Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1850-06-01
From Noah's Sunday Times.
.Eames Bowie.

Four years ago, when Theodore Parker, tn
eminent theo- -phizanthropic preacher OF Bostol
visited Europe, having a letter OF introduction
for that purpose, he called on Thomas Carlyle
The English solitaire piled the American witt
innu merable questions relating to our customs
and hab its of social existence on this side o
the great water, but manifested the keenest Gu
riosify @cerning the people Of the back-woods
Parker drew for the others amusement avlvlt
sketch of the achievements of Bowie, tamou:
arch.duelist Of Texas. Carlyle listened witt
sparkling eyes till the close of the narrative
and then burst into EXPLANATIONS OF involunta
ry enthusiasm:
"By Hercules the man was greater than Caa
sar or Cromwell-nay, nearly equal to Odln o.
Thor. The Texans ought to build him an altar.
The burning sympathizer with the heroic ii
all its phases, rubbed his hands together, chuck
ling in an ecstasy of savage glee, and made
Parker repeat his story of bloody anecdotes
Finally, he put the question
ssBut bv what miracle could it happen that
the brave fellow escaped the capital penalty o.
law after such countless violations!'
To this interrogatory Parker, he himself con-
fessed, could return no satisfactory answer; and
as ten Thousand readers have perhaps pondered
the same problem without receiving rational
solution, it may be not uninteresting to explain
it briefly, especially as a clear elucldatlon can
be detailed in few words.
Let it be remembered then, that although the
great system of common law that 'sperfection
of human reason for the Anglo Saxon race
prevails throughout all the States Of the West
wholly as to the mode and measure of punish
ment annexed to each, nevertheless in its rrac-
tical application to given cases it is cotrolled
bv the power of far mightier law-the om-
nipotent law of public opinion; because in
most Western courts juries are absolute judg
es of both the law and the fact, and their inter-
pretatons often evince direct antagonism with
the dicta of my Lord Coke and the classic COM
ments of Blackstone.
On the subject of homicide in particular,
public opinion has passed the bounds OF all
books of jurisprudence, and settled as an im-
mutable statue this extraordinary axiom:
stIt is iustifable to kill in fair combat every
body and any body who ought to be killed!''
In Bowie's numerous rencontres he always
kept within the prescribed limits Of this latiudi
marian rule, and hence he was always acquitted
by frontier juries, and frequently with addenda
to their verdicts highly complimentary to his
character as chivalrous gentleman. In truth
most of his desperate engagements grew out
of his innate and inyincible disposition to ex-
pouse the cause of the weak against the mighty.
One illustration by incident will present this
peculiarly in the strongest light, and may be-
sides, reveal thorough knowledge of the
heart and soul of the man.
On the evening of the 4th of June, 1885, the
steamboat "Rob Roy" started from st. Louis to
New Orleans with full crowd of passengers.
Immediately after getting under full head-way,'
to adopt favorite backwoods phrase, one per-
son attracted universal attention by the annoy
inc eagerness with which he endeavored to
make up party at cards. Indeed, his oft-re-
peated and persevering efforts to that end soon
became insulting and unendurable; and yet his
appearance was such as to deter the bravest on
board from administering the chastisement
which he so richly deserved. He was huge
mass of mighty bone and muscles, with swar-
thy features, bearing the impress of many
scar; piercing dark eyes, that seemed to possess
the power of blasting the beholder-cold-
cleaning eyes, such as haunt the memory pain
fully: rank luxuriance of coal-black hair im-
mense whiskers and moustache.
This savage looking figure was habited in
the costliest clothing, and adorned with pro-
fusion of jewelry, while outlines of several
murderous weapons were plainly distinguisha-
bic beneath his gaudy vest and superfine coat
Nor did he need these to render him an object
of terror. A connoisseur in the science Of bel
1igerent gymnastics would have confidently
pronounced him match for any five men on the
deck, without any aid from lead or cold steel:
At tlength, after many failures, he prevailed
on wealthy young merchant of Matches to
join him in game Of poker. They sat down
beside a small table near the bar, and were soon
absorbed in that most perilous of all excite
ments, Of which the two alluring ingredients
are the vanity and pride Of individual skill; and
the uncertainty of general hazard. At first
the stakes were small, and the run of the cards
seemed wholly in favor Of the merchant; but
presently they bet freely, and gold eagles
and hundred dollar notes were showered down
on the board with extravagant ardor, and then
The current Of fortune changed-ebbed away
from the young merchant and flowed to the
professional gambler in a stream like the oceans
tide. As susually happens in such cases, his
want of success only piqued and maddened
The loser, and he sought to recover himself by
such desperate ventures as could not but deep
IN and confirm his ruin. And thus they con-
.inued during that long summer night. The
Intensity of their excitement became equivalent
% insanity. Every nerve was strung-every
energy of the brain was taxed to the utmost
heir teeth were set hard as those of antago-
lists in the tug Of mortal strife-the sweat
oiled from their brows like great drops Of rain.
The passengers fomed circle around the
,layers, and looked on with that interest which
,uch extraordinary concentration as intellect
md passion never fails to inspire even in bo-
IONS that shudder at its excess. The mer-
,hant and the gambler attracted all eyes, and
,ept many awake and gazing till morning.
Among the latter was one presenting counte-
,ance SO piteous that it might have melted
,earts of marble to tears. A pale and exquis-
tely beautiful face peeped iAeessantly from the
lalf. opened door Of the ladies' cabin, weeping
IL the while as if oppressed BY some dreadful
sensation of immediate sorrow. Il was the /