The Evening statesman. [volume] (Walla Walla, Wash.) 1903-1910, 1907-06-04
A PAYING BUSINESS

u
Major Hotchkiss, "a man at Badger
Rock, Mont, who joyed in calling him
self Wildcat Bill, the Rattlesnake OF
Bender's Flat. Not that that was his
name, Of course, or that his name was
Bill or even William, or that, so far as
know, he had ever seen wildcat or
would have known a rattlesnake If he
had met one, and 1 am certain there
was no such place as Bender's Flat
but this is what he was pleased to call
himself. In point Of fact, his name
was Ernest Wilberforce or something
of that sort, ana he came originally
from Baldwinsville, Conn, or some
such mild, wildcatless and nOnrattle-
snake neighborhOod.
His finances became reduced, and
the time came when something had to
be done. He determined to take up
the vocation of desperate in purely
commercial way.
Badger Rock was at that time &
small town engaged chiefly in the
business of transferring people from
the railroad station to the stages which
ran to certain gold and silver mines.
A great many eastern people, capital
lists and so forth, passed through 1t,
but few stayed in the place more than
a few hours.
Zone day, a half hour before the
train from the east was due, the clerk
Of the hotel was astOnished to see this
man enter, clad in most striking cow
boy costume, wearing belt with two
revolvers and a knife in it and carry
ing a heavy double barreled shotgun
with the barrels sawed off so that they
We're not more thai foot long, max
ing a weapon such as is sometimes at
fected by desperate characters, treas
ure coach guards, deputy sheriffs or
other individuals engaged in turning
their hands against their fellow men.
1T is piece of ordnance which IS
supposed to be loaded with iNOrdinate
charges of powder and irregular slugs
Of lead. 1t makes an excellent cLnl-
paniOn for one gentleman to wait
around the corner with for another
gentleman who has been telling about
town that he the first gentleman) is a
liar
ITO the surprised inquiries of the
hotel clerk Wilberforce explained that
he was now Wildcat Bill, the Rattle
snake Of Bender's Flat, and that all he
asked was the simple privilege of wait
Ing behind the half open door of the
office for Pete Smith OF Patchen's
ranch. The clerk had never heard Of
any Of these names before, but as
there was no rule against it he as
scented.
ut was not long before the train ar.
rived, and an elderly and correct ap-
pearing man alighted and made his
way toward the hotel. He was, in fact,
prominent Boston capitalist, and this
was his first trip to the somewhat ex-
tensive region west of the Connecticut
river. AS he entered the door of the
hotel his eye caught the muZZle of the
apparently about the size Of sewer
pipe, which projected an inch beyond
the edge of the open door, A glance
behind showed most murderous indi-
vidual, breathing short and with his
finger moving nervously on both trig
gers. The Boston man stepped quickly
to the clerk and whispered:
'Who-whO is that MANI
"'That's Wildcat Bill. the Rattle.
snake of Benders Flat answered the
clerk.
'What-what is he doing?
Waiting for Pete Smith of Patch
ems RANCH replied the clerk.
'Will-will he shoot him?'
'''He will blow him into pieces IN
less Pete shoots first
els the the gentleman expected
soon? went on the man from the Hub.
"'Pete comes in at 2:45 for a drink
''The visitor consulted his watch and
found it was 2:3O.
lis there no way to stop such ter
rible thing?' he inquired earnestly.
1.-The clerk shook his head. No. he
replied. Bill has shot twenty-five men.
and, you see, he's got a three cOrnered
ile in his mouth now to file the TWEEN
ty-third notch in his six shooter after
ne gets through with Pete But add
ed the clerk confidentially. perhaps he
could be hired to postpone the Ope, n
ton for few hours, say till after YOU
have left for the mines
The upshot Of it was that for $40
the Rattlesnake agreed not to shoot
Pete till after 5 O'Clock, and the Bos-
ton man again drew full breath.
Naturally so easy and rapid way
of making money could not be left IN