The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05
ROLLED AWAY IN A BARREL.
Fry's Escape When the Light Went Out and
the Gamblers Began shooting.

AUSTIN, Tex. May 4.-The passing OF
gambling In Texas is bringing out reminA
iscences OF the early days when the games
were run wild open in many OF the towns
Of the State. Jess Fry Of San Antonio,
who was at the front during the oonstruc-
ton Of the Southern Pacific through the
western part Of Texas, tells this story
SIN 1884 l was railroad and express agent
at the new station Of Dryden, which was
then the end Of the line OF the Southern
Pacific. This experiences Of mine hap
pened on a monthly pay day. Every
working man in camp had money. Most
OF them had the gambling fever, and leeches
from all over the West were on and to get
their share OF the iincro.
SOn this particular day tine most notori-
Gus Of the professional gamblers in camp
was Ike Winters. who had come over from
Tombstone, Ariz. Along in the evening
Winters and a few others started a poker
game In a tent which was pitched Just at
the edge Of a steep hill. When I got
through with my duties as agent l vent
up to take a look at the game.
Il was invited to take a hand and that
being about the only way to pass away the
time l sat in. The other players were sit
ting upon empty powder kegs aSd boxes
and l went to the commissary tent nearby
and got an empty four barrel, which I
used for a seat.
The game progressed without incident
for an hour Or two, and then there occurred
the biggest rumpus I was ever in. There
were five or six players besides Winters.
Among them was a halfbreed Mexican,
who had come over from Mexico with O
reputation as a killer.
HE was, like Winters, a professional
gambler. Winters was u~naoquainted with
this haifbreed Mexican. He took him to
be a foreman OF q construction gang, prob
ably: Had he known his desperate charac-
ter i don't believe he would nave been 90
quick TO precipitate the trouble.
The pot was q large one; The halfbreed
Both men claimed the pot. Each started
to reach for 1t about the lame instant. each
drawing his gun with his right hand. They
fired. at each other simultaneously.
That was only the beginning Of the melee.
ness the fash Of pistols could be seen. am
old enough now TO admit that / was scared.
Every man in the tent had q pistol out and
was shooting. except me.
was that 1 must seek some place Of sStet We
Why not crawl into the empty -four barrel?
/ got into the barrel all right and was lying
there trembling when q OF the gamblers
sSye si5 S5Ls5i : kiSs " tot y out of his way
and sent IL beneath the Hap Of the tent and
away IT went. rolling down hat steep hill,
with me inside Of it.
That hill was nearly half q mile long, and
the barrel went tumbling down II, humping
over stones and crashing through the desert
vegetation. Toward the end Of the decliv-
ity it waa going at a terrific speed.
II suffered untold agony during that ter
rlbie ride. / could not get out. / was rolled
over and over at tho rate Of q hundred times
q SECOND. IL seemed 70 me. II happened
there were no nails protruding through
the barrel. Had there been / would have
punctured full Of holes.
The barrel finally came 70 q standstill and
/ crawled out, ! was bruised all over, but
manage 70 pull myself up the steep hill to
the railroad station. ] had escaped from
the ecene Of the. shooting, but | felt that |
would probably have Jared better had | re-
NAMED there.
The shooting ARRAY resulted In tho killing
other gambler