The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-12-30

ana Detler looking than the man that sat
here, and he had sister that taught school
out there. fine girl, but perhaps little
too fond of the boys. An Eastern chap
named Bishop a lazy cuss, but good locker,
that always hadmoney, gotoff some nasty talk
about the girl, and someone wrote TO Moran
and told him about it, and quite unexpected
one night about ten o'clock, Moran came back
to town.
went down to the hotel about eleven
o'clock, -where they used to have a little
poker game in the back room behind the
bar. Who should / see sitting at the table,
right opposite, but Moran and Bishop, and
only two other men in the game"
Didn't they know each other?" asked
Davis.
Moran didn't know Bishop" cause he
had shown up in town after Moran went
on his trip, and by chance the barkeep was
new, and didn't know Moran, who went into
the game first. My private opinion is,
Bishop was following him up. The other
fellows at the table knowed nothing about it;
but they noticed that Bishop was trying to
pick quarrel, finding fault with Moran's
dealing and things like that
table, and it stood on my right. Just one
Of those ordinary stand-up parlor lamps; and
when I seen the wicked look coming into
Bishops eyes as sat at his right hand, I
Just stacked some chips around that lamp,
and shuffled them careless like. knew
what was coming. l seen Bishop get his
coat clear. He had his gun in one of them
belts with a double clip. You don't have
to pull. Only shove it out forward, up, and
bang! They works quick that kind do.
"Wcll, the first time Moran dealt after that,
got good grip of the lamp. Just as the
lie passed, ! swung it. Before Bishops gun
got as high as the table the lamp was in his
face and VIC was in the dark. Git says
TO Moran; this is Bishop We was both
in the bar-room before Bishop could pick
himself off the floor. / went clear through
the screen doors into the street. Then |
heard two shots. The barkeep says he
didn't see nothing, cause he lodged as soon
as we run out of the poker room after the
lamp crashed. thought both men had
pulled at once; but it seems Moran had the
drop. At the trial, they swore Bishop didn't
have no gun"
"Why, you could swear different to that, :"
interrupted Judge Davis.
me? Swear? Bless YOU, my swearing
didn't amount to nothing alongside the swear
ing that was done at that trial. Colonel
Anste told Moran he would take his case and
get him cleared. Justihable homicide, it
would be, he said; unwritten laws or some
thing if the self-defence racket didn't go.
But Moran wouldn't listen to the justihca-
ton part of it. That would bring his sister
into it, and Bishops talk about her. He
swore if his sisters name was mentioned he
would shoot Not word about her and
Bishop, no matter what came. remember
him going up to the telegraph operator that
was at the inquest getting points to click to
the city papers and saving to him, quite
quiet like, you mix Magge's name in this,
and I'll mix you with the worms
''Well, Pete was acquitted at the inquest;
but Bishop, he had rich friends East, and they
came on, and they hired big lawyers, and
they got another trial and they got witnesses
10 swear to all sorts of things, and they made
c 1t out as we was two card sharps and Bishop
caught us at it, and we shot him like dog.
: don t know much about having; but Colonel
S Anstie saw how things was going, and that
t they was knocking the tar oft Of the self
: defence business SO he went over to the
j dock and begged Moran with tears in his
eyes to let him tell the jury the truth. Moran
: only cussed fearful, and swore he'd kill him
n if he mentioned Maggie and the talk about
+? her. Then the other lawyer up and says he
was surprised wasn't in the dock as ar
Z accessory, and the judge looked at me as j
e to say, Your turns coming, young fellow,
/ so | got out and skipped the town. Mex
), day heard Moran got twenty years"
"Well, " remarked Gushing, that's hare
luck story, sure enough; but ! don't think
J. you'll get to Oregon on that two hundred
e reward, because one things certain, w
k heard of Doc Martin in Orleans as far bach
n as | can remember, and
Il Il want you to understand" interrupted
S Red Leary with sudden dignity, that | ain
. looking for no rewards for getting my friend
e into trouble. I've been talking too much
d that's all. Forget it. You're right. Do
It amt the man at all. 1t was only fancy
e Pm going home. Good night. Good night
o Judge" and in minute he was gone.
Ii Next morning, the new dealer was slttin
n in the hall at the hotel, reading the Mcnsibi,i
n Abbedl when he happened to see Red Lear
: step up to the desk Watching over the to-
rs Of his paper he observed that Mr.. Leary 60
2 letter out OF ono of the alphabetical boxes
/. and went over to the window to read il
is throwing the envelope into the waste baske
e. The letter seemed to worry him, for h