Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-25

poker before supper, and accordingly
Watrous, Bradford Joe Bigger and
jackson took hand. At first Bigger
and jackson won; but luck soon turned,
and Watrous and Bradford were in a
fair way of cleaning out the others, when
Bigger detected Watrous cheating. A
row at osce ensued; blows were inter
changed and weapons drawn by both
parties, when it was proposed, in order
to secure fair play, that Bigger and
Watrous should fight it out on horse
back, their weapons being bowie-knives.
This was at once agreed to, and the men
prepared for the bloody fray. They were
divested of their coats and shirts, and
their knives were bound TO their right
hands. They were then placed sixty
yards apart, with orders to ride at each
other full speed, passing on the left side.
Both were splendid hersemen. Bigger
was mounted ON clean-limbed, fiery
pony, little over fourteen hands high,
while Watrous rode large "watch-eyed," "
vicious roam.
AT the word "go" the combatants
spurred toward each other like the wind,
but passed without inhicting any injury.
A second and third joust was run,
when Watrous horse received 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 TO expose no portion of his person,
and drove his knife deep into the neck
of his adversarys steed. Watrous, divin-
ing the maneuver, wheeled as the blow
was struck, and attempted to unstring
Biggers pony, but succeeded only in in
ficting a severe wound. This style of
fighting was then abandoned, and both
men and horses appeared to become in
furiated at the sight of blood. As they
neared each other the fifth time, Bigger
suddenly struck Watrous with his fist in
the face, at the same moment cutting q
fearful cash in his thigh, but, before he
could get away, Watrous succeeded in
driving his knife into Biggers shoulder.
The combatants and horses were becom-
ing weak from loss of blood, when Wat
rous determined, if possible, to end the
combat by riding down his adversary,
which he thought the superior weight of
his horse would enable him to do. Ac-
cordingly, on the sixth round, he made
directly upon Bigger pony, and Bigger,
in attempting to avoid the collision, was
severely cut in the arm and face. The
pony, however, was game, and, although
very lame, seized the roam by the cheek,
lacerating it in fearful manner.
AT the seventh encounter the horses
came together with fearful shock. The
pony, being thrown, fell upon his rider
but both Immediately regained them
selves. Watrous' horse was fast bleed
ing to death from the stab in the neck,
and Watrous himself could scarce keep
his seat from the wound in his thigh
Bigger succeeded in again sticking Wat
rous in the thigh, and was struck in re-
turn in the side Several blows were in
terchanged and evaded or fell only upon
the horses.
The fight had now lasted more than
half an hour, when DIR. Lawrence rode
up in time to witness the final round
As they came together Watrous endeav-
ored to rise up in his stirrups and throw
himself upon Bigger, but neither horse
could stand the encounter and both fell. |
Bigger was streaming with gore from the |
cuts in the face, back and arms, but was
dDlt W tAiIlNdAc anu
upon Watrous, who could not rise on ac-
count of the wounds in his thigh. Big
ger threw himself upon Watrous with the
fury Of fiend, and almost in a moment
his knife had reached the unfortunate
gamblers heart, and Bradford, seeing
.he fate of his friend, raised his pistol,
fired, and Bigger fell dead across the
corpse of WatrOus.
A free fight at once ensued Bigger,
Norton and Jackson firing upon Brad
ord and Allison. Bradford was killed
n the melee, and Charley Bigger and
Jackson severely wounded The wounded
we're taken to cabin about half a mile
rom the battlefield, and their wounds
lressed by DR.. Lawrence, who pronounced
hem in fair way of recovery.
This is one of the most remarkable
lights that has ever occurred, even among
he lawless adventurers Of the border. 1t
iounds like romance, but the source Of
ny information will not admit of a
loubt Of its truth.