The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1908-05-06
An
Arizona
Episode

couple OF men In the tow H---hrOtnerS~
ln-law--were mussy wit each other
and that maybe a killing would be
pulled off," said Carroll Fleming,
the playwright
AS matter Of fact" the manager
OF the town hall told some of ns of
the troupe, 1T isn't plumb healthy.
right now, down yonder In or aronni
Jim Whltlow's place. pointing to HE
most pretentious saloon In Flagsta T,
down near the end of the Main sire
line. 'Somethin's liable to be COM
Ing off there almost any time now
You see Jim's brother-ln-law
Frank Cowdey. who's kind OF HIT
alcalde all BY himself here. Ii mad IL
Jim, ana Franz has sent word -
Jim that he cure is going to get hin.
Anyhow, about two hours after
that the comedian and feeling like
little of the native nosepaint. wa
dropped down to Jim Whitlow's.
Jim looked calm enough. He
was big, heavy man, with curious
ly good red and white color, and
wholly unbronzed for a man who'd
spent SO many years In that section
as he had, As a matter of fact. Jim
was quite remarkably handsome
man, who didn't appear to know 1t.
He got up and rested his hands
on the bar and asked what we'd
have, and we'd just named 1t when
There as quick tootstep back of rs.
We turned almost instantly. but be-
fore we turned We knew by the look
of Whitlow's face that the man he
was waiting for was there
I'm going to kill you right now!'
All right---wait till serve these
boys their drinks, was Whitlows
calm reply, and he actually turned
his back upon his enemy---who al
ready had big pisto! in his hand
to pick up bottle ana glasses with
which to serve us. 1t was move
ment, as | thought. that was full of
contempt.
But my companion trouper and
weren't thirsty just then. We made
two jumps for Ii as soon as we heard
Cowdreys words for the shelter OF
big old fashioned refrigerator that
stood at the end of the bar.
when Whitlow saw In the bar
mirror that his two customers, the
and |. had bolted for 1t he
let go of the hottie and siasees and
picked up the huge pistol that was
lying right to his hand alongside the
money till. Then he turned to his
brother-in-law, who was backing to-
ward the door, as he raised his gun
% fire.
AT the same instant they both
'aised their guns on high, like old
tagers. and fired on the drop. That
s, they both pulled the trigger on
he drop. Whitlow's gun, however,
vas the only one that went off. The
ther mans hammer came down with
metallic pingg-g that clearly show
{ that his gun had missed fire.
The big handsome man with the
arkeeper's apron on stepped around
he end ( the bar after the first
hot and very deliberately fred again
n the drop. AT the same instant.
gain his brother-in-law pulled the
bigger, and again followed that
linking noise showing that his gun
-asn't working.
"Of course though he had no time
} investigate with the other man
JUMPING away at him, and so hea
ulled the trigger again, the third
me. on the drop, Just as his broth
'-in-law's gun spoke with the u.s.
ii loud bang.
well. the white aproned man put
70 more shots into his brother-in-
W the other man Enappinv at the
me time, and each time the queer
nkle and the lack OF flash from
8 gun, showing that he wasn't get
1g any good out of 1t.
When the fifth shot had entered
S body, the man who had come
ere to do the shooting, tetered for
lrd, the gun falling out of his hand.
d as he was in the very act of fall
9 fiat on his face he let out this
oked cry of bitter anguish:
" My God. and l never got a shot
him.
He was dead in half a minute,
five of his brother-in-law's shots
1 hit him, and all In bad spots.
The white aproned man stood
king at him for moment. Then
stepped back behind the bar.
ced his gun where he had found 1t
ide the money till, and turned to
L forgot what drinks you hombres
ed for said Whitlow. In a quiet
?. 'What'll you have again? It's
me-
We took stiff ones and hurried
Iy. An hour later, though, we
e summoned to testify at the Cor
RS inquest
We told the story as It had hap
ed and Whitlow was acquitted by
Coroner's jury-there was no
n thing for the Jury to do, of
'se. since the other man had en-
d Whitlow's place with a gun In
hand and had told him in the
ence of witnesses-the come
and myself--that he was there
Ill.
That was the only man I ever saw
ii In conflict of any kind with
her man. often wish. though.