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deop design, but after going back a few lengths the riders wheeled in tho face of an awful fire, delivered in part from enemies but a few rods away, and sped ouco more toward the Federal lines. Only one reached there, however, and him the foremost advuucing skirmishers recognized as Wild Bill, the scout. Hia companion went dowu before reaching the ditch, horso and man shot at the same time by the two pursuers who had been almost ui their heels in this second run. When his companion fell, Wild Bill gave the reins to his gallant horse Black Nell and turned in his saddle. The lookers on saw the two Confederates tumble from their saddles, and at the sumo time Black Nell arose in the air and landed her brave master among friends who had hurried forward to that point.When questioned why ho did not steal into tho Federal lines at night, the scout said: “Ob, mate and 1 wanted to show them rebs what a Union soldier oould do. Since we’ve been with them we’ve heard nothing but brag. We thought we’d just take it out of them. ”General Curtis learned from tho scout that the Confederates woro moving to flank him and was saved from disaster by the timely warning which a few hours’ delay would have rendered value* less.When General Sterling Priou was on his big raid iu Missouri, Wild Bill was with the Texas rangers, passing as an Austin man named Barnes. Price and Curtis curne together at Sandy river, and Wild Bill had information for his chief as to tbo strength of the Confederates. One day ho was on picket when the soldiers began exchanging papers, tobacco and coffee, and shortly ufter the barter was over Curtis know that his •cout was oour at hand. But Wild Bill saw no chance to escape and finally decided to take the boldest method, as before. Thero was a sergeant iu his com-nn nn ltnAtun nn ft mnaf Vnia firm fit nmlMl * I* MM\« I • U IU kUW » iruipuuj w*old and new settlers, he was widely known and respected. Ho admitted having killed men at almost every station on the plains, but said the killing bad been iu self defense.Naturally thero were grudges against this arm of the Jnw with a dark past, but as long as ho was marshal there wore comparative quiet and safety in Abilene. Ho woro two revolvers in pluiu sight, with a bolt of cartridges handy to keep tho six shooters primed for business. But tbis lino specimen of a fighting man did not run amuck, shooting down every poor waif or obstreperous cowboy who happened to disturb the peaco of reformed Abilene. Oh, no! He'd simply wallop tho cantankerous “cusses who crossed his path with their teeth showing, using tbo butt of a revolver us tho ferule of reform until they cried “Enough!” theirtoll them to get out of town. This they did. He was a terror to the gamblers, and bis old friends of the cattle range had no mercy if they misbehaved when thoy came to enjoy tho hospitality of Abilene.Enemies grew up thick uud fast, but Wild Bill was too good a shot to tackle with impunity and wus let alone for a time, although the boys muUe limuy a bluff ut doing for their old comrade. Just at tho timewhou ho knew that the rccklosB cow punchers, gamblers and rumsellers woro plotting vengeance he would stride into tho midst of u saloon orowd brandishing a revolver in each hand aud dare any ouo to shout at him.Soon aftor that a syndicato of evildoers offered a reward of $10,000 fot tho life of Wild Bill, but no man in the ■outbwost dured undertake the contract.The cowboys never owned tho town of Abileno ufter Wild Bill reformed thiugs, but there was still further reform, aud the whilom “tough” was superseded as murshul by one of tbe ro-spootuble element. He then went to Doadwood, bocamu a gambler, but wasfrnm Kpliind l\v mi nlil nnain v (if tVio
Newspaper Details
The Saturday Pharos
Logansport, Indiana, US
Sat, Mar 26, 1898
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Randall M.
SD, USA 15 Jan 2017
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