The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-06-10
STA SMEN-REAL AND NEA r
By FRED c. KELLY

Representative Edward Heating of
persuasive, in fact, that he once talked
his way out of the jaws of death in one
of the oldest conversational bouts on
record
Heating is a newspaper man, being
owner of the Pueblo Leader. but at the
time of the thrilling little interlocutory
incident We are about to relate. he was
managing editor of one of the Denver
papers. One day he caused to be writ
ten, printed. and emphasized by flaring
headlines. a first-page article about the
Denver chief of police The paper ac-
cused the police chief of being a crook.
CRATER highlander, an accessory to
white slavers, before and after the fact,
and a few other sighting references
that the policeman took as personal.
The day after the article appeared, the
police chief dropped around to the news
paper plant to see Heating. 1t was
easy to see that he was put out about
something, and many suspected that the
little piece in the paper might have an
moved him. He went up to the compos-
ing-room where Heating was making
up" and told him he wished to. have a
talk with him.
VERY we'll" said Heating. calmly,
pleasantly, Just stick around It'll l get
these forms made up and I'll be at your
service. Sorry l haven't a chair to Of
fer you"
While the police chief stood around
waiting. with glittering eye, Heating
busted himself at his tasks, and never in
all his life had been so slow making
up his pages. He felt that it might be
the last time he would have a chance
to see his associates about the compos-
ing room, and he was in no hurry to
get through. How he wished the police
chief didn't have such a cold, austere,
determined look about his eyes and
mouth.
Finally he Joined the policeman. Let's
Just go down to my Office, suggested
Heating, leading the way. and as he did
so, he realized that the other man could
see he was unarmed. For time he had
been carrying a neat little pearl-handled
pistol that a friend had given him. but
that morning he had left 1t on his dresser
at home. As he walked into his little
private Office with the police officer, he
could see the top of the dresser back
home with great vividness. He recalled
that there was a soiled collar, comb
and brush, a pin cushion. and the pistol
on IL. Most vivid of all was the pistol
He greatly regretted that he had not
worn the pistol that morning. 1t might
have helped things.
As they entered Keating's little private
office, the policeman turned and locked
he door, remarking, with trace Oh
emotion:
.'WeIl. I came here to kill you, and
that's what I'm going to do now. anu
!, en- as he spoke Heating could see the
ton Of a holster containing a .i4-caiioer
revolver.
II was no time to lose ones nerve.
Heating had long =een regarded as
calm man, and he figured that IL ever
,almness were needed II was right then-
20 he remained perfectly calm.
.I think you'll make a great mistake
. Won kill me-" he observed.
Mistake or not. Tn going to kill you,
reafirmed the visitor, in gutteral tone
And he took the revolver from the mol
,ter.
stiu Heating was calm. Therein lay
lis one chance.
..Oh. well, but for your own good.
Nike" said the editor, dropping into
confidential tone, from your own point |
n view II would be altogether unwise |
or YOU to kill me- II you're In wrong |
low. YOU will be vastly more in wrong II !
Won should decide to shoot me. Of
curse. I'm prejudiced in the matter.
sor purely selfish reasons do not want |
-ou to kill ne. but waving all that aside, |
I would be the most foolish thing you |
,ould do. Everybody knows I came in