Fremont weekly freeman. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1850-1853, 1850-06-15
JAMES BOWIE.
THE NAPOLEON OF pUEL1srs.

eminent theO- phit0NthFopic preacher of BoS
ton visited Europe, having a letter of introduC
ton for that purpose, he called on ThomR
Carlyle. The English solitaire piled tn
American with innumerable questions relatin,
to our customs and habits of social existenc
on this side of the great water, but manifested
the keenest curiosity concerning the people O
the backwoods. Parker drew for the others.
amusement vivid sketch of the achievment
of Bowie, the famous ch-duelist of Texas
Carlyle listened with sparkling eyes till th'
close of the narrative, and then burst into ex
clamations of involuntary enthusiasm:
by Hercules! the man was greater thar
Cesar or Cromwell-nay, nearly equal t.
Odin or Thor. The Texans ought to built
him an altar
The burning sympathiser with the heroic
in all its phases, rubbed his hands together
chuckling in an ecstacy of savage glee, and
made Parker repeat his story OF bloody anec-
dotes. Finally he put the question
But BY what miracle could it happen that
the brave fellow escaped the capital penalty
of the law after such countless violations? .
To this interrogatory Parker, as he himself
confessed, could return no satisfactory answer
and as ten thousand readers have perhaps
pondered the same problem without conceiv-
ing rational solution, it may not be uninter-
esting to explain it briefly, especially as clear
elucidation can be detailed in few words.
Let it be remembered, then, that although
the great system of common law, that 'perfec-
ton of human reason for the Anglo Saxon
race, prevails throughout all the states of the
west, wholly as to its definition of crimes, and
partially as to the mode and measure of pun
ishment annexed to each, nevertheless in its
practical application to given cases it is con-
trolled by the power of far mightier law
the omnipotent law of puplic opinion; because
in most western courts juries are absolute
Judges of both the law and the fact, and their
interpretations often evince direct antagonism
with the dictG of my Lord Coke and the class
ic comments of Blackstone.
On the subject of homicide in particular,
public opinion has passed the bounds of all
books of jurisprudence, and settled as an i'm
mutable statute this extraordinary axiom:
1T is iusti6able to kill in fair combat every
body and any body who ought to be killedP
In Bowie's numerous rencountres he always
kept within the prescribed limits of this lati-
tudinarian rule, and hence he was always &C.
quilted by frontier juries, and frequently with
qdclenda to their verdicts highly complimenta-
ry to his character as chivalrous gentleman.
In truth, most of his desperate engagements
grew out of his innate and invincible disposition
to espouse the cause of the weak against the
mighty. One illustration by incident will pre-
sent this popularity in the strongest light, and
may, besides. reveal thorough knowledge of
the heart and soul of the man.
On. the evening of the fourth of June, 1885,
the steam boat Rob Roy started from St. Louis
to New Orleans with full crowd of passen-
gers. Immediately after getting under good
headway,' to adopt favorite backwoods
phrase. one person attracted universal atten-
lion by the annoying eagerness with which he
endeaVored to make up party at cards. In
deed, his oft-repeated and persevering efforts
10 that end soon became insulting and unen
durable; and yet his appearance was such as
to deter the bravest on board from administer
ng the chastisement which he so richly de-
served. He was huge mass of mighty bone
and mucles,with swarthy features, bearing the
impress of many scar; piercing dark eyes,
such as haunt the memory painfully; a rank
uxuriance of coal-black hair, immense whisk- |
srs and moustache. This savage looking fig |
IRE was habitcd with the costliest clothing, and
adorned with profusion of jewelry, while the
outlines of several murderous weapons were
plainly distinguished beneath his gaudy vest
and super6ne coat Nor did he need these |
o render him an object of terror. A connois-
'eur in the science of beligerent gymnastics,
would have confidently pronounced him a
match for any FIVE men on the deck, without
my aid from lead or cold steel
Atlength, after many failures, he prevailed
Al nf al
DIN him at game of poker. They sat down
reside small table near the bar, and were
Don absorbed in that most perilous of all ex-
elements, of which the two alluring ingredi-
nts are the vanity and pride of individual
kill, and the uncertainty of general hazard
1t first the stakes were small, and the run of
he cards seemed wholly in favor of the mer-
hant; but presently they bet more freely, and
,old eagles and hundred dollar notes were
howered down on the board with extrava-
,ant ardor: and then the current of fortune
away from the young mer-
hant, and flowed to the professional gambler
n a stream like the oceans tide. AS usually /
happens in such cases, his want of success on
y piqued and maddened the loser, and he
ought to recover himself by hazarding such
desperate ventures as could not but deepen
nd confirm his ruin. And thus they contin-
led during the long summer night The in
ensity of their excitement became equivalent
0 insanity. Every neve was strung-every
nergy of the brain was taxed to the utmost
their teeth were set hard as those of antag-
nists in the tug of mortal strife-the sweat
oiled from their brows like great drops of
ain.
The passengers formed circle around the
'layers, and looked on with that interest which
uch extraordinary concentration of intellect
nd passion never fails to inspire even in bo-
oms that shudGeT at its excess. The mer-
hant and gambler attracted all eyes, and kept
many awake and gazing till morning. Among
he latter was one presenting countenanee
o piteous that it might have melted hearts
f marble to tears. A pale and exquisi.ely
beautiful face peeped necessarily from the hall
pened door of the ladies cabin, weeping all
he while as if oppressed by some dreadful SEN
alton of immedicable sorrow. 1t was the mer-
hant's lovely wife weeping her farewell to de-