Wild Bill's Deadly Aim

It was in the spring of 1865 thal Wild Bill and Dave Tutt, ex-chief oí confedérate scouts, tried conclusión in the public square at Springfleld, Mo. sald Dr. Hogeboom, surgeon of the A T. & S. F. rallroad. "The war was over, as far as flghting in the field was concerned, but the peculiar vindictivenesa that characterized all th warfare on both sldes in Missouri still exited and showed itself in rannj ways. A strong forcé of United States troopa occupled the town, the Kansas regiment, to which I was attached among them. A picturesque and striking figure among those who had foughi on the unlon side was Wild Bill, who&e daring and valuable services as a federal scout were fresh in the minds ol men. There were many ex-confederate soMiers in town, and Tutt, a brava and desperate man and a dead shot was the leader of that element. They lost no opportunity to show their i 11will to the unionista, and between Tutt and Wild Bill bad feeling was strongly manifested. It came to the point of an open quarrel one nlga-t when Tuit, with hls gang, carne into a saloon where Wild Bill was seated at a gama of poker. He had been winning, and with the pile of money before hina on the table was a gold watch and chain that sorae one had wagered and lost. Tutt had come for a quarrel. Ha watohed the game a few minutes, then said suddenly: "Bill, I want you to pay me the money y ou o we me." "I have paid you once, isn't that enougih?" eo.W Wild Bill, looking up from the hand of cards he held. "Tutt reached over and took the gold watch and chain from Wild Bül's pile of wlnnings. " 'You owo me that money,' he sald. Til keep this watch to satisfy the debt.' "Wild Bill looked at him with perfect calmneas. 'Better put it back, Dave,' he said. 'You'll be sorry if you don't.' "Tutt lauehed and put the watch in nis pocket, which ended the matter for that night. Next day he sent word to Wild Bill that on the following Saturday, at noon, he should carry the watch and chain across the public square, entering it at the northeast corner. This was a challenge which Wild Bill could not ignore. " Til be there,' he sald, when the message was given hlm, and went uuuie ana cieanecl and oiled his pistols. He dld not show himself about town much until Saturday noon carne. Then as Tutt appeared at the northeast corner of the public square, Wild B111 walked in at the southwest corner. As the two men approached each othr, walking from the corners diagonally opposite, it was seen that a group of Tutt's frlends were gathered at the corner to the left of Wild Bill, and nobody present doubted that they were there to take a hand in the shooting if the flght went against Tutt. "The distance between the two men at the start was 140 yards. They walked steadily toward each other, with plstols in the belt, until about fifty paces separated them. Then Tutt made a motion as if to draw hls pistol Instan tly Wild Bill's pistol carne up, and, holding lts butt with both 'hands without slghting, he flred at Tutt, who threw up his hands, staggered and feil dead on his face, shot through the heart. "With the crack of his pistol Wild Bill wheeled and faced the group of Tutfs friends, pistol in hand. Some of them had drawn their weapons, but thoy put them up in a hurry and declared that the duel had been a fair one. Wild Bill was king of the town after that, as he was chief for many a year afterward on the Dlains and in