> 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.