Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1864-04-16
A MURDERER
r Spectators Story.

f. Speculator's Story.
Ia the gear 1868 I went 10 the Red
River country with a view of speculation
in horses, lands, or anything that might
! give promise of profitable return for cash
Investment. Of course l carried good
deal of money with me, but knowing | was
going among wild ,awless class, OF every
grade and color--among hali'ci7ilizcd
Indians, negroes, gamblers, thieves, rob-
! bers. murderers AMI assassins, with per
| hgps few settlers of some claims to honor
honesty, if they cou,d be sited out from
the mass-I thought it the safest plan not
to seem we'll of in this worlds goods
Accordingly l secured ,uy money in a
belt about my body, put Ou very coarse,
rough dress, which, by intentional care
lessness, soon had very mcau, sloyenly
appearance, and allowed my hair and
beard to manage matters their own way,
without any troublesome interference of
razor or comb, Thus prepared land armed
with two revolyers and bowie-kuilo, l
passed over some dangerous territory in
comparative safety, and aattcred myself
that no one guessed my riches through my
apparent poverty.
In fact, on two occasions, began to
think it might have been to lny advantage
to have looked little more respectable
The frst of these was when in, travelling
through the Choetaw nation, / found a
| drove Of horses that pleased me very much
and was told by the owner, in reply to my
} question as to what ho would take head
for the entire lot, that he was not in the
habit of naming his price TO every wander
/ ing beggar that choose to satisfy his idle
curiosity. | was disposed at first to put
on some diguity and get indignant but
concluded, after careful survey Of my
person that the man had cause for speak.
, ing as he did, and so merely assured him
S that / knew AL individual who wished to
, buy horses, if he could get them at a fair
price. The horse owner, however, was
not disposed 10 believe my statement, aud
r SO passed him By, with the resolve tha:
= il nothing better turned up, l would give
0 him another call under more adVanta-
geous appearance, As the second instance
! alluded to was similar to to the FIRST, il ma
1 be passed over without further notice.
d But out of this same cause grew very
= remarkable adventure, which it is my
. present purpose to relate.
! While passing between two settlements,
I over lonely gloomy horse path, leading
. through dark, he mlook wood ,aud while
, in the most solitary part, there suddenly
came before me, leaping from thicke: on
= the right, human figure Ola most start
ling appearance. Il was a man of medi-
: um height, but Of stout powerful frame
! all covered with dirty tatters, that he ap-
" peared to have worn and wellowed in fol
: years. lie had DO covering for his head
f or feet, and bis skin was SO coated with
b CRIME that it was difficult at first look tc
g to tell Yhcther he belonged 10 the whit(
- race or not. His face, high up en- hi;
n cheeks, was covered with dirty brown
/. beard, aud hi. matted hair hung in wi!l
), profusjon all around his head, except 1
I little space before bis swollen, bloc d-sho
eyes, and altogether he looked like mad
- man OF human devil. Iis hand held aud
swung formidable club, and his attitude
It as he leapod into the road before me, wa'
: one Of fierce menace and defiance.
: stopped in alarm, and, while fixing lny
r eyes sharply upon his,quietly slid my hand
o into cou7enient pocket and grasped 'h'
butt of one Of my revOlyers, firmly deter
r mined to keep him at the short distance
= y that divided US or Kill him if he advanced
;. For perhaps half minu'a we stood 81
Il lendy regarding and surveying each othe
), and then, resting one end Of his club OF
Il the ground, and partly leanisg forward OIL
the other, be said in a coarse, gruf ton
10 with kind of chuckling laugh
y "Well ------- me Is in hopes I'd 60