The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1915-09-10

south whose real name was not known
but who passed as Arkansaw Bill. He
gave evidence of being n desperado
He knew nothing of the firmness of the
committee in carrying out the edlct
against hole boring, and he held law
against gun play in contempt. He an.
nounced that any man who was dis.
posed to interfere with him would get
holed, and since hole boring was q
right he did not intend to pay for ex.
ercising 1t.
Arkansaw Bill ut oEce proceeded to
make 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 Il 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.
1t is very hard to make a 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
the worst of 1t. Arkansaw Bill was
known to be 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. 1t was
moved that in case any one put hole
in him the fine should be RENTED.
The motion was carried, but since any
one bent on putting 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
paid for that of a 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-
GENTLY inventive to produce such
stratagem, and In the second the con-
sensus of opinion was in favor Of a
FOIL fol . a.
eliminate one Of the combatants. 1t
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.. Hunker 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 a hand In the
hat and drew a number He who
drew No. / was Abe Billings, a man
with a wife and four children. Hun
ker begged to be 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 for doing the job and was not re-
quired to give any notice to any one
In case he was killed in the attempt
he was to make. the man who had
drawn No. 2 was to make another, and
so on till Arkansaw Bill or the six men
should be eliminated.
Twenty-four hours passed, and both
Abe and Bill still lived. During the
second night after the lots had been
drawn several shots In quick success
sion were heard coming from the d.
rection Of the quarters occupied by
the desperate. Every man Of the COM
mittee believed that Bill or Abe-per-
haps both-had bitten the dust. Every
one Of them got out Of bed and hurried
to the scene Of the fray. Abe's cabin
was lighted. His children were run
ming about In their nightgowns, but
neither their father nor mother was
visible.
One by one the committee as it
passed Abe's quarters asked the chill
dren what had happened, but getting
no coherent response hurried on toward
Bills cabin. They met Mrs.
Billings coming away. Asked what
had occasioned the firing, for reply she
turned and led them to Bills house.
There in the doorway lay body. Some
one struck match, held 1t to the dead
mans face and lighted up Bills ashen
features.
"Who did it?" asked Hunken.
81 did it," replied Mrs. Billings calm
ly. II called him to the door and shot
him."
where's AbeT
Again for reply she turned and led
them this time to her own home. Go
ing to door that opened to the cellar
she unlocked 1t and Abe came forth as
much wonder stricken as the others.
what have you been up tor he
asked his wife angrily.
1--WE saved you from being MUIR
dered"
fDt