The evening times. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1906-1914, 1912-08-24
Time and again interrupted by
'heers, Cerosko read such excerpts as

Time and again interrupted by
cheers, Cerosko read such excerpts as
this:
DO not. my dear sir. bend a single
DIT to clamor. especially clamor Gre
ated by hired press agents and by
those corrupt newspapers which have
always famed the fame of an unrea-
soning public: they cannot hurt an
honest man. They cannot prevent the
work which you have so fcarlessly be-
gun. in the face OF opposition"
Doubt not" said the letter in an
other place. that such citizens as my
self will stand with you against those
legs which they keep about them),
who are not yet bred to the point of
understanding the constructive work
You have in mind"
There followed Il curious and inn
pressiNe scene, such as was not equal
ed even during the stirring convention
of 80. when Kid Stuffy. after thirteen
desperate ballots. was nominated for
leader of the Battle Row gang-a
Scene which brought tears to the eyes
Of ever the most hardened cut-throats.
BLOODY Mike had already read the
charter of the newborn union, and
made What he called his confession
Then. n by one, the enthusiasts step
ped up to the platform. pledged them
selves to honor and observe the
unions creed. and received the m
hlem OF f~ellowship-a miniature gold
slX-shooter. with the letters L. c. L.
(Which is not the name of a cartridge
hrm. but stands for United Cut-throats
! Cnion) engraved upon the butt. The
women received each a small shining
dagger-so sharp it could be used as a
hat pin. Women. indeed. were no
small factor in the union, for Bloody
Mike had been seconded by: Dutch
Sadie-the first ona to speak at a
regularly organized cut-throat concen-
ton.
Cerosko, by the way. is one Of the
most remarkable crooks in the world
remarkable in that he has none of
me armarks of d r~uiiian. and there is
little OF the tough about his appear
lance. He is said to have sprung from
a decent family, and retains traces of
a gentle INFRINGING, which he uses as
a foil. With big eyes of peculiarly
ual observer as almost timid; but
those who have traded on the assump-
ton of such timidily have usually end
ed in the hospital or morgue
He is. as he styles himself, a rutfian
artist, who delights rather in the man
ner of killing than in the number Of
JOBS put through. He goes about his
work in a business-like tanner and
J has never been known to mutilate a
victim. though he occasionally keeps
as a trophy an ear or a finger lost in
action.
OF different caiiber is Crooked
Dan Observation-Disclosures as the dead
lest shot in the worldwide was made
chairman of the advisory council,
without the formally of a vote. 1t
had for some time been gossip among
those familiar with the inner workings
of Wild McTaffe's gang that, in the
event OF McTaffe's not running, either
Cerosko or Mcslovock would become
leader. The ~ who was not elected
president would. it was believed on all
sides. fall naturally into the position of
chairman of the advisory council.
Crooked Dan, or "One Shot" Dan,
as he is sometimes called. in Difference
to his skill with firearms. is daring to
a degree. and quick as = dash with
knife and gun, which he handles in
either hand with equal accuracy. He
is a typical rufiian of the old school
vorite trick. when surprised by an
enemy, is to tire his revolver from
within his left-hand coat pocket, hav-
ing carelessly put his hand there. as
il looking for ii match.
II get the drop on the other guy
TINS way said Dan, land then drop
him-don't matter if he covered me
first or not"
Once, however. Dams trick was call
ed in a way that nearly cost him his
life. That was when he acted as pilot
fish for his friend Kid Stuffy, in the
Dixie Cafe shooting. Stuffy was the
husband Of a woman who had desert
ed him for Will Casey, and the row be-
gan when Stuffy, Casey and Crooked
Dan met in a saloon.
Hands up" cried Casey, seeing Dan
across the room. and "draking a bead
on him with a long-nosed six-shooter.
(They didn't use the hort automatic
in those days. Dan pretended not to
hear the command. and in%stinctively
allowed his left hand to wander in the
direction of his oat pocket. But
Casey knew Dams trick of old. and
fired at the first movement of the
hand. The ball grazed Dams neck on
the left side. just below the jaw, leav-
ing a scar which he will carry to his
dying day.
He is ashamed Of that scar, and does
his best to hide it. So he hooks up his
left shoulder n carries his head bent
to that side. And hat is why they call
him Crooked" Dan.