A LIVELY PLACE.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VII, Issue 2048, 22 July 1885, Page 2

A LIVELY PLACE.

It is related of a tourist in one of the Western States of America, who had qpeflt the night in an jjotel m jjpipty that, 011 opting dqwn jti tho' ihorning, he called the jitten'tjpn'of (ha' fondlprd to some' grope; which \yerp aijoiit the bar. ' "Grape?!" said the astpnished landlord, '' Them'? m to gouged out in a BOi'iminagei last night,"' This incident (says the Melbourno Argus) must surely have taken place at Sheridan, in Wyoming, where a famous ruffian ncmed Buckley, better known as Dick the Shooter, has just met with his desseits. Dick was the terror of the Western territories, owing to his great strength, and his certainty of aim, He had deserted from the army, and gathered round ]ijm q |M p{ deapM {$ selfi Heftad a playful' habit of discK&rging" his revolvef " promiscuously" at pedestrians ; and to refuse to drink him when he was titkjng spinous refreshment at a tftyeri) fyr ri-as to invite sudden death 'by' perforation with a bullet, On the 7th March lie entered a drinking saloon in Sheridan, oaJ'led upon everybody present tg 'iUqiior tip' 1 at his expe.nsa. 'They all"(soiflplied,' with the a miner "named Joneß, who complained o{ ill-health.' "■ I dpn't care a—,"said Dic|,' KweU or. ill, you've to dpk wit|i y/i f (ind he cocked his weapon, at joneglaughingly replied: "Oh, well, jf.ypfl insist upp it, rwilli to don't, let's quarrel over jfc w d stepping bshind le par Ae seized adonble-barrelled ahot gun. which stood in. the corner, ■ Quick , as thought, Diok the' Shooter, pulled the - trigger of his revolver, but without effect; did so a second and a. third time, and. just aa he was preparing to do 10 a fourth j time, both barrelle of the gun were dis charged at him, .and, umpst ' disem i

bowelled, he dropped oiithe floor. When his pistol was examined, it was. found to contain three empty'and three , loaded chambers. He had pulled the trigger on the empty barrels in rapid suction, thus saving the.life of t]ie man hefßteu-. ded to murder, and sacrificing hijrown. If incidents of this kind are of frequent occurrence in Sheridan, .it must be a lively place to live in. > RUSSIAN SCHEMES. A naval officer who lias just returned from a cruise in the Chinese seas, has supplied the Vienna correspondent of the '"Daily Telegraph", withthe/ollowing information :—The ment of the Russian East-Asian Squadron and the appearance of several shipsx belonging to it in the immediate neighlhrhood of the Island of Quelpart, where tjjly were observed to take soundings, aroused the suspicionsof the Chinese and Japanese authorities, Thoykve jiow ascertained that the Russians contemplate the occupation of Quelpart. The island in question is a strategic position .of .first-class importancebetween China, Japan, andtheCorea, It commands theseawaytothe commercial centres of Nagasaki, Simonoseki, Pusan, Intchou, Tohifu, Tientsin, and Riutchang. It is only 150 geographical miles from Shanghai, It would .make an excellent .station for the fleet .of . a foreign Power. The Oorean Government are notyaa position to defend it. If'QuelparjjJweonce occupied by the Russians™ twWslande of Tchusima, at present the property of Japan, would inevitably share a similar fate. In 1859 an attempt made by Russian merchantmen to colonise the Tchußima islands was frustrated by England. The common danger that Would thus confront China and Japan from the projected Russian occupation' of Quelpart has brought about a rapp-fockment between those to Powers, in view of presiding for the safetyoftho Co'rean island, Cgm, in.particular, is evidently prepatii® for war. Agriculture, trado, and industry are everywhere at a standstill, and the whole onergies of the country are dovoted to the military preparations now going on.' Troops aro being recruited, fprfcj-. fications erected, and army stored in all directions. Many of th? river mp.utjis are closed. Japan is not idlo, either. Orders have been issued for tho equipment of forty ships and twenty-three torpedo boats. Military manoeuvres on a vast scale are now taking place,' under the inspection of the Mikado, at Fukuoka. The Japanese Government are also making other preparations that point to approaching military action, Another sympton of the raprßkachment that has been brought abopHetween China and Japan is to be foynd in the improved prospects of an understanding between the twp Gpyernpients jii connection with the Cofean difficulty, Nor can there be much doubt that the circumstances above mentioned contribute to render the Ckinese Government desirous of concluding peace wiMrance, Then, a fortnight ago, it was imported that in case of an Anglo-Russian war, England could confidently reckon upon China's alliance, which is not unlikely to have been true." "