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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Silver Moon" data-source="post: 3004504" data-attributes="member: 8530">Chapter 155, “A Chat with the Deputies”, Friday, March 24th, 1882, 1:00 PM Marshall Berg calls his three deputies into the office for a meeting. He says, "We have a few problems at the moment, the biggest of which is the Cowboy Gang. One of the townspeople has important information regarding them and will be along soon to talk to us. Before that I have some other things to discuss. The vote at yesterday's meeting was long and contentious. None of you three have the overwhelming support of the town and several people question my ability as well. We can't have that. We need to gain the respect of this town and project confidence and professionalism. To that end I want you to make sure that when we are in public people address us respectfully by our titles. I am to be addressed as Marshall Berg. Each of you should be addressed by the title of Deputy Marshall, Deputy or Marshall followed by your last name. The only exception to that will be Stanley Barker, who obviously is free to call his wife by her first name, but I expect the respectful names from everybody else. Although inside this room or just among us Mitch, Eddie, Chet and Helen are fine.  Do any of you have any questions?"Chester pipes up, "What's our relationship to Deputy Sheriff Hunter?"   Berg replies, "We don't have one. Our jurisdiction is the town, his is the county. But since we're not an incorporated town we have no set boundaries, so technically he can enforce the law here as well. But he usually doesn't bother, leaving town matters to the Marshal. Earp pretty much ignored him except for when this jail was full, in which case he used that jail as well if he needed it."Chester replies, "OK. I wanted to know so we don't butt heads with the Sheriff. Good thing he leaves us be. That could be messy."   Berg agrees. They talk for a few more minutes about Johnny Ringo when Berg sees somebody at the door. He heads over and lets in Jake Cook, locking the door behind him. Helen looks a bit uncomfortable.   Berg tells the deputies "Mr. Cook has a message to us from my predecessor, Marshall Wyatt Earp. Mr. Cook..." Jake begins, "As I said before to, the previous Marshall asked me to share a story with his former deputies. Mitchell I have great respect for you, and you will need to know all this to do your job and keep yourself alive. I just ask that you all keep the parts about me and my friends to yourselves." True to his word to Wyatt Earp, Jake holds nothing back and shares everything that Wyatt told him. From the beginnings of the Cowboy gang with the Clantons, Curly Bill Brocious death, Dead-eye Douglas arrival, stagecoach robberies, the Yeats, bank robbery and breakup with Douglas, the different factions, the kidnapping rescue, Claibournes attack on the road, Morgan's murder, Johnson and McMasters changing sides and Wyatt's actions. "Chester can tell you more about his captivity, and the recent shooting involving Pony Deal. Johnny Ringo wants revenge, and wants to have his gang be the power in the county. Among other things he has threatened to blow up the Lucky Lady, threatened to kidnap the Katherine Kale's ward Ginnie, and had his men shoot up the jail in broad daylight. The gang has already shown they are not above murdering the families of the local law officers." Jake's gaze sweeps across all four of them and ends with Helen Barker. "There is significant bad blood between me and the Cowboy gang. I foolishly went along to recover some rustled cattle with the Cartwrights a couple of months back. Some gang members mistook me and my Colt for Dead-eye Douglas. It wasn't Dead-eye's gang that killed Brocious and the McLaury brothers that day it was, um, me and my friends." Jake clears his throat thinking, Damn Nanuet I almost said tribe. "The Cowboy gang and some hired thugs attacked us coming back from Fisk Mountain and paid dearly for it. They ambushed us another night after that and we hunted them down and brought those in for justice. I'm sure if Chester hasn't already told you about the farm house and attack on the road he will." Jake takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly before he says, "I provided the Earps help against the Cowboys before, if you are straight with me I'll make the same offer. This town will become worse than a hellhole if the Cowboy gang is allowed to survive."Chester picks up the thread. "I don't know if you noticed, but