The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1907-07-13

no lack Of players One day ! young
fellow rode into town. He said that
he was camping out over ON the Con-
cho river and that his home was in
New York. He told those who met
him that he was out here for his
health. He showed q big roll of mon
ey. which was q very foolish thing to
do.
Thomason determined to get some
Of that roll.
The tenderfoot seemed to be tRnor-
ant Of the ways Of the west and the
boys had a good deal Of fun with him
before he was steered up against
Thomason's game. The stranger de-
INJURED at first to entering the saloon
where the game was in progress. say
ing that he had always been taught
that it was wicked to go into q drink
ing place. He was finally induced to
take a look into the place and It was
not long until he had bought drinks
for the whole crowd. He did not
drink anything himself.
He was next invited to take a hand
in the game. He pleaded that he
didn't know thing about gambling;
that he thought it was wrong to wager
anything on a game Of chance. He
finally consented to try his hand just
to learn how to play.
In telling the story Thomson used
to say that this stranger was either
q real tenderfoot or he played the part
to perfection. He won a few pots and
then began to lose. The game went on
for several hours and night came on
with the players still at work trying
to get the tenderfoot's roll
The crowd Of loungers In the saloon
disappeared as darkness came on. The
playing was going on with quiet in
tensity when the men sitting around
the table were suddenly confronted
with pistol in the hand Of the ten
derfoot and slowly sweeping the half
circle.
dig up your money and place it on
the table, every one of you," COM
manded the stranger.
There was a. movement on the part
Of Thomson and some of the others
as II to draw their guns.
Throw up your hands. TIL do the
searching myself" the tenderfoot said
quietly.
He made the six or seven mon in the
room stand up, and while their hands
were high above their heads he walked
to each one in turn and relieved his
pockets Of money and valuables. He
work in which he was engaged. for
from beneath his coat he took sack
in which he placed the fruits of the
robbery.
There was not a man in the crowd
who did not wear one or more guns,
but there was something in the eyes
of the holdup man that cowed them
into submission. The stranger cleaned
every man Of them out Of everything
he possessed, including Thomason's
bank roll
1t was reported that he secured more
than $4,000 In money and several gold
watches and a diamond or two which
Thomson sported. Having filled his
sack with this booty the tenderfoot
backed to the door, keeping the in
mates Of the room still covered with
his pistol. When he reached the door
he stood there for q minute and then
said:
'"rhis is a better way to make mon
ey than gambling; II any of you men
ever get to New York look me up and
Well have a good time together
The robber leaped into the darkness
and moment later Thomson and the
other victims of the holdup were out
side shooting off their pistols. The
stranger mounted his horse and rode
off. 1t was too dark to attempt to fol-
low his trail that night.
Posses went out to hunt for him
early next morning :. but no trace Of
the man was ever found. An 1nvesti-
cation was made OF his story that he
had camped on the Concho river, and
this was found to be true. A few worth
less trinkets were found In the aban-
doned camp, but nothing to establish
the strangers identity.
Thomson was never able to settle
In his mind the question Of whether
the robber was really tenderfoot or
a professional outlaw. He is said to
have answered the description Of g.
stage robber who operated between
San Antonio and Ell Paso during the
months preceding the Sherwood hold
up. Thomson always declared that
the stranger exercised hypnotic in
fluence in committing the Sherwood
robbery and that but for this mystic
spell the man would certainly have
been killed.