Kingsbury County independent. (DeSmet, Kingsbury County, S.D.) 1894-1929, 1910-09-30
BEACH TELLS OF
TEX RICHARDS NERVE
Prevents Riot at Tonopah by
Display of Cool Head Work
When Trouble Starts.

How quickly every one closed UP
about the possibility Of the Jeffries-
Johnson fight not being properly hand
led by the third man In the ring when
Tex Richard. n OF the promoters OF
the battle, was selected as referee, 1t
was because OF the confidence the
west had in Richard. The east knew
little about this fearless gambler from
New York. Boston and Philadelphia
scribes what to expect OF Tex.
1t is an old story now. but It IS
worth telling again. how Richard
averted a massacre one night in Ton
0Dah. New. when a number of miners
of the rougher type were mad because
of the spectacle OF a white man being
beaten by "A negro. 1t is certain that
the quick and cool headed action OF
IRickard averted the shoot-up, Rex
Beach, the well known writer. who de-
scribed the fight for The Tribune, told
the story as follows:
Prevents Riot at Tonopah.
1T was the night of the afternoon
of the Joe Gans-Kid Herman battle
jim Tonopah, n the main saloon OF
the town was packed with an excited
mob. many OF whom had' witnessed the
defeat of the ChicagOan by the then
all but invincible Cans. Richard and
,Ole Elliott, who had promoted the
fight, were entertaining q party OF
friends In the place, among the not
iables being Nat Goodwin. Nate Lewis
and others.
They were having many labor diff
lficulties in Nevada at the time, and
there was an ugly feeling rampant.
iOne big fellow. a leader Of the miners,
approached Richard. and in a loud
voice asked Tex what he thought OF
the idea of getting negroes to whip
white men.
"'And Il suppose YOU think Jack
johnson can whip any Of the white
lmen,' he yelled in q menacing tone,
igingering his. remarks with some
names that caused Tex to turn pale
i'm an instant.
"sCut out that talk and let's have
no trouble Tex ordered in a calm
tone. Instead OF quieting down the
labor man applied another bad name
ITO Richard and made a motion TO draw
Ia weapon from his hip pocket.
Like a fash Richard made two
moves. He dragged out his piece OF
blue hardware, and at the same time
ran his left hand under the others
coat. In an instant he discovered that
the man was totally unarmed n was
making one Of those foolish bluffs that
so often result in serious trouble.
Richard the Cool Headed.
Almost before the story can be re-
lated that barroom was half emptied,
hut those that remained had taken
sides. some with Richard. and the
labor man with his cohorts lined up
behind him. 1t was all over IN a fash,
and Richards GOODNESS in discovering
the condition of his opponent saved
the day instantly.
HE hasn't anything on him. boys
Rickard shouted. He was only fooling
and didn't mean what he said I'M
mediately the Richard followers. pre-
pared to die with their leader, buried
their weapons and the mining mans
friends hustled him out Of the place.
Had a single shot been fired 1t
have meant a fusiIlade In a
densely crowded room. and many lives
would have been ended. 1t would
have meant a duel between 20 men on
n side, not 20 feet apart. Richard truly
is a nan of adamant. / never saw his
equal in all the mining camps / have
visited"