Cañon City record., 1909-07-08

In the days when the frontiersmen
were blazing the trail from Julesburg.
Colo, to Virginia City, in Nevada,
John Daley was known far and wide
as the quickest man on the draw in
the whole region. This did not even
except Wild Bill Hickok. who had a
better press agent. Daley died in des-
titute circumstances a few years ago
on the plains near Julesburg, where
he first made himself known. He was
always a mystery. He started from
Missouri with party of men who
broke the trail for the big gold camps.
and he first attracted attention. by
his book knowledge.
Some of the boys" said Harris
Chatfield, New Mexico cattleman,
who was one of the party that accom-
panied Daley to the gold camps,
made an attempt to find out where
he came from but they were blocked
in every attempt. He had an air of
distinction about him that was strange
in our party and it was not until we
saw him handle his gun that we
realized what an expert he was 1t
was treat to see that mans hand go
to his belt and flash back again with
drop on a fellow. One of our men
found to his sorrow that he had a
magic quickness. He was left-handed
and nearly always got his man in the
region of the heart. He never wound
ed. He always killed.
81 remember an incident that hap
pened after we got 10 Virginia City.
Daley and 1 took stroll up the val
ley to see what the country locked
like. After short walk we came upon
a saloon and Daley invited me in TO
have drink with him. There were
many bad ones around the hang-outs
in those days and when we went in
we were scrutinized by more than q
dozen of bad lockers. Daley gazed
about him in his rather austere man.
ner and with his usual dignity. He
was always a gentleman. no matter
where he was. Somehow he did not
take with the bunch and one of the
crowd walked up to him. Your kind
don't go here" said the chap who
was evidently seeking a fight.
DALEY looked at the man with an
expression of contempt. He pulled out
gun that reached nearly to his
knees and laid 1t on the bar. With 4
quick movement OF his hand he sent
it spinning about on the rude counter
and then made the soul OF the brag-
CART frontiersman feel the taste Of
terror when he turned his piercing
eyes upon him, See, am unarmed,'
said the man. II you have the nerve
to shoot. take that gun and get to
work. You have the look of q mur-
derer, but not one who does his work
In the open. Take hat gun. y01
coward his voice rising. No. I
thought 80. I knew 1t wasn't in you
Daley knew his man and the fellow
fell back into the crowd. never once
having moved to draw his own gun
or take that thrown upon the bar by
Daley. After that Daley was the
king pin Of the town. But ~ v1aa1
taking any chances when he tossed
his shooter on the counter. In his
waistcoat pocket he had two derring-
ers. with which he would have killed
his man upon the first sign that the
latter meant to do business"
- u y
A Raid On q TSwn
In the spring OF 1882 Tombstone
was enjoying a period OF unusual
quiet. There had been no excitement
for SO long that people were begin
ming to think the place was quite
advanced in its civilization under the
benign influence Of fearless vigil
ance committee. The great IRE that
destroyed 100000 worth of prop
erty and the celebrated street nght
between cattle rustlers and gamblers
had passed into history and the effect
of the two had seemingly been bene-
icial. For three months the thun-
derstorm tones of the big whistle at
the vinsey mipe had not been heard.
One evening the quiet was broken
by the news of massacre that was
never surpassed In its brutality. It
was not the work Of Indians but =
band of robbers. The crime had been
committed at Bisbee-two men, four
women and child were killed sim
ply because the robbers had made
mistake In their calculations and