The Sunday telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1914-1927, 1916-05-21
OLD MAN CREENLAW
SPEAKS ON DUELINC
Shooting Irons Are Good Only
. When Pointed in the Right
Direction.

UHeCtl0n.
9Th amt no good shootin', moi
thouten a man p'nts his gun in the
right direction" said old man Green
law thoughtfully.
He was standing in the doorway
OF his little saloon in Arkansas City,
together with several other gen.
tlemen who frequented the place
habitually. not merely for the pur-
pose of social relaxation, but in pur.
suance OF definite line Of business
policy to which they devoted the main
part Of their energy. Resourceful,
virile men they were, who by the ex.
ercise OF their undoubted talent AMI
their assiduous devotion to their
chosen profession had achieved nc
small measure of success and had
become important factors Of such
prosperity as Arkansas City occa.
sionally had. The old man himself,
largely by reason Of their association
with him. was the main factor and
was some times vain glorious in his
statements to that effect. ta.. II
They were looking with consider.
able interest at series of events
then happening on the main street
OF the settlement, which seemed like
ly to result In decreasing the popult.'
ton by at least one. For two OF
the leading citizens were earnestly
trying with the aid of firearms to &C.
compltsh the extinction, each Of thu
other. They had found partial shel
ter from speeding missiles, one benin,
horse and the other behind q muh
which animals they. had evidently
been riding when they encountered
each other, and they were popping
at frequent intervals at such portions
of each other as they were. able to
get sight of. Es4e I,
Hits Mule by Accident. J
One of the shots, being badly
aimed by the man behind the horse
hit the mule in a tender spot, caus-
ing that intelligent creature to &c
elsewhere Immediately and thereby
forcing the owner to dodge behind the
corner Of a house nearby, from
which other refuge he continued his
fussilade with great spirit. 1t was
this misdirected effort of the horse
man that called forth the reflection
of the old man which has already
been recorded. y iN
That's right enough, as a gent
proposition" observed Jake Winter
bottom in reply, but a man don't
al'ays git good aim II he's pressed
TO- time" 800
Then he better hadn't shoot" re.
torted the old man promptly. Hits
al'ays wuth while TO- to take a leetle
mo- time, ruther n waste a shot.
Thar goes the Squire, maxim the
same kynd Of mistake" he contin-
ued, as one of Squire Hapgood's shots
hit the other mans horse. and that
animal followed the mule up tho
levee. They uns Is firin' some reck-
less" We. .-s-,- 5.-.-;
"Mebbe So" said Joe Bassett, who
was enjoying the performance great
", showing no intention Of interfer-
ing officially. though as sheriff 1t
was his business to maintain peace.
"Looks to me, though, like the squire
was gictin' some het UP long o. his
mule bein' damaged. He sho' does
think heap O. that mule, an rreck-
on mo- likely he was on'y tryin' to git
even ,shootin' Matthews boss"
Spectators Join in Argument. L
"shows mighty po' Judgment
then" declared the old man. He'd
ought TO- to keep shootin' ct MAT
thews first off. an tend to the moss
later on"
This led to some argument among
the spectators, Bassett being inclined
to agree with the old mans opinion
that Squire Hapgood had made a
mistake, but Jim Blaisdell and Sam
Pearsall maintaining that 1t was per-
fectly natural for him to be exasper-
ated by the injury inflicted on the
mule. as the mule could not be con-
sidered party to the discussion, and
that therefore the squire was per
fectly justified in retorting In KIND
And while they argued, the shooting
continued.
It Is Of record that seven perfect.
ly good revolvers have been emptieo
with the serious intention on the
part of those welding them to 1nnicl
grievious II not fatal wound on some
one or more of the individuals, who
at the time of the shooting, were
standing together in sufficient mum.
bers to fill all, or practically all, Of
the available space in the somewhat
limited area allotted to customers In
the little saloon in which the disturb.
ances occurred. So far as the fracas
itself and the number Of shots fired
were concerned. the occurrence IL
scarcely worthy of being recalled fol
the immediate cause Of the outbreak
is not recorded. and the fact OF thtr-
ty-fve shots being fred in conse'
quence Of the difficulty. is not, OF It
self, unusual or surprising. the use
of firearms in barroom quarrels be-
ing at one time and in certain sec.
tions Of the middle and southern
West q habit somewhat freely in.
dulged in by the inhabitants of those
parts.
Join in Round of Drinks.
The incident, however. has been
considered somewhat notable, so that
1t is referred to here, properly
enough, by way of Illustration, In
that the result Of the firing was sim,
liar to that of the activities. Of Mr.
Mathews and Squire .Hapgood. Wher
the seven sfve-sho were all emp
tied and the subject In dispute had
been further discussed in less arh'
trary fashion, SO that all, hands
Joined in the round Of drinks thai
served to wash out the sudden en-