
He'd been up in the Nome country for four
years and made his first trip put this sum
mer, carrying his cleanup with him. He
took the Columbia at Portland for San
Francisco and made his oashin when the
Columbia was hit by another boat in the
fog.
"There'll be q lot OF people down my way
who'll be sorry to hear that Tim Thomas
had to be swallowed up in that way. Tim
was marshal Of Las Vegas for three years,
back in the sos.
Las Vegas never was a plscetbat needed
a terror or killer for marshal, and Tim
didn't have anything in particular by way Of
u work to do while he held the job. 1t
was the way he happened to get the job,
not the things he did while he had il, that
makes a bit OF q story.
Nobody will ever know whether his YER
sion OF the affair that CAV him his big repu-
tation for nerve was true or not. He was
so extraordinarily modest q man, retiring
and difident to the point of absolute bash
~fulness, that l I'm a bit inclined to think
Tim was giving himself the worst Of it when
he gave his account Of the business.
1T was what happened when Tim Thomas
went after a couple OF stiokup men that
got him the marshal's badge. although
he never wanted the billet and resigned
before the end OF his four year term.
Tim was a long haul freighter on his
own account, and made some money before
the branch hnes OF railroad down our way
snuffed him out. He was poking around
Las Vegas, pretty nigh broke, and doing
the best he could at the faro banks for mere
tamale change when the little thing broke
out that sent him along.
Tim was coddling a little stack OF white
chips in BIZ Bsnkhead's bank one night
plant sat the crowd up straight in their
chairs at the points Of their gum and frisked
all hands, including the bank.
There were only three men besides them
selves playing bank at the time they made
their gun play. Tim Thomas was one Of
them.
while one of the strangers kept the bunch
neatly covered the other one vent around
Inc tolled out everything from the bank
dealers drawer, and that made nearly So, 1000
Then he passed around behind the three
men playing the game and removed what
they had from their c~lothes-s4O0 from one
and 5000 from another. Tim, he didn't have
anything to be frisked Of.
The pair OF strangers backed out OF
Bir's place after they'd tapped il for every
thing there was in sight. Their horses
were outside and they made an easy getaway
over the Magdalena trail. southwark from
Las Vegas.
The stuck up crowd sitting around the
table looked pretty foolish when the two
strangers had made their slinkout. BIZ
Bankhead, the big loser, was boiling with
rage 30 that his face was purple.
And can't get anybody to go after EN-
he chopped out suddenly. Serves me right
for dealing en- in a yellow livered camp
like this. I'm through. The chicken gig
zarded ombreys around here can play bean
bag for the tin tags IL that's their limit,
but I'm not dishing 'em out any more in
a dump where the best the bunch does il
to cape after a pair of punkerino stickups.'
Back up a little there, Bill, Tim Thomas
chimed in at this stop. You're getting
ahead Of the box. Who said nobody was
going after emf I've got a stack o. whites
here. Do you cash on emp
With WHAT inquired Bir. his face
still purple; Those two plugs have
got 20 pay on WITH and he yanked out
empty, and then pulled out every one Of
his pockets. revealing nothing there either.
We'll. that lets me in for q jog after
them two. them announced Tim. getting
up in his seat and stretching his arms. |
Them whites there pointing to his poor
doin's for me-. and sure gotta eat. And
l reckon I'll eat on them two boys out
yonder.' motioning in the general direc-
ton Of the Magdalena trail. IL that's the
on'y way can make the trough. lie there
Anything in itT said Bir. Well. there's
half what you assay out in il. But you've
got no chance alone. You're not going
alone, are your
81 sure like to mediate, and not talk. !
when I'm ridini,' replied Tim. And I've
got nothin' to lose. either. and I'm for the
four thousand II it's to be had. s. long,
ombreys,' and Tim. stretching his arms
again. like a man on his way to the bunk
house after a long sitting. calmly strolled
into the night. ,
Just twenty hours later. at 3 o'clock
the next night. a httle cavalcade passed
into Las Vegas by way Of the Magdalena
trail. IL a still daylight. and as the
outfit made its way to the calaboose the
town gathered about to see. I saw IL, and
I'll never forget It.
Tim. on his cayuse, rode in front. and
he led two tagged horses by their bride
Tn dead body Of a man was dashed
across the back OF each one Of the two
horses that Tim was leading. Both OF the
dead men had been shot squarely in the
They were the pair OF strangers
who had stuck up BIZ B~ankhead's faro
Tim led the outfit up to the calaboose.
his report to the Alcalde, and. dis
mounting, unlasbed the two dead men
from their horses and helped to carry them
INTO the calaboose. where they were laid
Dut for decent burial on the following day.
He had all the money that the two dead
men had trimmed the bank for.
First he settled with the two pla yers 7
been stood up for what they had,
md then he tossed Bin's 81. 900 across the
able in its canvas bag. Biz counted him
'ut his half Of IL, according to the verbal
igreement.
How did you do II, Timg' Bankhead
him then, and that was the thousandth
ime the question had been tossed al Tim
'ince his arrival back. and he'd never
answered il once.
Il didn't do it, Tim replied hen 10 Biz.