Weekly journal-miner., 1918-11-27
THEMWAS HAPPY DAYS IN THE
 TERRITORY
TOM TURNER, EX-SHERIFF OF SANTA CRUZ COUNTY,
 TELLS OF LIFE IN THE GOLDEN DAYS OF THE GUN MAN AND HUSTLER.

GOLDEN DAYS OF THE
 GUN MAN AND HUSTLER.
 PHOENIX, Nov 23.-The recent yisit to Phoenix of Tom Turner, for mer sheriff of Santa, Cruz county, and now engaged in the cattle ibusi- ness on the California side of the river above Needles, recalled some stirring incidents of his career which has been mostly in Arizona.
 Mir. Turner came to the territory rom Texas when a very young man md he settled on a ranch on the San fcdro below Benson. He had little money which he invested in stock. One night band of Mexican cattle -ustlers invaded his ranch and ran If 2o head of horses. Turner took he trail the next morning and over ook the thieves in the northern end of the Chiricahuas.
 In the fight that ensued he killed hree of them. A fourth made his ' scape. The Mexicans had been -uessing pretty close at the proximity 'If Turner. One bullet cut hole in : is sleeve and another went through . he fleshy part of leg.
 Turner knew very little about the , aw, but he had an almost supersti- ious regard for it. He knew that ' he killing of human being was pretty serious business. He did not
 now what might be done to him, , ut he feared it would be a plenty.
 He rounded up his horses in a sort
 f natural coral and set out for Will OK where he arrived the next morn ng. He was directed to the justice f the peace, a venerable and solemn isaged parsonage, to whom he re- lted the story of his adventure. The ustice offered no comment, but in- ited Turned to breakfast.
 Then he rounded up a coroner's 1ry and with Turner set out for the cene of the tragedy. An inquest was cid and the bodies were buried and ie party returned to Willcox. No ltimation had been given Turner as 0 his probable fate. The party went nto the back room of a saloon for n adjudication of the affair. Turner yas invited to tell his story to the ury. He did so. The old justice re- 1oved his spectacles, polished them length and impressively readjust- d them, stroked his long white beard nd looked severely at Turner.
 Young man. said he; you have committed a very serious offcnsc, and 'ou deserve the scverest punishment his court can inflict upon you. Damned if I don't fine you the drinks or the town for letting that other lcxican get away"
 Turner al once began the paymcns the fine It took him all day to ound up the populacc of WillcoX, ,ut eventually he treated every man rho could be induced to take drink. t cost him Sl4.
 N Santa Cruz county, he found the ustom of pistol toting prevalent It as worse there than in any other lace in the west. There were not lany homicides. fact probably due the universal armament of the population. Everybody was afraid 10 tart anything.
 The clerks in the stores all packed .uns. When they left their work at fight they buckled on their six hooters and infested the dance halls nd gambling houses. Turner deter lined to break up the pistol packing ustom.
 He first published and posted a Ioticc that it was contrary 10 the law nd gave warning that the law would Ic enforced Soon thereafter, one ight he entered the Palace. kept by 1. NJ. Conn, the largest gambling ;ouse in town, with a revolver in ,ach hand. He was followed by 1 Deputy Sheriff Bo ]. Wkitesidcs, lrmcd with a gunny sack.
 There were about i50 persons in he long gambling room. Turner ordered all of them to stand facing he wall. Whitcsidcs went along the inc "frisking" it. He found gun on 'lmost every man. Thence Turner .cnt to another house and collected other weapons.
 He kept this up from time to time or week until he had collection of /. 0mething more than thousand re- -ol, CTS, so far as he could asccr- ain, all tho rcvolvcrs in Nogalcs, cX- .cpt those in possession of the off CTS.
 nEcrDTrTTnArc DEMnUEn l