The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1866-03-21
Srlettea Sturu.
ENTRAPPING 4 MURDERER
A SPECULATOR'S STORY.

In the yesr 1888, I went to tho Red
Rivsr country with the view o. speculation
m horses. lands, OF anything that might
give promise to proftabls return for a
cash Investment. or course | carried a
good deal Of money with mo. but know
ing was going among Q Wild, lswless
o'ass, OF every grade aud color-among
unc''ilizsd indians, negroes, gamblers.
thieves, robbers, murdere,s and assassins,
with perhaps = few settlers Of some claim
to honor and honesty, If they reould be
sified out from the ma"--I thought il
wbulG he tho safest plan not t, seem we'll
of in the worlds goods. Accordingly I
secured my money in belt about my
body, put or tory course, rough dress,
which by Intentional tosrs!essne,s, soon
had very mean. slovenly appearance,
aad allowed my hair and beard to manage
matters their own way, wi,bou, any
troublesome interference Of razor or comb.
Thus prepared, and arm ed with two re-
volvsrs and a bowie knife, I had passed
over some dangsrou, territory in com
Parativs safety, and fiattsred myself thai,
no one guessed my richie, through my
sPpsren, poverty.
In fact, on two occasions, | began to
think II might have been TO my advantage
TO havs looked . little more respectable
The first Of these WAS when, 10 travelling
through the Choctaw nation, I found a
drove Of ,hot'ss that pleased me very
much and WAS tod BY ,hso~ssr, in reply
TO m! question as to what he would take
hsadfar the sp,irs lot, that he w.s no,
In the habit, Of making his prices to every
wandering beggertha, chose to satisfy an
idle curiosity. ], was disposed at Ere, to
put on some dignity and get indignant,
but concluded, after = careful survey Of
my person. that the man had good cAu,-
for speaking as be did, and 40 merely M
sursd him that knew an Individual who
wished to buy horses, ifhs could 60, them
~ =. fair price. The horse owner, how
ever was not disposed to beli,ys nv stale
msnt, and 90 I passed him bv, with the
resolve that, il nothing better turned up,
! would give HIN another call under more
adrsassgeou, appearances.
ha .>.anl l.
similar 10 The first, it may - passed over
without further notice. =.
But out Of this same CAUSE grew a very
remarkable adventure, which it is ,py
prescott purpose to relate.
!. While passing between two ssttl emsnts,
ovsrr lonely. gloomy horse path. leading
through dark hemlock wood, and while
10 tue most solitary part, there came sud
denly before me. lsap,ng from a thicket
on the right. human figure Of most
startling appearance. 1t Was a man Of
medium height, but Of a stout, powerful
tFsme, all covered with dirty tAtters, that
hs appeared to have worn and wslIowed
In for years. lie had no covering Tor his
lead nor feel, aud his skin was SO costed
with crime that il was difficult. to tell
~hsthsr hs belonged to The white race or
not. His face, high up on his cheeks,
was covered with = dirty brown beard,
and his matted hair hung 10 Wild profu
s'on all over bis head, except q little space
before bis blood SHOT eyes. and altogether
he looked like = madEan or human
devil. His hands held and swung a for.
midab's club, aud his attitude, as he
lssPed into the road before me, was one
OF hercs menace aud defiance.
stopped in slarm, and Wills fixing m y
eyes sharply upon bic, quietly slid my
hand into a CONVENIENT pocket and grs.ped
the butt Of one Of my rsvolvers, firmly
determined to keep him at the short dis.
tancs that divided us or kill him il he
attempted to sdvsrcs.
For perhaps bali = minute We stood
silently regarding and surveying each
other, and then resting one end Of hi. club
on the ground, aud partly leaning forward
on The other, he .aid, ia . course, grutf
tone. With q ehuckIing laugh:
"wslt. - me! I's in hopes I'd got
prize at last; bus II you're much better