Record Journal of Douglass County, Colorado summarized in dramatic terms on October 18, 1912.
"Dying of Wound, Assumes Blame
Duel Victim Says He Forced
Fight on Ranger Who Killed Him.
MAY RELEASE MILLER
HAD HONOR OF DYING WITH HIS
BOOTS ON FOR NUMBER
OF YEARS PAST.
WESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION NEWS SERVICE
"Walsenburg, Colo. ---"I forced him to shoot me. Turn him loose." These were the last words of Chas. Caviness, who was mortally wounded by Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, on the upper Huerfano, after a quarrel in a poker game.
Caviness for years has had a horror of dying with his boots on, and when he was picked up after being shot he said: "Boys for God's sake take off my boots. I don't want to die with them on." Caviness and Miller had engaged in a poker game in the Greenlight saloon. Miller was winner. Caviness charged him with cheating and started to get up from the table. Miller drew a revolver and made him sit down. Later Caviness came back to the saloon with a rifle. He leveled the gun, but it failed to discharge and the click of the hammer attracted Miller's attention. With one shot Miller dropped his assailant. Miller is in the county jail here. It is believed Caviness' statement will result in his release."
****
WET MOUNTAIN TRIBUNE (Westcliffe, Custer Co., CO) Friday, October 18, 1912, p. 9
"Settle Poker Dispute in Old Frontier Way
A special from Walsenburg to the daily papers of Oct. 14, says" A reminder of the old West, with its dead shots, was enacted in the Greenlight saloon to night when Charles Caviness stepped into the main entrance, leveled a rifle at Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, and failed to kill him because the cartridge did not explode. When he tried to pump another shell into the gun, he was shot through both lungs by Miller.
The trouble began early in the evening over a poker game. Miller won most of the money, Caviness accused him of crookedness and left the table. Miller drew a revolver and compelled Caviness to sit down. The game broke up a few minutes later and Caviness departed.
Securing a rifle Caviness returned. As he stepped into the entryway Miller was sitting at a lunch counter and did not notice him. Caviness' gun missed fire, Milller heard Caviness trying to reload, drew his revolver and shot Caviness.
Miller then walked to the bar, asked for a drink and went out. He was later arrested. Caviness is not expected to live. Millier is in jail.
"I forced him to shoot. Turn him loose. It was my fault." These are the words uttered by Caviness before he died at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th. We understand Miller was acquitted."
"Dying of Wound, Assumes Blame
Duel Victim Says He Forced
Fight on Ranger Who Killed Him.
MAY RELEASE MILLER
HAD HONOR OF DYING WITH HIS
BOOTS ON FOR NUMBER
OF YEARS PAST.
WESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION NEWS SERVICE
"Walsenburg, Colo. ---"I forced him to shoot me. Turn him loose." These were the last words of Chas. Caviness, who was mortally wounded by Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, on the upper Huerfano, after a quarrel in a poker game.
Caviness for years has had a horror of dying with his boots on, and when he was picked up after being shot he said: "Boys for God's sake take off my boots. I don't want to die with them on." Caviness and Miller had engaged in a poker game in the Greenlight saloon. Miller was winner. Caviness charged him with cheating and started to get up from the table. Miller drew a revolver and made him sit down. Later Caviness came back to the saloon with a rifle. He leveled the gun, but it failed to discharge and the click of the hammer attracted Miller's attention. With one shot Miller dropped his assailant. Miller is in the county jail here. It is believed Caviness' statement will result in his release."
****
WET MOUNTAIN TRIBUNE (Westcliffe, Custer Co., CO) Friday, October 18, 1912, p. 9
"Settle Poker Dispute in Old Frontier Way
A special from Walsenburg to the daily papers of Oct. 14, says" A reminder of the old West, with its dead shots, was enacted in the Greenlight saloon to night when Charles Caviness stepped into the main entrance, leveled a rifle at Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, and failed to kill him because the cartridge did not explode. When he tried to pump another shell into the gun, he was shot through both lungs by Miller.
The trouble began early in the evening over a poker game. Miller won most of the money, Caviness accused him of crookedness and left the table. Miller drew a revolver and compelled Caviness to sit down. The game broke up a few minutes later and Caviness departed.
Securing a rifle Caviness returned. As he stepped into the entryway Miller was sitting at a lunch counter and did not notice him. Caviness' gun missed fire, Milller heard Caviness trying to reload, drew his revolver and shot Caviness.
Miller then walked to the bar, asked for a drink and went out. He was later arrested. Caviness is not expected to live. Millier is in jail.
"I forced him to shoot. Turn him loose. It was my fault." These are the words uttered by Caviness before he died at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th. We understand Miller was acquitted."
Record Journal of Douglass County, Colorado summarized in dramatic terms on October 18, 1912.
