The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1854-11-08
Ru' Bell.

| Ru' Bell
| Two years ago we were at the little town of
Columbia on the banks of the Mississippi, at
that time place of some local interest, from
the fact of ruffian being imprisoned there pre-
vious to his trial for numbering poor laboring
man. The victim Of this ferocious murder had
called at Stewards house after sunset and
begged lodging for the night, which was
granted, but after the man sought the resting
place pointed out TO him, Stewart in spirit of
brutal sport set his dogs upon him, and urged
them on until the poor fellow, after vainly at
tempting to defend himself from their attacks,
was literally torn to pieces and then flung out
of doors to die.
The circumstances of this horrible murder
may still be fresh in the memory of many, but
the details of the capture of the murderer have
never we believe been made public And as
the parsonage concerned in the arrest, together
with the mode in which it was performed, afford
fine opportunity for examplifyng some Of the
peculiarities of western frontier character, we
shall give the relation as we heard it from one
of the actors, indeed the principal in the affair.
But to begin at the beginning.
About two weeks after leaving Columbia, we
were standing at the door Of a small house in
the little town Of Jonesboro, on the Ouachita,
and consisting of five or six log dwellings, and
cotton shed Of the same primitive architecture.
Near where we stood were two Arkansawyers
as they call themselves, engaged in earnest
conversation, in the course of which one OF
them used phrase, which though common at
| the place. was at least new to us. It was-Ah!
he's a striker.
Now although curiosity is said to be the pc
culiar prerogative of women we must confess
that man has likewise no small share of the
same ticklish propensity, at least we felt it on
the occasion, and stepping forward said:
"My friend, what do you mean by stri-
ker?''
The man eyed us for moment, and then
replied
sWby you see, stranger-but stop a bit till
take Virginny feast.'
"a Virginny FEAST" thought we, "what is
that" .-...
We soon knew, for after diving into the re-
cesses of his capacious pocket he drew forth a
large piece of chewing tobacco and after offer
ing it to us with "Have chaw," he bit off suffi-
cient to poison horse, and rolling it to the side
of his cheek, he commenced his explanation
afresh.
"Why you see, stranger, Moses and Aaron
war strikers. George Washington war striker
general Jackson war striker, and that mar
thar" pointing to an individual short distance
off, "he's striker, and no mistake. He ain
felt his oats for nothin', tell ye."
The "man thar" indicated as striker, was
Short lean, muscular man, dressed in a white
blanket coat, with stripes round the skirt anC
,el,>, fof f1,oc HI
bore in the bend of his arm long rifle, ane
at his side a stained and greasy leather poucl
for bullets, from which also depended Ions
hunting knife in its sheath.
After taking this survey, we turned to ou
new acquaintance and said
/ "What has he done to give him that title?'
'sDone-what, Ru' Bell? Didn't he captivat
Dick Stewart
"This then was the man whohad performed
that exploit thought we, looking at him will
still more interest, for the fame of the deed
spread far and wide through those primitive
regions, and we inwardly wished we could hea
him relate the manner in which it was achieved
A few days afterwards we were grat6ed.
"You see,'' said he, to knot of auditors Oh
board steamboat going to Ecore Fabre. "Yo'
see, thar was a reward offered to anybody tina
would take Dick Stewart, and SO l thought
might as we'll have it as not
'But were you not anxious about the result
This Stewart was by all accounts a desperat
character, and heard man say-'If Dicl
Stewart told him to swim the Mississippi, h
/ would have to do it, ...-
Il know, stranger, but that was the best 0
it. said to myself, Ru' Bell, you amt had
tearing down fight for a mighty long time, ant
here's a smart chance to wake you up. Blu
l I'll get somebody to 60 jest to see fair play like
So | called on gineral Plummer, and sez he, a
/ amt got nothing to doiest now, | don't care
, l jine you,-and then knocked up Rafe Nor
f gan, and he said as though he had the agu
rather tall, he reckoned he could see the fu1
twix the shakes So he got our plunder, ant
put it in dug out, and started for the bio Bar
tbo]omee, as hearn tell Stewart was in tn
swamp up that way. When we got to tn
swamp we bruck thro' the cane, maxim be-
line for the niger hut whar | more'n specte'
r Dick Stewart 'arthed.
Il know'd all the diggins' well, and tha
warn't trail | had not tollered, from the Mis-
sissippi to the Washtaw, for many time ha
hunted bar and such like vermin from bio Bar
tholomee, camping out O nights and startln
fresh next mornin. ...--
but were you not afraid of the wolves?'
, "Well want hoss! Wolves can't skear me
: nor painters nuther The bars is wuss nor al
the other yermin put together-they have got
mighty nasty hug tell ye.' =.
''Then you have been scared by the bears?'
r "Wel] stranger, do confess that corn
oncet-a few But asI was sayin, we struc
a bee-line through the cane, and bimeby W
come in sight of the little log house, then sez
to the gineral, 'gineral,' sez I, you go ON on
> side, and Rafe on the other, and don'tyou tw
do nothin' onless Dick tries to make tracks to
J., the swamp
: "When l seed EN- stand well off, edge
e myself to a big cottonwood tree, at goo
r shootin' distance, and holers out:
:, "Hullo house, and bimeby l seed the doc
open a leetle-jest leete, and then Stewa1
y put his head round the corner of the door pos
As soon he sees me, he sez:
s.What the HI do you want here, Ru'?
Il want you, Dick, says |. Z"
"You amt come to take me?' sez he, lookir