Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-01-17
BY TEX RICHARD.

ut was my pride in the State Of
Nevada, as much as my natura
liking for a flyer at anything new
that led me into the fight game
Though I was born in Missouri and
spent my boyhood in Texas. always
think of Nevada as my native State.
When tired of Alaska and arrived In
San Francisco with about 1000 in gold
I went over to have a look at the
Tonopah and Goldfleld country. News
had come from there Of great strikes
gold, silver and copper. once on the
spot, there I remained.
NV experience in Alaska had taught
me much about mineral properties and
my services were in demand as a pur-
chasing agent for big companies. In
fact, it was while making report on
my inspection of mineral deposits that
1 got hooked into the Jeffries- Johnson
fight and took up fight promoting as a
business, but that is a later story.
If a man had suggested to me the
handling of a prize fight at Goldt1eld
when I first staked out there I would
have thought him crazy.
AS I say, though, I learned to love
Nevada I thought I saw great pros
poets for its future. Like the rest of
them, I wanted the world to know
about 1t.
became a part Of the mining camp
In Nevada just rs had in Alaska. In
addition to stalking out claims / opened
up a gaming house. 1t may strike
Fasteners as amusing, but the leading
citizens impressed upon me how much
the community was in need of sort of
social headquarters, where men could
play cards, have drink and discuss
AT ia yeA1 hat inrro
and licensed under State law.
Goidfield Place Orderly.
Our place In Goldfeld was much
more orderly than those in Alaska, be-
cause of the assistance given us by the
sheriff. We had deputies to help keep
order. Along the Yukon we were our
own law and order. And, strangely
enough, it was in Goldfeld that I came
the nearest to being killed.
The end Of my thumb to this day
shows a deep scar indicating where it
wss once sliced In two. Often am asked
about this and there is surprise when
explain that the cut was made by a
pistol and not knife.
A rough fellow whom knew to be q
killer came into my place one after
noon waving Six-shooter. A week
before he had killed man at Tonopah.
He was very bad this afternoon and
knew that he would hurt somebody of
allowed to wander around with that
gun. He began right of by annoying
some men playing cards.
went outside and found the deputy
sheriff and his assistant We've got
to get that gun" told them. "The
only way Is for the three of us to walk
up behind him. I'll grab one of his
arms and you the other" I said to the
deputy. Then the third man can take
the gun"
This plan was agreed upon and,
going inside. We found the bad man
standing at the bar. Quietly we walked
up behind him, caught one arm, but
the killer managed to jerk his left arm
loose. With the quicknesS of q cat he
went for his holster and got the six
shooter out. There was nothing for
me then but to grab the gun. As /
grabbed he must save pulled the trig-
ger. My thumb was directly over the
first cartridge and the sharp firing
point of the hammer came down on it.
MY hand was thus pinned to the pistol.
We had hard struggle, the man
finally being knocked of his feet. AS
he fell the SiX-Shooter still hung suS-
pended from my thumb. flung it
from me, the pin of the hammer tearing
its way through the flesh. That &C
counts for the scar.
We got the man out that time, but
he went away swearing vengeance on
me. I got many warnings that he
would shoot me at sight.
Bad Man Came Back.
Finally the killer came back one day.
Before he could shoot a friend got be-
tween us and eventually made us shake
hands. I had nothing against the man.