He's now emailed me his version.

STACK LEE Mumblin' Len Turner, May, 2011

Gonna [A] tell you all a [A7] story, and I [D] won't give you no [D7] jive,
'Bout a [A] killing in St [A] Louis, Christmas 189[E]5. [A D A E]


Gonna tell you all a story, and I won't give you no jive,
'Bout a killing in St Louis, Christmas 1895.

Stack Lee Shelton was the owner of the Modern Horseshoe Club,
Pimp, Democrat, and dandy, wearing hundred-dollar duds.

Billy Lyons worked the levee; he was not a wealthy man,
But he was surely well connected, and a staunch Republican.

The two men got to talking; they talked and drank all night.
By the time they got to politics, it was brewing for a fight.

Stack Lee took Billy's derby; he punched it 'til it tore,
Said: "Bill, now give me six bits, or I'll do the same to yours."

Shelton pulled his forty-four, said: "What do you think of that?
And now I'm gonna shoot you if you don't return my hat."

Billy Lyons called his bluff, and pulled out a switchblade knife,
Said, "You cockeyed S.O.B., I'm gonna make you take my life."

But Stack Lee wasn't kidding, and he blew Bill a brand new vent,
Then picked up his Stetson hat and calmly home he went.

They took Billy to the infirmary, where he died about four a.m.
Stack Lee laid home a-sleeping when the police arrested him.

They had to try him twice, because the jury could not agree,
Fin'ly he got twenty-five years in the Penitentiary.

So, you bar-room politicians, take a warning from my verse:
Argue hard 'bout politicking you may end up in jail or worse.