http://truckeehistory.tripod.com/history7.htm

GUNFIGHT IN TRUCKEE: THE TEETER – REED DUEL
By: Guy H. Coates

Teeter became best known following his single-handed arrest of Joseph
Tiereny in July 1873 after Tierney had stabbed a man to death in El
Dorado County. Teeter received a message that Tierney had a half-brother
who resided in Russell Valley, just north of Truckee, that he might be
headed that way. Teeter set out alone for Russell Valley. On the way, he
encountered a surprised Tierney. Before Tierney could resist, Teeter
drew his revolver and arrested him.

During the many years that Teeter served as Constable, James Reed served
on and off as his deputy. The two men competed for the more prestigious
elected office of town constable, with Teeter winning most of the time.
Although they cooperated together as lawmen, their friendly rivalry
began to evolve into an open conflict.

Reed was tough man whose reputation swelled following an incident when
he was attacked by a man wielding a large Bowie knife. Reed, who was
unarmed at the time, defended himself by picking up a large rock,
striking the on the head as he lunged at Reed, killing the man instantly.

Many of Reed’s friends belonged to the “601” vigilante group, whose aim
it was to run anyone they deemed to be “undesirable” out of town. It was
widely believed that Reed himself was a member, and this didn’t set well
with Jake.

The town itself was widely divided over the Chinese issue. An
anti-Chinese group known as the “Caucasian League” sought to rid the
town of lower paid Chinese workers, many of who decided to make Truckee
their home after helping build the transcontinental railroad. Reed was
not only a member of this group, but one of its leaders.

One evening, a group of self-appointed vigilantes set fire to the
bunkhouse of a group of Chinese workers who had been hired by Joseph
Gray to cut lumber. At approximately one o’clock in the morning, a mob
of angry white men, led by Reed, set the bunkhouse ablaze while the
workers were sleeping inside.

As the terrified workers fled, the mob fired on them with revolvers,
rifles, and a shotgun, wounding many of them. One man, Ah Ling, was
killed by a shotgun blast. James Reed owned the shotgun, which was
loaded with a deadly wire load.

Reed and six others were subsequently arrested and a highly publicized
trial followed. Reed and his friends were ultimately acquitted because
of “lack of evidence.” Teeter felt that the town he had grown to love
had lost all respect for law and order.

Teeter was again elected constable in 1890 but began to feel he was
losing community support. Reed and Teeter had once again ran against
each other again for constable, but this time it was a bitter fight.
Following the election, the two men rarely spoke to each other.

During the months following the election, Jake began to spend more time
at Hurd’s saloon drinking with his friends. ( Hurd’s Saloon was located
in the Capitol Building in the space currently occupied by The
Pharmacy.) Teeter openly stated to anyone who would listen that the 601
were nothing but a bunch of murderers and cowards. Perhaps it was his
intention that would be overheard Reed’s friends.

On the evening of November 6, 1891, at 5pm, Teeter went into Hurd’s for
a whisky. While drinking alone at the handsome old bar, the front door
opened and Reed and several of his friends walked in, passing Jake, and
sat down at a table in the rear of the saloon.

From the bar, Teeter’s voice rambled, addressing no one in particular:
“I ain’t no ____ of a ____ and I never beat a man’s brains out with a rock.”

Upon hearing this, Reed spoke up, “Are you addressing me?”

Teeter turned slowly from the bar and with a cold stare replied, “You
can take it if you want to.”

Reed rose slowly from his chair and retorted, “See here Jake, I don’t
want any trouble with you, but you’ve been harassing me long enough. I
don’t want to hear any more of it and you’ve got to quit!”

Reed approached Teeter and the two men began to argue, the words growing
more heated, until, in a rage, Teeter drew his revolver. Reed grabbed
Teeter’s weapon, and the two men scuffled. “I don’t intend to be
killed,” shouted Reed, at which time Teeter finally handed his gun over
to R.W. Dixon, a mutual friend.

Teeter promptly turned and stomped out of the saloon, but felt that he
had been humiliated in public and, worse yet, he had surrendered his
firearm. Jake promptly headed for home and re-armed himself.

Meanwhile, at Hurd’s saloon, a friend of Reed’s turned to him and said,
“You’d better get your revolver, Jake’s apt to arm himself again and
come back.” Reed went out the back door to his residence on Jibboom
Street, where he boldly strapped on his holster and six shooter.

At 5:15 pm, a witness standing outside the bar, W.H. Prouty, saw Teeter
striding down Front Street carrying a pistol, headed directly to Hurd’s.
As he approached the front door, Teeter examined his gun and put it in
his holster.

By this time, Reed had already returned to his table to finish his
supper in the company of Johnny Bourdette, Eddie Martin and R.W. Dixon.

Teeter quietly entered the saloon and saw a friend, George Cannon,
standing by the wood stove. Jake strode casually toward Cannon and spoke
briefly with Cannon, while watching Reed and his friends.

Several quiet minutes passed before Reed and his friends stood up and
began to walk from the rear of the saloon. Reed was the last in his
group, which walked past the bar toward the front door.

A witness, John Durand, said later: “As Reed came out of the dining
room, Teeter advanced toward him. Saying nothing, he leveled his pistol
and fired.” Unbelievably, the first shot missed Reed, but passed through
the hat of a bystander has he dived for cover.

Two other shots went wild, as everyone else in the saloon either dropped
to the sawdust covered floor, crawled under tables or tried to hide
behind posts.

Quicker than it can be said, Reed drew his pistol and fired four times –
so quickly that some witnesses believed they only heard two or three
rounds. Others later said they heard a dozen. However, four bullets
struck Jacob Teeter.

When the smoke cleared, Teeter had fallen heavily to the floor next to
the billiard table. Witnesses rose and stood in shocked silence.

Reed examined himself, expecting to find a wound, but probably due to
the effects of the whiskey, Teeter’s aim had been worse than bad.
Finally, someone shouted, “Jake’s hurt badly- go fetch Doc.”

Doctor’s Curless and Curdy hurried to Teeter’s home, where bystanders
had carried the wounded constable. Throughout the night, Teeter remained
unconscious, while the doctors did what they could to alleviate the
pain, but as the night wore on, Teeter Faded. At 10:30 am, on Saturday,
November 7, 1891, Jake Teeter died.

James Reed surrendered himself to Deputy Constable Long, but was not
locked up. A coroner’s inquest was held the following day. Truckee’s
famous attorney, C.F. McGlashan, represented Reed.

After all the evidence had been examined and witnesses questioned, the
verdict was read: “We the jury find that Jacob Teeter came to his death
from wounds inflicted by a pistol held in the hands of James Reed, and
that in our opinion he acted in self defense.”

The eight- man jury and coroner signed the verdict. James Reed was
released.

Teeter was buried in Truckee’s cemetery where a large tombstone marks
his grave. Most of Truckee’s citizens attended the funeral, except for
James Reed.

On March 27, 1905, a story appeared in the Truckee Republican. The
headline read, “Pioneer James Reed Dies of Old Age.” The article stated
that Reed had been living the lonely life of a hermit in a small cabin
in Truckee for over thirteen years. He apparently felt remorse, and his
life had been a burden since the day he shot and killed Jake Teeter.

Once handsome and popular, it turned out that Reed’s friends gradually
abandoned him. His hair had turned gray and his beard had grown long. He
died from old age, self-neglect and loneliness. James Reed is also
buried in Truckee’s cemetery, but in an obscure, unmarked grave.

While the incident remains a tragic event in Truckee’s history, Jacob
Teeter is still remembered as the town’s earliest and bravest lawman.