The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1910-10-29

clothing lie stood aside and bis men
opened IRE on the door. The robbers
retreated TO the loft and Sullivan and
Private Billy McCauiey went inside.
After Billy and had gotten inside
the house. said sergt sullivan, "and
after realized our dangerous position
with the outlaws just overhead told
him to go outside, or he would likely
be killed. But he was a brave young
man, and would not desert me. /
tried to persuade him to leave the
house, for If he was killed knew 4
would be partly responsible, but he
refused, and said that If died he
would die also. Them young fellers
amt got a bit of sense that way"
In this way the old veteran talks of
the exploits of others, and seems not
to realize that he himself was also TAX
ing a chance at death.
One of the men in the loft offered to
surrender "Skeeter' the notorious
assistant of Bill Cook, who is now
serving a thirty-year sentence in Sing
Sing, was in command of the outlaws
Skeeter threatened the man with in
slant death If he surrendered But Sui
Ivan told the outlaw that he would
burn him at the stake if he made good
the threat. He further threatened to
set the house on fire and kill every
member of the gang if they did not in
stantly surrender. The threat brought
results for rangers have a way of TAX
ing the law into their hands in emer-
gencies The whole gang was arrest
ed, as was Bill Cook a few weeks
later, and all went to Sing Sing for
terms of twenty and thirty years.
At the depot in Quanah Texas, one
evening there took place one of the
prettiest duels that the west boasts. 1t
was between Capt. Bill Mcdonald of
the rangers and Sheriff Mathews of
| Childress county. Mathews was a bad
man, and proud of it, already having
two notches on his siX-shooter. He
and the ranger captain had had some
difficulties as to conflicts of authority,
and the sheriff decided that he would
| be entitled to file a ring all around
his pistol if he could but dispose of
this most dreaded gunman. He was
entirely frank about his ambitions, and
sent word freely that he intended to
go for Mcdonald. In those days it
was so ordinary a thing for a ranger to
be threatened with determination that
the captain paid no attention.
Finally the sheriff went over to Qua
nah to carry out his purpose. He took
two or three bad man sympathizers
to see the sport, and incidentally take
flier or two if opportunity offered.
| He took one additional precaution. He
bought the biggest plug of tobacco he
could find and placed it in pocket
that was Immediately over his heart
when in shooting position.
After dark Mcdonald went to the
telegraph station, and, while filing a
report, was approached by a messen-
ger from Mathews, who said that the
latter wanted to see him and fix things
up friendly like. Capt. Bill was sus-
picious, but accompanied the messen-
ger to the street, where he met the
sheriff and his friends.
0ZVaIl9" ha demanded
well, have got some things to say
to you,' began the sheriff, shaking the
finger of his left hand at the ranger.
Slyly the right hand stole for the
pistol pocket, which, movement the
ranger captain observed. 1t was win
ter and he wore big overcoat, with a
pistol in the outside pocket. The gun
of Mathews hung in the drawing, and
this would have been instantly fatal
but for the precautionary plug of to,
bacco. Capt. Bill fired two shots in
rapid succession at the heart of his
antagonist. Both struck within a
place as large as a dollar, and both
in the plug.
BY this time the sheriff had his gun
and the ranger paused, puzzled. Mat
haus had thrust anothar man hetweer