Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1910-04-14

coat nocket where in winter he carried a part
of his armament. Matthews practice in draw
ing for some reason failed to benefit him. His
gun seemed to hang a little in the scabbard. A
second later he had jerked it free, and stepping
behind Golfer, fred at Capt, Bill over the sher-
;ff's right shoulder. But the slight hitch spoiled
his aim. perhaps, for the bullet missed, passing
through McDonald's overcoat collar, though the
range was so short that the powder burned his
face.
The game could now be considered open. Capt.
Rill with a quick movement that was between
skin and a step, got around Golfer and let go two
shots in quick succession at Matthews. Both of
McDonald's bullets struck within the space Of a
5O.cent piece, just above Matthews heart, pene-
trated a thick plug of Star Navy, found a heavy
notebook behind 1t, and stopped.
With a thought process which may be re-
garded as cool for such a moment, Capt. Bill re-
allied that for some reason he could not kill
Matthews by shooting him on that side, and
shifted his aim. Matthews, meantime had
again lodged behind Golfer, who now dropped
fiat to the ground where 1t was ~quieter. Capt.
Bill was bending forward at the time, trying to
get a shot around Golfer, and as the latter
dropped, Matthews fired, the bullet striking Nc.
Donald in the left shoulder, ranging down
through his lung to the small of his back, trav-
cling two-thtrds the length of his body for
Judgement.
The Ranger was knocked backward but did
not fall. Matthews quickly fired again, but Nc
Donald was near enough now to knock the gun
aside with his own, and the ball passed through
his hat brim. Aiming at Matthews other Shout
der, Mcdonald let go his third shot, and
Matthews fell.
Meantime the two deputy a~ssassins had
opened fire, and one of them had sent two bull
lets through McDonald's left arm. To these he
oo " M of+optfop ,,o+iJ NEa+41o-z ..--I
Wheeling now, he started to cock his gun, when
he received another ball, this time in his right
shoulder, along which it travelled to his neck.
thence around the w~indpipe to the left side. His
fingers were p~aralyzed by this wound and he
made an effort to cock his gun with his teeth;
but there was no further need, for with the col
lapse of Matthews his, co-murderers fed wildly
to cover, behind the depot, nearly upsetting a
box-car in their hurry.
Capt. Bill walked a few steps to the sidewalk
There was a post there, and holding to this he
eased himself to a sitting position. A man ran
up to him,
Cap, how about it?"
We'll, | think I'm a dead rabbit"
Ihey gathered him up and took him to a drug
store, and they took Matthews to q drug store
across the street. BY and by they carried Cant
Bill home, and a doctor came to hunt for tbe
bullets. No
Now, Doc" the Ranger captain said when tho
operation was over, and the surplus cargo had
been removed, now, I'll get WE'LL" and Rhoda
Mcdonald, his nervy wife, who had arrived on
the scene, echoed this belief.
III Bill Jess says he'll get well. he'll do It'll"
she declared.
Matthews died in a few days!A He was re-
moved to Childress and died there. Before his
death he sent word to Mcdonald:
You acted the man all through" was his mes
sage. I'm only sorry that I can't see you and
apologize"
Tell him that I'm doing all right" was the an.
swer returned, "and that | hope he'll get we'll"
The mending of Capt. Bill was a slow process,
For about two months he was laid up, and then
with his wife he s~ojourned for a time at a SAM.
tarium. After that, he was up once more. ready
and eager for action-apparently as fit as ever;
though, in truth, the physical repairing was
never quite complete.