The Lakeland evening telegram. (Lakeland, Fla.) 1911-1922, 1915-09-22

Il0Seu TO interfere WIFI u1m would gel
holpd and since hole boring was a
right he did not intend 10 pay for ex-
ercising it.
Arkansaw Bill at once proceeded to
make a nuisance Of himself He in
sisted on being admitted TO games of
chance. cheated and when taken to
task instead of shooting his accuser in
vited him TO put hole in him. Bill
was doubtless ready to defend himself.
What he wanted was to take advan-
tage OF his enemy's indispOsitiOn to
pay $1,000 for shooting him to put the
orphan asylum edict into disrepute.
He insulted the women, choosing those
who had no men whose duty it was
to protect them.
It is very hard to make law that
will not on occasion work disadvan-
tageously. Any man attempting TO
put Arkansaw Bill out Of the way
must pay $1,000 for the privilege. and
for every additional hole that was nee
essary to do the job he must pay an
additional thousand. And this was not
Il.
known to be a marvelously quick shot.
and any man tackling him was likely
to get holed instead of holing him.
A meeting Of the committee was
called TO decide upon some way Of get
ting rid Of Arkansaw Bill. It was
moved that in case any one put hole
in him the fine should be remitted
The motion was carried. but since any
one bent on putting a hole in the des-
perado was liable to get hole in him
self the remission of the fine did not
especially improve matters No one
seemed inclined TO tackle him. An
drew bunker proposed simultaneous
attack upon the enemy agreeing to
fire the first shot But his proposition
did not meet with favor; one or more
lives Of good citizens We're liable TO be
paid for that of villain. 1t was con-
sidered advisable that some stratagem
should be devised by which he could
be eliminated without fine.
In the first place no one was suffi-
ciently inventive to produce such a
stratagem. and In the second the con-
sensus of opinion was in favor Of a
fair fight even if it was desirable to
eliminate one of the combatants. II
was finally proposed by Mr. bunker
that each man tackle Arkansaw Bill
until some one Of them dOwned him
This proposition meeting with favor.
Mr.. Bunker offered himself as the first
victim. 1t is to the credit OF the 9TH
ers that they declined to accept his
offer. averring that lots should be
drawn to determine who should be
first, second. third, and so on till the
six members of the committee each
had place in the proceedings.
Six numbers were written on as
many bits OF paper. from one to six in
elusive, and placed in hat. Then the
men successfully put hand in the
hat and drew number. He who
drew No. 1 was Abe Billings, a man
with a wife and four children. Hun
ker begged TO he permitted to change
numbers with him. but Billings would
not consent. and the meeting, each
man having promised secrecy, broke
up. Billings was to choose his own
time Tor doing the job and was moi re-
qutred to give any notice to any one
In case he was killed in the attempt
drawn No. . was to make another, and
so on till Ariansaw Bin or the six men
should be eliminated
Twenty four hours passed, and both
Abe and Bill still lived. During the
second night after rhe lots had been
drawn several shots in quick success.
sion We're heard coming from the di-
rection OF the quarters occupied by
the desperate. Every man Of the com
mittee believed that Bill or Abe-per-
one of them got out OF bed and hurried
70 the scene Of the fray Ahe's cabin
was lighted His children were run
ming about in their nightgOwns. bul
neither their father nor mother was
visible
One by one the committee as il
passed Abe's quarters asked the chill
dren what had happened. but getting
, no coherent response hurried on toward
Arkansaw Bills cabin. They met Mrs
Billings coming away Asked what
had occasioned the firing, for reply sht
turned and led them to Bills house
There in the doorway lay body. som,
one struck a match. held it to the deau
mans face and lighted up Bills asher
features
who did it," asked Hunken.
II did it" replied Mrs Billings calm
". 81 called him 70 the door and sh0
him
Where's Abe?"
Again for reply she turned and lie.
them this time TO her own home 60
/ ing to Il door that opened to the celia
j she unlocked ii and Abe came forth a.
much wonder stricken ~ the others
i What have you been up TOP Ii,
asked his wife angrily
I've saved you from being muir
/ dered."
Then all saw that she had rid tn,
! place OF It's incubus without danger &
herself OF any one else Each an,
every man grasped her hand and exon
Grated her from blame.
The orphan asylum was never built
for It was not needed. The lot and tn
material that had been purchased wer
used for church, which helped ama7
ingly in the civilization OF the tOwr
Deadshot has long since become one q
the most thriving and cultured cities 1