"Dying of Wound, Assumes Blame
Duel Victim Says He Forced
Fight on Ranger Who Killed Him.
MAY RELEASE MILLER
HAD HONOR OF DYING WITH HIS
BOOTS ON FOR NUMBER
OF YEARS PAST.
WESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION NEWS SERVICE
"Walsenburg, Colo. ---"I forced him to shoot me. Turn him loose." These were the last words of Chas. Caviness, who was mortally wounded by Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, on the upper Huerfano, after a quarrel in a poker game.
Caviness for years has had a horror of dying with his boots on, and when he was picked up after being shot he said: "Boys for God's sake take off my boots. I don't want to die with them on." Caviness and Miller had engaged in a poker game in the Greenlight saloon. Miller was winner. Caviness charged him with cheating and started to get up from the table. Miller drew a revolver and made him sit down. Later Caviness came back to the saloon with a rifle. He leveled the gun, but it failed to discharge and the click of the hammer attracted Miller's attention. With one shot Miller dropped his assailant. Miller is in the county jail here. It is believed Caviness' statement will result in his release."
****
WET MOUNTAIN TRIBUNE (Westcliffe, Custer Co., CO) Friday, October 18, 1912, p. 9
"Settle Poker Dispute in Old Frontier Way
A special from Walsenburg to the daily papers of Oct. 14, says" A reminder of the old West, with its dead shots, was enacted in the Greenlight saloon to night when Charles Caviness stepped into the main entrance, leveled a rifle at Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, and failed to kill him because the cartridge did not explode. When he tried to pump another shell into the gun, he was shot through both lungs by Miller.
The trouble began early in the evening over a poker game. Miller won most of the money, Caviness accused him of crookedness and left the table. Miller drew a revolver and compelled Caviness to sit down. The game broke up a few minutes later and Caviness departed.
Securing a rifle Caviness returned. As he stepped into the entryway Miller was sitting at a lunch counter and did not notice him. Caviness' gun missed fire, Milller heard Caviness trying to reload, drew his revolver and shot Caviness.
Miller then walked to the bar, asked for a drink and went out. He was later arrested. Caviness is not expected to live. Millier is in jail.
"I forced him to shoot. Turn him loose. It was my fault." These are the words uttered by Caviness before he died at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th. We understand Miller was acquitted."
"Dying of Wound, Assumes Blame
Duel Victim Says He Forced
Fight on Ranger Who Killed Him.
MAY RELEASE MILLER
HAD HONOR OF DYING WITH HIS
BOOTS ON FOR NUMBER
OF YEARS PAST.
WESTERN NEWSPAPER UNION NEWS SERVICE
"Walsenburg, Colo. ---"I forced him to shoot me. Turn him loose." These were the last words of Chas. Caviness, who was mortally wounded by Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, on the upper Huerfano, after a quarrel in a poker game.
Caviness for years has had a horror of dying with his boots on, and when he was picked up after being shot he said: "Boys for God's sake take off my boots. I don't want to die with them on." Caviness and Miller had engaged in a poker game in the Greenlight saloon. Miller was winner. Caviness charged him with cheating and started to get up from the table. Miller drew a revolver and made him sit down. Later Caviness came back to the saloon with a rifle. He leveled the gun, but it failed to discharge and the click of the hammer attracted Miller's attention. With one shot Miller dropped his assailant. Miller is in the county jail here. It is believed Caviness' statement will result in his release."
****
WET MOUNTAIN TRIBUNE (Westcliffe, Custer Co., CO) Friday, October 18, 1912, p. 9
"Settle Poker Dispute in Old Frontier Way
A special from Walsenburg to the daily papers of Oct. 14, says" A reminder of the old West, with its dead shots, was enacted in the Greenlight saloon to night when Charles Caviness stepped into the main entrance, leveled a rifle at Lewis Miller, a forest ranger, and failed to kill him because the cartridge did not explode. When he tried to pump another shell into the gun, he was shot through both lungs by Miller.
The trouble began early in the evening over a poker game. Miller won most of the money, Caviness accused him of crookedness and left the table. Miller drew a revolver and compelled Caviness to sit down. The game broke up a few minutes later and Caviness departed.
Securing a rifle Caviness returned. As he stepped into the entryway Miller was sitting at a lunch counter and did not notice him. Caviness' gun missed fire, Milller heard Caviness trying to reload, drew his revolver and shot Caviness.
Miller then walked to the bar, asked for a drink and went out. He was later arrested. Caviness is not expected to live. Millier is in jail.
"I forced him to shoot. Turn him loose. It was my fault." These are the words uttered by Caviness before he died at 4 o'clock on the morning of the 15th. We understand Miller was acquitted."
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