Tales of the Colorado Pioneers. Alice Polk Hill

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СКАЧАТЬ “ Being the challenged party, according to the code he

      52 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

      had the choice of weapons, and chose double-barreled shot-guns, loaded with ounce balls; distance, thirty paces; time, afternoon of the next day.

       “The place selected was on the bank of the Platte river near Denver.

       “ There was no secrecy, for there was no law against duelling, nor, for that matter, against any other form of murder, except that in the absence of statutes the inhab¬ itants of the western border of the Great American Desert were ‘a law unto themselves.’

       “The town was full of excitement over the impending duel. People conversed in whispers and exchanged glances full of meaning. Some said Bliss would not fight, that he was a Northern man and hadn’t the nerve. Others said Dr. Stone was from Harper’s Ferry, and would make Bliss fight or back squarely down. Others again averred that Bliss would fight, and was sure to hit his man; that he was rehearsing for the combat, and was a crack shot. He had at the ‘word ’ shot the figure of a man at thirty paces distant full of holes, from the crown of the head to the knees, hitting the figure every time where he said he would.

       “And so the gossip, went on, until the opinion became general that Bliss’ superior skill would brace him up for the conflict.

       “ Not knowing the precise hour, I watched to see the crowd start, and then followed, thinking possibly I might stop the fight by reasoning with the parties on the ground.

       “When I reached the appointed place Dr. Stone had just arrived in his carriage, accompanied by his seconds and surgeon. Shortly after came Bliss, walking and carrying his shot-gun carelessly on his shoulder. He was

      A BLOODY DUEL. 53

      dressed in a dust-colored ‘ Raglan’ coat, and impressed me at the time as though he was, as near as might be, following out his habit of bird hunting.

       “He mingled in the crowd, talking and chatting with his friends and acquaintances with as much apparent ease and composure as though the occasion was but a Christmas shooting match. Dr. Stone walked with his surgeon apart from the crowd, looking pale and highly wrought up.

       “ I began to counsel peace and compromise, but no one seemed to think a peaceful settlement could be effected. Some told me I had better keep still, or I might get hurt.

       ‘ They had come there to see a fight, and a fight it must be.’ So, thinking prudence the better part of valor, I concluded to remain and witness, for the first time in my life, a duel.

       “ In about twenty minutes after the parties reached the place, the distance was measured off and guns loaded— one barrel each. The toss-up for the word was won by Stone’s seconds. The belligerants were placed opposite, with left side presented each to the other, guns down in hand. The signal was— one — two — fire — stop. The firing was to be done on or between the words fire and stop. Either principal firing before the word fire, or after the word stop, was, by the terms of the code, liable to be shot down by the seconds of his antagonist.

       “The principals being ready, the seconds in their respective positions, each armed with a Colt’s navy revolver, cocked and in hand, the word was given in a loud clear tone. When in quick, but due time, Stone fired first, without raising his gun to his eye. Before the word stop was uttered Bliss fired and Stone fell to the ground with

      54 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

      a heart-rending cry—‘Killed! 0, my God.’ He was pierced through the pelvis from hip to hip. Bliss, unharmed, except by the stain of murder on his soul, walked away, his face pallid and distorted with misery—it having been his intention not to kill, but to inflict a slight wound that would merely disable the doctor for a time.

       “Stone was carried to his room and lingered for several months, wasting to a skeleton long before he expired. Bliss was never quite himself after the death of Stone, and soon drifted away.”

       Thus ended the stories at the pioneer dinner.

      CHAPTER XI.

      THE ATTACK ON THE NEWS OFFICE.

       In July, 1860, a series of murders were inaugurated by the desperadoes who infested Denver during the spring and summer. The News dealt vigorous blows against them, and bravely condemned the killing of a negro named Starks, by Charlie Harrison, one of the worst of the outlaws. Harrison sought the editorial sanctum to rehearse the whys and wherefores, claiming that he killed Starks in self-defense, and exhibited his pistol covered with hacks, which, he declared, were made by Starks’ bowie-knife in the struggle between them. The subject was then dropped to the mutual satisfaction of the News and Harrison.

       Carl Wood, however, who delighted in bloodshed and violence, and who exercised a sort of despotic influence over his confederates, summoned them to his support, and one morning suddenly appeared in the News office and threatened to “clean it out.” Approaching the senior

      THE ATTACK ON THE NEWS OFFICE. 55

      editor, Mr. Byers, he seized him by the collar and com¬ manded him to go at once to the Criterion saloon and apologize to the proprietor, Harrison, for the offensive edi¬ torial. He emphasized this order by flourishing a large navy revolver dangerously near the editor’s head.

       Wood was informed that the difficulty with Harrison had been settled satisfactorily to all parties concerned, and an apology at that time would not be in order.

       The appearance of these armed desperadoes in the News sanctum caused great uneasiness among the employees. A few printers in the composing room were for showing fight, but, unfortunately, they were not armed.

       Mr. Byers stated his willingness to be escorted to the Criterion saloon by the ruffians, and so went with them. Wood walked close by his^ side, occasionally shoving his Deringer under his nose, asking him how he liked the smell of gunpowder, and playfully threatening to blow his brains out “just for luck.”

       Arriving at the saloon Harrison corroborated the state¬ ments made at the office, that all was quiet between him¬ self and the editor, and urged that the matter be dropped. While Wood and his friends were filling themselves with liquor at the bar, Byers succeeded, by a ruse of Harri¬ son’s, in escaping through the back door and returned to his office, which, during his absence, had assumed the appearance of a hastily improvised arsenal. The employ¬ ees, apprehensive of another visit from the desperadoes, had armed themselves and prepared for a siege.

       When the escape of the captive was made known, Wood and his riotous friends, armed with double-barreled shot-guns, mounted their horses and drew up for consultation at an unoccupied log house a few rods away from

      56 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.

      the editor’s office. They evidently realized the necessity of being cautious.

       To George Steele, who was full of drunken bravery, was entrusted the honor of reconnoitering the enemy’s camp. He advanced to the steps of the building, and peered long and earnestly, but could see nothing—all was as still as the heart of the dead, yet at that very moment he was covered with a dozen rifles from within. Standing awhile as if debating СКАЧАТЬ