The Christmas Poultry Heist
Two local drifters outsmart a tavern keeper in a holiday shooting match scheme.
The story, cleaned up
A cleaned-up reading of the newspaper page: spelling and layout repaired, one story lifted off a crowded page. It follows the original closely but it is not a transcription. The original page is below; read it if a detail matters.
Sid and 'Old Lines' set out before Christmas for a shooting match. Having only one gun and having failed to hit any targets, they hatched a plan to secure poultry for the holiday. They traveled to Deacon Holly's tavern, a man who, despite his name, was known for his profanity. Old Lines told Sid to load his gun with a heavy charge of shot, then suggested they trick the Deacon. Lines convinced the Deacon to let them 'test' their aim on his prize flock, while secretly drawing the charge from the gun under the guise of preparing a joke. However, the Deacon didn't realize that the gun had been loaded twice, or that the pair were more clever than he anticipated. When Sid fired at the gathered birds, the double-load sent him sprawling, but the blast secured him nine chickens and two turkeys. The pair took their prize and rode off, leaving the Deacon to contemplate his loss.
“A joke is a joke... true that's so you're right there.”
Holiday schemes and local tavern lore remain a staple of Olympia's community character. This story captures the 19th-century frontier spirit where wit and audacity often bypassed formal justice.
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