THE RESTAURANT AND SALOON BUSINESS DALMATIAN STYLE

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GUNFIGHTER “THREE FINGER” PETROVICH LEAVES TOWN

By Adam S. Eterovich

THE FRENCH CAFE AND SALOON

In 1875 Petrovich with a fellow Dalmatian operated the French Cafe and a vegetable market on the main street of Panamint, California a Gold Boom Town. In the cellar, Petrovich, in partnership with a Mexican, also operated a saloon.

MEXICAN CROATIAN TROUBLES

To make the varied partnerships international, he had a Greek cook named Constantine. With the cold winds off the Panamints and the boredom of winter, Nikola his partner, became irritated with his Mexican saloon partner and offered his Greek cook a “bonus” if he would make the Mexican a special cake with ground wine bottle glass in it. Constantine objected, and was fired; demanded his pay back, and was sent on a fictitious job over in Darwin with a promise the money collected would be his pay.

GREEK CROATIAN TROUBLES

While returning from Darwin after failing to collect his pay, Constantine came upon his employer, Nikola, on the road in the Argus Mountains. Once more he demanded his wages. Although he never killed a man or had been known to shoot anybody, he was known to quarrel a bit. Nikola tried to beat some reason into the Greek’s head with his revolver handle. Constantine crawled down the Argus and up into Panamint and there swore our a warrant for his arrest. No peace officer could be found to cross the snows to go after him.

JEWISH CROATIAN TROUBLES

A young Jew, Bark Ashim, was after Nikola for debt. Among those seeking Perasich was Bark Ashim, who had reached Panamint in January. Bark was a storekeeper in Pioche, Nevada where, on a murder charge, was fined a dollar and left town. When Bark Ashim heard Nikola had left town, he picked up a six-shooter to assure the collection of his $47.50 debt.

IRISH CROATIAN TROUBLES

It was on the 10th day of March 1875, when Bark Ashim saw Nikola with his partner in a restaurant. Bark demanded his money, Nikola went for his pistol stating he would pay when he returned to Panamint. The next day bark returned with a desperado and a ruffian from Pioche, Tom Carroll an Irishman, and again had words with Nikola. This time, Tom Carroll, behind Ashim, saw the Dalmatian in the corner of the restaurant and slipped his hand onto his pistol. Bark Ashim said, “Perasich, I want you to settle that account! You will not put me off as you did yesterday.” “I will settle that in Panamint,” vowed Perasich. “You have no business taking you back to Panamint and you will settle today,” said Ashim.

Perasich sprang up and guns blazed. The action happened so suddenly that it took several days to determine exactly what had transpired. Ashim said at the trial afterward that he fired only to scare Perasich because he was coming at him and that his bullet entered the wall behind Perasich. His testimony proved to be correct since a bullet was found embedded in the board immediately in the line of his pistol shot. He also claimed the second shot he fired was aimed at Perasich’s gun hand. Perasich has slumped to the floor with two bullets in his chest; and Tom Carrol, who apparently had done the initial gunplay, also shot at the waiter.

GUNFIGHTER “THREE FINGER” PETROVICH LEAVES TOWN

His partner, Petrovich, not to be left out of the gun play, drew his pocket I.X.L. pistol but unfortunately not having the practice of Tom Carrol, shot off two fingers of his own hand. When the fight ended Perasich was dying on the floor, more that a dozen shots were found in the woodwork, Petrovich, with two fingers missing, left town for more peaceful surroundings and Tom Carroll was never to be seen again. The Vigilantes formed a posse to find Tom Carroll and the citizens demanded that Bark Ashim be lynched.