Year: 1874

ChieagO-The Old Story Of whisky


and n RevOlVer's Deadly work.


The writer of the letter which appears
below has large number of friends and
acquaintance in this city, who will regret
to hear that he is behind the bars Of an
Illinois Jail. He was member of the gal
liant Tenth Tennessee (Confederate) regi-
ment during the war, and made a good
record as a soldier. About a month AGO he
went to Chicago in search of employment
his letter tells the rest:


COUNTY JAIL.


CHICAGO, Nov. IL, 1ST4-Capt. A. l..
Berry, High street, near Broad, Nashville:
Ny dear friend: When bidding you fare
well and having promised you that Iwould
write as soon as possible, little did 1 think
that would have to correspond with Won
l suppose you have read IN your daily
saloon keeper, by j. P. Finucanee.


The statement of the affair as given in
the papers hers, was not correct. Shortly
after my arrival in this city my uncle got me
a situation on the street cars, as driver of
a bob-tail car. A bOb-tail car, one onwhich
there is no conductor; therefore, the driver
has to act as conductor as well as driver
difficult job for one that is exact in collect
ing all his fares, especially in a large city
like Chicago.


l was boarding with Ryan abouta month,
when one morning he accused rue of steal
ing his revolver. thought he was joking
at the time and did not pay much atten-
ton to what he said. l had a revolver
with me that was given me by my COUSIN,
which | took out Of my pocket and asked
Ryan if that was it. He said not, but that
probably had traded it for that. l then
asked him if any of our boxes
had been taken. he said not. /
forgot to mention above, when
speaking of the bob-tail car, that the driver
always carried a tin box containing fifty
(Sj0) in different sorts Of change, done up
in small envelopes, to accommodate the
passengers. This box / always left with
Ryan for safe-keeping. went to see my
uncle one night, and he asked me if had
stolen Ryan's revolver. He said Ryan had
been to see him, and asked him if had left
a revolver there, or with any of the boys
belonging to the store. On hearing this |
got angry and told my uncle it was a lie;
that did not take Ryan's revolver. My
uncle advised me to say nothing more
about it, but to leave his house as soon as
possible, which did, after paying him what
l owed him. / thought no more of it
until some of my friends threw it up to
me on the street car. Still ! took no notice
of what was said. The Sunday evening
before the shooting, and after putting up
my car for the night, went into the next
saloon to Ryan's, to leave my box there for
the night, so thai could get it early inthe
morning when was taking out my car.
A few friends happened to be in the saloon
at the time, drinking, so | was asked to
drink-and you know how it is yourself, as
the saying is. One drink led to many so
that | did not 90 to my boarding house that
night, but slept in the street car barn. /
was walked up by the watchman Of the barn
next morning, in time to take out my car.
l went to the saloon where / had
left my box, but, unfortunately
for me, could not wake up the proprietor,
so / had to let another man take out my
car. 1 felt rather sick after the nights
spree, so that when the saloon opened Ihad
to have few more drinks to straighten me
up; but, instead Of getting Strengthened, /
got crooked. / fell asleep on chair in the
saloon. 1 can't say how long slept before
L was awakened BY friend Of mine; and,
as near as can recollect, the conversation
was about stealing Ryan's revolver. Ny
friend left me and got up and, in a crazy
fit, went into Ryan's saloon. You know
the rest. Ryan told this friend of mine
that be would shoot me the first time he
laid his eyes upon me.


Dear Captain. we have faced death on
many well fought field; yes, and brsvely,
too. You commanded brave company Of