the Condons don't like me or Jake much. We used to be guards at their bank. After Deadeye robbed the place, Danby Jones told them we were involved. Eventually Jones was told to leave the area and the charges dropped against Jake and me. You should remember that, Marshall Berg. Recently Nanuet, my Indian friend, and I were riding to Tombstone to tell the Tombstone Epitaph to stop the presses. On the way, we found Billy Claibourne and another Cowboy. We shot it out and the other cowboy was killed. Leaving there, we came across a bunch of the Cowboys with a Gattling gun. They captured us and brought us to their farmhouse hideout. They thought we were delivering a message to the Earps, probably a warning to Morgan Earp. the next day Jake and the rest of our friends broke us out, killing most of the Cowboys there."Jake continues ""As a citizen and member of the Merchant Association, I expect you folks to keep the gang from blowing up my saloon. As member of the community I am willing to defend my home." Jake takes his hat off and runs a hand through his hair, giving him a moment to think. "Oh, one more thing. I couldn't prove it in a court of law, but there is a small mountain of circumstantial evidence that points to Hamilton Fisk being the money man for one of the factions probably Ringo's, and that the county sheriff's are probably on the Cowboy payroll." Jake settles his hat back on his head and extends his hand to Mitchell Berg. "So Mitchell, are congratulations in order on your new appointment? Or would you rather stick with good luck?" Berg shakes his hand but does not immediately answer. He ponders what Jake just said for a minute and then replies "I appreciate being told the information. However, Mr. Cook, I am going to ask that you do not take any further direct actions unless one of the four Marshals is also present. We have the authority to enforce law in this town, you do not. The Earps may have supported vigilante justice but I'm afraid that I can not and will not. Doing so can lead to anarchy. People need to respect the law. You have a right to protect your property but beyond that it's not your jurisdiction."He keeps his poker face through Berg's response. "I understand," Jake replies, "Marshall." He listens to Chester’s question and the answer.  "There are some estimates of the Cowboy gang being in the hundreds. Even if Ringo only has the loyalty of a quarter of that, that would give him at a minimum several dozen men. There are four of you. Perhaps you should petition the Association for the right to deputize additional deputies under your direction for short emergencies." Jake tips his hat. "Gentlemen, Mahm, I will bid you good day. You know where to find me."  After Jake leaves the Jail he walks slowly back to the saloon. Outside the saloon he looks up at the sign, then the whole building. "Home." Jake chuckles enters his home.After Jake leaves Chester asks, "So when can we act? A 'they got to fire first' kind of thing?"   Berg replies, "No, waiting for them to fire at you is suicidal. If you see Ringo or any of his known associates and it is possible you should first attempt to arrest them. But you are free to take whatever action is appropriate for the specific circumstances. You have a badge now, with it comes the responsibility to use it wisely."Chester snaps his fingers. "Before I forget. Eduardo and I caught Thad Gormley spying on the El Parador. He's Ajax's nephew. Anyway, we questioned him and found out it was him and Pony Deal who shot at the office the other day. I told him to lie to Ringo about what he saw and let him go. Ajax said he'd be back to tell us more about what Ringo is planning."Berg says "Do you know where he is now? It sounds like we need that information sooner rather than later."  Chester indicates that he is staying with Gormley over on East Street. Berg asks Helen and Eduardo to stay at Marshall's Office as he and Chester head off to see Mr. Gormley. Along the way Chester sees Clarisse and two other women who he has seen around town but does not know by name exiting the Great Western Boarding house. Both are carrying large cloth bags and he spots knitting needles sticking out from the bags.  Chester waves at Clarisse. She sees him and waves back. Clarisse asks her companions to wait and walks to Chester. "Good afternoon, Chet. Where are you going?" Berg clears his throat. Chester says, "Hold on a second Marshall." He takes Clarisse aside. "Good afternoon to you too. I'm on official business, right now. I can't talk long. Are you doing some knitting?"  