The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1909-12-16
HOW HE WON
HIS FIRST CASE,
BY EDGAR 3. GARDNER.
copyright, 1909, by American Press AS
ciationI

to college. Bred to an out of door life,
he distinguished himself there rather
in athletic sports than in his studies
Though not a large man. he was wiry,
and his muscles were like steel What
he lacked in weight he made up in
pluck, and, as for quickness, he was
spry as cat.
led law and returned to bis country
home to practice his profession. But
his neighbors lived too peacefully to-
gether to afford him any cases, and he
went to mining district in the Rocky
mountains.
gle and so long as no ono required his
services lived in peace, He was not
quarrelSome. and no one had any .rea-
son to. quarrel With him. Occasionally
some one in Sombrero hat. wooden shirt
and trousers stuffed in his boots would
rally him on his eastern ready made
clothes. but there was nothing in this
to warrant the shedding of blood.
But law cases were not plentiful in
the west. when suddenly one day tho
Empire Mining company employed him
in case against one who had jumped
claim it owned.
Traphagan, the defendant. had no
title whatever to the property He
proposed to hold it by brute force. He
had killed half dozen men simply
by shooting first. He would hide a
pistol in pocket Of his coat and
shoot without drawing the weapon.
His method was we'll known and ter
rorized every one who came in con
tact with him. AS soon as Snelson
was announced as the mining compa-
ny's counsel Traphagan stated public
ly In the AIhambra saloon that if the
tenderfoot appeared in court TO argue
the case he would pay for his assur-
ance with his life OF course he in
tended the statement for the lawyer,
and the message went straight to
Snelson.
1t was generally conceded that the
case would never come to trial No
one thought that the quiet young ten
derfoot would pay the penalty of ar
guing case with bis life. nor was
there any other lawyer in that region
who would stand in his place. Trap
hagan did not concern himself further
In the matter. not doubling that he
would he left. for the present at least.
IN possession Of the claim he had
jumped. When the day and hour for
trial came around he had forgotten
all about it. Notified that the case
had been called, he hurried to the
courtroom.
The sight he saw there startled him.
The court was seated on three leg
ged stool before q board resting on
two barrels. The jury occupied Il
dozen cracker boxes. A large number
of spectators We're present not for the
purpose Of hearing the evidence. fut
to see lie fun The most noticeable
feature of the spectacle was the ten
derfoot attorney standing before Il
barrel turned on one end. the other be-
ing covered with two long krSives and
tAvo revolvers of the heaviest caliber.
Snelson looked the defendant III the
eye and said:
81 have heard that YOU intend to
kill me if argue this case To kill
me you must get your hand in your
pocket. The first motion you make in
that direction I'll fill you full Of buI-
let's and then go for YOUR carcass WITH
these knives
: SnelSOn then presented undoubt ed
evidence of he title of the Empire
Mining company to the property in lit
igation. Traphagan let the case 90 by
default. and the jury without leaving
their cracker boxes gave verdict in
favor Of the plaintiff.
But it was evident from the look on
face that The case had not
been settled between him and the ten
dcrfoot. AS soon as the verdict against
him had been recorded he said to The
latter:
Il don't want to kill gal. but do
want TO give you Il thrashing. I'll al
low any gent here TO disarm me. and
well 80 out with nothin but our fists
w illlt Jul W uN II 10 tuS t)tSt lid
Il have no quarrel with you" replied
Snelson. but if you insist upon it TIL
accommodate you"
Traphagan was relieved Of his weap-
ons-,h here was one in each Of his coat
2ockets-and Snelson. leaving his lay
out ON the barrel head. went outside
with his antagonist Odds as high as
four to one were laid on Traphagan.
who was big and powerful. Snelson's
muscles. on which there was nothing
but skin. did not show under his toest.
shirt sleeve. while Traphagan's frame
was gigantic. The big man could not
restrain his wrath. and no sooner was
the fight on than he strobe toward
Snelson for the purpose of annihiiating
him. But when he struck Snelson was
not there. Besides. before his antagO-
MIST could recover himself he received
blow that put one eye out of he
combat Then Tnphagan brought his
ponderous fist down on the tender
foot's shoulder. but SnelSon ducked so
as to escape most Of the weight of the
l,lDyr Hits fist chnf IN oooinSt tina