Some Practical Advice

While enjoying the latest installment of Mack Brain, I was reminded of this passage from the book Sixguns by Elmer Keith (published in 1955):

"J. H. Fitzgerald told me of an incident he witnessed at the Chicago stock yards many years ago. A Negro cowpuncher had come east with a few car loads of steers from Colorado, and was standing by the heavy board fence looking inside at his charges. A cop came along, pulled a photograph from his pocket, made a brief comparison of it and the negro's back, then pulled a .30 caliber Luger and started started shooting the dusky cow-puncher in the back. Fitz said the big colored boy hooked one arm through the fence as he turned slowly around facing his adversary. When the Luger was empty the negro still hung onto the fence and then drew his 4 3/4 inch .45 single action Colt from his waist band and calmly asked, 'Are you through, white boy?' and shot the cop through the heart, killing him instantly. The Negro lived long enough to tell Fitz who he was and what ranch the cattle belonged to, and turn over his papers before he, too, took the long trail. A regrettable incident, due to an untrained and trigger happy officer jumping to conclusions.

"We can hardly avoid pointing out what a pip-squeak performance the Luger turned in. After the unfortunate negro had absorbed a magazine full of slugs, he not only lived long enough to kill the officer, but to untangle his business affairs."