She pouts. "You can make it up by coming to see me."  He kisses her. "You know I will. I'll see you later."  Chester says to Berg. "Sorry about that Marshall. Let's hope Gormley's information is good."Berg and Martin arrive at the Gormley home. Ajax Gormley and his room mate Brian Kelso are not home, but neither of them are who the lawman have come to see. Thaddeus Gormley lets them into the house. Berg begins by introducing himself as the new Town Marshall and letting Gormley know that Judge Isby has arrived in town. "Son, if I believe that you are lying to me you will spend the weekend behind bars and see the Judge on Monday. If that happens I will try to protect you behind bars, but you should know that the last man being held, Lane Gifford, was killed in jail by the Cowboy Gang despite a lawman guarding him at the time." Thaddeus appears to be very intimidated by that preamble. He quickly tells them about riding into town with Ringo and Deal. Deal went off to ge the keys to the boarding house and Ringo gave them the flask with the invisibility elixir. With that and the keys they had no difficulty getting into Morgan and Wyatt's rooms. Deal was assigned the tricky shooting, with Thad told to just fire warning shots to keep anybody from trying to leave the Marshall's Office. He says that he was as surprised as anybody when Deal shot and hit Ringo, that wasn't part of the plan at all. Following the shooting Thad was told to go to the corner room at the Promise City Hotel that had been rented for him and watch the El Parador to make sure that no books were moved. He was given the flask to keep in the event that he needed to use it to escape, but got so scared when Chester knocked out the door that he didn't think to use it.Chester pulls the flask out of his pocket. "Here it is, Marshall."  Berg says, "Dispose of that, Deputy. Don't forget magic's illegal in town."  Chester slips the flask back into his pocket. "Of course, sir." Berg says, "I hear you're willing to help us. Is that so?" Thad says, "I don't want to go to jail. Isby'll throw the book at me." Berg replies, "That's Judge Isby, son." "Sorry, Marshall. I haven't seen Johnny yet. The Deputy asked me to tell him that he saw the Indian that hangs out with the widow Kale driving a wagon out of town with the books." Chester interrupts, "How 'bout you leave the Indian out of this. Just say someone drove the wagon out of town. It was night, so you couldn't tell who it was."Berg tells Gormley "You just stay tight and let us know if Ringo makes contact with you." Berg and Chester make their way back to the Marshall's Office. He says, "I figure that Chet and I should take the Saturday night shift. That's when the Palace has their boxing so human male lawmen would probably be best if we have to go there. So we'll be taking tonight off and leaving the town in the capable hands of you two", as he gestures to Eddie and Helen.Chester says, "Has Adair brought any of you before him? I sent for me last night. Said he wanted to talk. He asked who I thought I was working for. Then he asked me how I felt working alongside the two of you." He motions to Helen and Eduardo. "Even insulted you to boot. I walked out of his office when he did that. I don't know what trouble he'll try to start."“He hasn't spoken to any of the other lawmen.”. Berg comments "All the more reason for us to be on duty tomorrow Chet and make an appearance at the Palace. Helen, Eddie, I'll be at my home tonight if anything comes up requiring a lawman at the Palace. Come and get me, don't attempt to go there yourself."  Chester answers, "If you need me, I'll be at the Lucky Lady." Jake spends an hour after coming back to the saloon cleaning his weapons. He was beginning to fall back into his old routines, and it felt good. He used the time to organize his thoughts, remembering all the small facts different folks told him about the Cowboy gang. We have much work to do, he thinks, but this could even be enjoyable.After discussing the plans for the next few days Nanuet tells Minerva that he should get some work done. He reminds her that they were supposed to meet with their friends to share knowledge and make plans for the immediate future. He leaves the grove and heads to the Lucky Lady where he goes about his usual chores. He takes some time out to play with the puppies, training them a bit more.   “I will see you later today. "Minerva replies and kisses him one last time before she goes back to the Comstock house."</blockquote>

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