Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1870-12-03
The Bowie Knife Tournament.
Terrible Duel Betrsen Gamblers ~
the Indian Territory.
Correspondence y. Y. Herald J
LowkLL. kan-ss, Nov. -, 1870.

die, enacted nowhere else lbsn on tie
borders -
On Tuesday election d1vl Joe snd
Cnsrlry B'gg'r, (broIhers.) Gus Norton
an Tom Jackson. WHO had been driving
lcr1 Of cattle into Missouri. passed
through heIe on Iheir return home. IN
Northern Texss. Tie men were all
young. vel mouoted srd srned, each
possessed Of considerable money. the
proceeds Of lbe sale OF lheir canle. They
stopped some Two hours in this place and
| had long conversation with them.
On Wcdnesjsv lernOon thej csmptd
on he banks % q small stream IN the In
dan Territory, about forty miles from
here, and, after stalking oII their horses.
while cooking their supper. sat down TO
game OF carjs. ThtN had hardly COM
menccd their game when OfesIes Wat
rors. known a. Cock-eycd Watt The.
Alison and DUck Bradford. noted New
q O-lesns gamblers, rode INTO the camp.
These gamblers were on professional
tour from Fort Scott and wtre bound for
Ruxo on Springs and Kansas Cly. The
new concEs were . sJiy welcomed and
invited 10 camp Win the herders, which
invitation va. qoi,k!y accepted.
The sun being some two hours high.
it was suggested that there wa< plenty OF
line to have sociable game OF Two Of
poker before supper, and accordingly
Various, Bradford, Joe Bigger and Jack
son took hand At fret Bigger snd
Jacnson won. but luck soon turned, and
Wstrous and Bradford were N q fair
way Of cleaning ont tie others, when
Bigger detected Various cheating. A
row at once cnsucd; blows were inter.
changed and weapons drawn by both par
lies, when it was proposed, IN order TO
secure far play, thal Bigger and Wairous
should Eghi II cut on horseback, their
weapon, being bowie knives. This MS
at once agreed to, and the men prepared
for the bloody ray. They were dIyes'-
ed Of their coats and shirts. aud their
knives were bouni 10 Leir right hands.
They were then placed sixty yards apart.
with orders 10 f,de at each other with full
speei passing on the left EIDE. Both
were splendid horsemeu. Bigger Was
mounted on a clean lInbed, fiery pony, q
lltc over fourteen hands high, whIle
Walrous rode large "wa'chcycd," Vi
cous Gosn.
At the word go the combstan's spur
ed towards each other like the wind. but
passed without in0lcung any injury. a
second and third ous! was run, when
Wstrous' horse received slight cut on
the flank. On 'he fourth round Bigger
as he passed Wa:rou.. threw himself on
the OF side OF his pony. 20 as to expose
no portion OF his person, and drove his
knife deep into the neck OF his adverse
rvs sized. Worous. dIvIning the ma
nGIyre, wheeled as he blow was struck
and attempted TO bamsiring Blggets po.
ny, bul succeeded only in inAIciInga 'e'
we're wound. This style Of fighting wss
then abandoned, aud both men and horses
appeared TO become inlufisied a, tho
sight of blood. As they ncsred each o.
Iher The fiIh ilmC, Bigger suddenly
struck Various with bis left isi IN ihs
face, at tie sane moment cutting a fearful
cash in I'll, thigh; bot, before he could
get away, Wsrrous succeeded in driving
his knife into Bg-cr's shoulder. Tho
combatsnls and horses vere becoming
weak from loss Of blood. when Ws,rous
determined, If possible, to end the combs,
BY riding down lis adversary, which hs
though, Ibe superior weight Of bic horse
would enable bIm to do. Accordingly.
on the sixth round, he made directly up.
on BiggeT's pony, and Bigger, in aitemp-
ting to avoid tie collision, uss severely
cul IN the arm and face. The pony how
ever, was game, and, although very lame.
seized The roam By the cheek, lacersling
it in fearful manner.
Al the seventh encounter the hortes
came together with fearful shock, tho
pony beng thrown, fsIIng upon bis rad
er. bui both Immediately IegsIned ihem
selves. Watfous' bor'e was fast bleed
ing to death from The stab in the neck
and WalrOus himself could scarce keep
bis seat from ihe wound 10 the ihgh.
Bigger succeeded in again s,cki0g Wat.
rous in the thigh, and was struck in re.
turn in the side. Several blows we're in.
ierchsn2ed and evaded. or fell only upon
the horse.
The Gght had now lasted more than
hall an hour, when Dr. Lawrence rode
up in lime to witness the final round.
A. they came together Wsuou' en-
desvored TO rise in his slIrups sDd TO
throw himself upon Bigger, bul neither
horse could stand the encounter. and both
fell. Bigger was streaming With gore
from ihe cuts 10 the face. b,ck and sTm,.
bu, was atle % exrlcsIs himself, and
rushed upon Wsrous. who could not ri.s
on account OF the wounds in bis thigh
Bigger threw him'elf upon Wsuous with
the fury OF 6end, and almost in . mo.
rneni hi. knife had re,ched The unfortu.
nate gamblers heart, and Brsdford.s seeing
The fate OF hi. friend, Isi,ed hs pistol
fred, and Bigger fell dead across the
corpse of Various.
A free fight at oure ensued. Ch,rley
Bigger, Morton and Jackson fnnR upcn
Bradford and Allison. Bradford v,s
killed in Ihe melee. and Charley Biggs,
and Jackson severely wounded. The
wovndsd were taken to esbin about bill
a mile from the battle field. and ,heir
wounds dressed by Dr. Lswrence. Who
pfonouDces them in fair way Of recove.
ry.
This is one Of the most iemsfksbis