The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1913-05-02
A SINGULAR
DUEL
BY GEORGE ATwATER

was attending vaudeville show
one evening in small town In Nevada
wherein part Of the performance was
knife throwing. Dan Weatherill threw
the knives at board against which
his wife stood. sending u knife about
two inches from her body till they
marked her outline. The performers
were young couple. and Mrs. Wealth
Grill was very pretty.
Such performances were not to my
taste. and instead of watching this
one II looked elsewhere. Weatherill
had pinned his wife in with knives al
most completely when what was sup
posed to be an accident occurred. But
1t had definite cause which l, looking
up at stage box directly opposite the
knife thrOwer, witnessed. saw Il
man partly concealed by curtain take
something from his pocket that at first
] supposed to be pistol He turned
II In the direction of Weatherill. but
not taking sight as with weapon.
Jaw a fash Of light from one end of
the thing in the fellows hand, which
now saw was cylinder. and almost
instantly there followed q cry from the
audience. Turning my eyes upon
Weatherill saw him give momentary
glance up at the box where l had seen
the light, then run forward to his wife.
] noticed that one knife sticking in the
board near his wife's side was out of
line. She smiled at him to show him
that she was unhurt.
think was the only person in the
audience who was cogniZant of the
cause of the knife being thrown amiss.
for every eye except mine was at the
time of the fash fixed intently on what
was going on on the stage. To me all
was at once plain. The man in the
box had flashed an electric light in
Weatherilrs eyes at the moment he
was throwing q knife with intent to
cause him to injure his wife. The
curtain was lowered. and when it was
raised again the next piece on the pro
gram was produced.
After the show I asked where
Weatherill was stopping and found
him in the lobby of his hotel. l told
him that l had witnessed the attempt
Of the man in the box and asked if lie
would give me the reason for the
mans inhuman act. He said that 1t
was the old story of man turned
down by girl and marrying his rival
At the same time Weatherill apollo
gized for his wife's ever having been
mixed up with such u man by saying
bot . dot, l,.,
having forced himself upon the woman
l asked Weatherill if I could be of
service to him as a witness, and after
considerable thought he said that very
likely I could.
The next evening curiosity led E,e
to attend the show again. wondered
If the Weatherills would have the
hardihood to repeat their perform
ance and If the man who had flashed
the light would be there. Both of
these occurred, though the light flash
er this time occupied box facing the
wife instead Of the husband. | did
not see him till the knife throwing
commenced. and then he drew aside
the curtains only sufficiently to show
his face.
Weatherill had about half pinned in
his wife and was about to throw the
next knife when suddenly he turned
and sent the knife at the box where
his enemy sat. OF course there was IA
commotion in the audience.
Thought will sometimes act with
lightning rapidity. 1t was so at this
time for me. | saw that Weatheril
would be tried for murder and could
only get free by producing evidence
that his enemy had tried to destroy
his aim the night before with view
to cause him to kill his wife. sprang
to the box and, pushing my way
through others to the injured man,
searched him and found in his pocket
an electric lamp. The audience and
had witnessed duel. fought in two
successive evenings.
AS soon as a policeman came In
gave him the lamp, and noted the
names and addresses of those who had
seen me remove it from the wounded
mans pocket. He was carried to his
hotel, but died on the way.
Weatherill, leaving the theater. walk
ed to police station and gave himself
up. He was taken to jail. and | went
to see him to inform him that ! had
taken an electric lamp from his enc
my's pocket and had the names Of sew
eral who had seen me DO so. He grasp
ed my hand with fervent pressure.
realizing the favor ! had done him. for
my having seen the fash the night
before which caused his knife to go
amiss and the fact that his enemy had
the lamp ready for use when he was
killed would be sufficient evidence for
an acquittal by any unbiased court.
The man who had been killed was
leader of a rough element who threat
ened to take Weatlteril out and lynch
him, but the sheriff prepared for them.
and. feeling sure of II conviction of the
prisoner. they finally concluded To let
the law take its course. But they did
not know Of the testimony was to
give. Indeed. If had not happened to
be y - away from the stage and In
n, direction ON the evening the
lam, uas flashed | fear nothing could
have saved Weatheril As IL was. my
story was corroboratpd by the finding
of the lamp in the pocket of the man