He also had some experience in crossing the ice. He started across with a load of hogs for market. He tried twice and finally had to unload them on the ice and drive them home. The third time he took them down to Oshkosh and crossed on the bridge.

Jesse Lee Colyer said many a time they had tied a rope to a board and dragged that over the ice in order to have it to cross the

open channels in the ice. In trying to handle the board and packages of groceries they would be so careful of the board that they would lose the groceries.

Of all the old timers, none was handier with rope or gun than Texas Bill Helms. His claim was in the hills near the Geo. Richardson ranch. His favorite weapon was the 45 calibre Colt, but in all his gun fights with friends and neighbors, although apparently shooting to kill, he would cripple and vanquish his opponent without killing him, usually coming out of the encounter uninjured. He once sent a bullet ploughing across the top of Harm Granger's head but not breaking the skull.

On one occasion he went to Mr. Jackett's home and after a bitter quarrel, Mr. Jackett grabbed a revolver and ordered him off the place. Helms started to leave but unknown to Jackett he had left his shotgun leaning against the doorjam as he came in. Just as he stepped out he grabbed the shotgun and noticing that Jackett was off his guard, turned and shot his hand off and the revolver dropped to the floor without having been discharged.