Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1869-03-25
A RIVER ADVENTURE.

In the summer Of 1882 | was en-
gagged with young man named Ly-
man Kemp, in locating land lots
along the Wabash, in Indiana. |
had gone out partly for my health,
with one who had purchased a great
deal of government land. At Lo-
gansport he was taken sick, and af-
ter watching with him week, in
hopes that he would soon recover,
| found that he had a fever, and as
the physicians said he would not
probably be able to move under a
month, l determined to push on
alone. So l obtained a good nurse,
and having seen that my old friend
would have every thing necessary
to his comfort which money could
procure, left him.
AS good fortune would have it, |
found a party of six men bound on
the very route | was going, and
waited one day for the sake of their
company. At length we set out
with the pack horses to carry our
luggage, and ! soon found that |
had lost nothing by waiting, for
my companions we're agreeable and
entertaining They were going cut
to St. Joseph, where they had mills
upon the river, intending to get ont
lumber during the remainder Of the
season.
On the third day from Logans-
port we reached Watson's settle
ment on the Little River, having
left the Wabash in the morning of
that day. 1t was well on into the
evening when we reached the little
log built inn of the settlement, and
we we're glad enough Of the shelter
for ere we had fairly got into it.,
the rain commenced to fall in great
drops, and thickly, too. And more
still had | to be thankful for, for
my horse began to show a lame
ness in one of his hind legs, and
when l leaped from the saddle, |
found that his foot panied him
much, as | could tell from the man
ner in which he lifted it from the
ground. | ordered the hostler to
bathe it with cold water, and then
went into the house, where l found
a good substantial supper, and
comfortable quarters-that is, for
the section, and that time.
About ten o'clock, just after l
had retired, and just as | was falling
into a browse, | was startled by the
shouts of men and barking of dogs
directly under my window. AS
the noise continued l rose and
threw on my clothes and went
down.
"What is it?" I asked Of the
landlord, who stood in the entry
way.
"Ah-don't you know stron-
ger ?" the host returned. "You've
heard of Gustus Karl, perhaps p
Who in the West at that time
had not heard OF him? The most
reckless, daring and murderous
robber that ever cursed country.
l told the host / had heard Of him
often.
"Well," he resumed, "the infer
nal villain was only here this after
noon, and murdered and robbed q
man just up the river, We've been
out after him, but he's gin us the
slip, We tracked him as far as the
upper creek, and there he came out
on the bank, fired at Us, and killed
one Of our horses, and then drove
off into the woods. We set the
dogs ON the trail, but they missed
him"
"And you have come back boot
less" l said.
eyes" the landlord growled.-
"But," he added, with knowing
shake of the head, che can't run
much longer The country is in
arms. and he'll either have to leave
these huntings or be dropped"
"What sort Of a man is he p l
asked.
"The very last man in the world
you would take for Gus Karl. He's
small-not bit over five feet high
with light, curly hair, a smooth,
white face, and not very stout
But lord love ye, he's quick as light
ming, and his eyes got fire in it
He dresses in all sorts OF shapes,
but generally like a common hunt
er. Oh, he's the very devil, do
believe"
After the tub full of whisky and
water, which the host had provided,
was all drank, the crowd began to
disperse, and shortly afterwards l
went up to the bed again, and this
time / slept on uninterrupted till