Tales of the Colorado Pioneers. Alice Polk Hill
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 in his own mind the course to pursue, he returned to the log house, but soon appeared with a pair of heavy dragoon revolvers strapped around him. When in front of the building, he whipped out a pistol and fired into the sanctum, but no one was wounded, nor was there any response. He then put spurs to his horse and sped like the wind over a condemned bridge that reeled and rocked under the clattering hoofs of his horse. Gaining the opposite bank, he rose in his stirrups and turning, fired again, but the bullet passed through the building without harm.
A signal was then given to the News men, when they opened fire upon him from their windows. His coat was completely riddled with buckshot, and he staggered in his saddle, but did not fall. He rode rapidly to a brothel where his mistress lived, informed her of his wounded condition, and then dashed away to the Highland suburbs. A man by the name of Tom Pollock followed in his wake, and shot him from his horse.
There were flying rumors, that Byers had been killed, and in a few minutes the streets of Denver were filled with armed men. Search being instituted for Carl Wood, he was apprehended, just as he reached the door of his cabin, and compelled to throw down his arms and surrender.
THE HANGING OF GORDON. 57
The trial which ensued occupied three days. All business was suspended, and Judge H. P. Bennett, always a faithful and earnest advocate of the people’s cause, did great credit to himself on this occasion.
It was decided that Carl Wood should be banished from the country on pain of death if he returned. He was provided with a fleet horse, led out on the prairie and given the word “go,” which he obeyed without any unnecessary delay.
CHAPTER XII.
THE HANGING OF GORDON.
The damp morning newspaper so often brought tales of blood, that a “man for breakfast” became a common expression.
The killing of Jacob Gantz by James Gordon in July, 1860, created the most intense excitement that ever agi¬ tated the public mind.
Gordon was subject to periodical sprees. On this occa¬ sion it is said he was crazy drunk. He entered a saloon, and seeing Jacob Gantz seated on a keg in a corner, politely and pressingly urged him to take a drink. While standing at the bar, Gordon lifted his glass, sneeringly viewed Gantz from head to foot, threw the whisky in his face, struck him with his pistol and shot him dead. In the darkness he made his escape to Fort Lupton. The Fort was surrounded by his pursuers for twenty-four hours before he came out. At sundown the gate was thrown open and Gordon, mounted on a fleet horse, and a pistol in each hand, plunged through the crowd and disappeared in the gathering darkness.
58 TALES OF THE COLORADO PIONEERS.
Weeks passed before he was heard of again. He wrote a friend to sell some property and send the money to him at Kansas City. The letter fell into the hands of W. H. Middaugh, acting as the people’s sheriff, and who under¬ took the dangerous mission of capturing him.
Taking the coach to Leavenworth, he intercepted Gor¬ don on the high prairies, within sight of the line of the Indian Territory, whilst he was lying on the grass by the side of the