The Idaho world. [volume] (Idaho City, Idaho Territory) 1864-1918, 1870-12-29

| LOWELL. Kansas, Nov. 12.-Dr. V. C. Law.
renee, of Vacuna, Colorado, recently of Phla
delphia, has just arrived here and furnished
me the following details of one of those bloody
| tragedies enacted nowhere else than on the
borders:
On Tuesday election day. Joe and Charley
Bigger (brothers), Gus Norton and Tom Jack.
son, who had been driving a herd of cattle into
Missouri, passed through here on their return
home. iii Northern Texas. The men were all
young, we'll mounted and armed, and each pos
sessed OF considerable money, the proceeds of
the sale OF their cattle. They stopped some
two hours in this place and had u long con-
versatiOn with them. On Wednesday after
noon they camped on the banks of q small
stream in the Indian Territory, about forty
miles from here, and. after stalking out their
horses, while cooking their supper, sat
down To game OF cards. They had hardly
commenced their game when Orestes Watr0us
known as Cock-eyed Wat The Allison, and
Dick Bradford, noted New Orleans gamblers,
rode into the camp. These gamblers were on
u professional tour from Fort Scott, and were
bound for Buxton Springs and Kansas City
The new Corners were gladly welcomed aud
invited to camp with the herders, which invi-
tation was quickly accepted.
The sun being some two hours high it was
suggested that there was plenty of time to have
a sociable game or two of poker before supper,
and accordingly Watrous. Bradford, Joe Big.
ger and Jackson took hand. At first Bigger
and Jackson Won, but luck soon turned, and
Watrous aud Bradford were in a fair way of
cleaning out the others, when Bigger detected
Watrous cheating. row at once ensued;
blows were lnterchanged and weapons drawn
ht h..fh ART has, Il
der 10 secure fair play, that Bigger and Wat
rous should fight it out ON horseback, their
weapons being bowie knives. This was at
once agreed 10. aud the men prepared for the
bloody fray. They were dyes,ed of their
Goats aud shirts. and their knives were bound
to their right hands. They were then placed
sixty yards apart, with orders to ride at each
other with full speed. passing ON the left side
Both were splendid hursemen. Bigger was
mounted on clean.limbrd, fiery pony. q little
over fourteen hands high. while Watrous rode
larg, 'watch-eyed." vicious roam
AT the word go" the combatants spurred
toward each other like the wind, bnt passed
without inillcting any injury. 4 second and a
third joust was run. when Watrous' horse re.
celsei slight cut on the flank. On the fourth
round Bigger. as he passed Watrous, threw
himself on the off side of his pony. SO as 10
expose no portion of his person. aud drove bis
knife deep into the neck OF his adversary's
sieed. Watrous. divining the manruyre,
wheeled rs the blow was struck. and attempted
to hamstrlng Bigger's pony. but succeed only
IN lntiictIng severe wound This STYLE Of
lighting was then abandoned, and both men
aud horses appeared to become infuratcd at
the sight Of blood. As they ncared each other
the fifth time. Bigger suddenly struck Watrous
with his left fist u the face at the same mo. |
ment cutting n fearful cash in his thigh; but
before he could get away Watrous succeeded |
IN driving bis knife into Bgger's shoulder. |
The combatauts aud horses were becoming
weak from loss of blood when Watrous de-. |
termined, If possible. to end the combat by riding
down his adversary. which be thought the su.
perior weight of his horse would enable him |
To do. Accordingly, on the sixth round. he |
made directly upon Biggers pony, and Bigger,
in attempting TO avoid the collision, was So.
serely cut in the arm and face. The pony,
however was game. and although very lame.
seized the roam by the cheek, lactrating it in n
fearful manner.
At the seventh encounter the horses came
together with fearful shock, the pony being
thrown, falling upon his rider, but both inme.
iiately regalned themselves. Watrous' horse
''ao i"oh pi''utHR w ltoHi ckaU III tie Il
neck, and Watrous himself could scarce keep
lis seat from the wound in the thigh. Bigger
'ucceded in again striking Watrous in the
high, and was struck in return in the side.
Several blows were interchanged aud evaded,
,r fell only upon the horses
The fight had now lasted more than half an
iOur, when DIR. Lawrence rode up in time to
witness the final round. As they came together
Natrous endeavored to rise in his stirrups aud
o throw himself upon Bigger, but neither
lorse could stand the encounter, and both fell.
Bigger was streaming with gore from the cuts
n the face, back and arms, but was able to
xtricate himself, and rushed upon Watrous,
Who could not rise on account Of the wounds
n his thigh. Bigger threw himself upon Wat.
GUS with the fury of n fiend, and almost in q
moment his knife had reached the unfortunate ,
ambler's heart, and Bradford, seeing the fate .
( his friend, raised his pistol, fired, and Big.
or fell dead across the corpse Of Watrous.
A free fight at once ensued, Charley Bigger, O
Iorton, and Jackson firing upon Bradford aud 7
lllison. Bradford was killed in the melee,
nd Charley Bigger and Jackson severely
rounded. The wounded were taken to cabin ?
bout half mile from the battle field, and n
heir wounds dressed by DR.. Lawrence, who ;
them in fair way Of recovery.