The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1873-08-01
4 BLOODE DUEL.
REyOLYERs FMPTIED AND BOTH PARTIES
KILLED WITH BOWIE KNIN ES-IHE Mosi
DEsPERATE sTKUEGLE on KECOND,

MEDICINE LODGE, /. r, July 5.-Mecl-
cine Lodge, the great rendezvous loi @ ti, 4.
ers during the coolEr months, -,
buffalo and antelope, unable toi,,,Ie. ~ are
existence in more northern i%'. -.
forced TO seek the moro sucCl''t' I
a0e and genial airs Ol the So"I''
last boast of u sensation Tue .'i'', - -,
nd settlers in the neiShDolioou SOY '''S
,sver beheId in this WIG anu ia"less IL
+rinn. There have been many most afro
Sioiis murders committed all along thro'-
ont this section of country, ana outrages
witbout number al d all without ellcltIng
more than few passing commeRts but
duel pOutrdHcB such ttS was fought III tie
soft twilight of yesterday evening between
two notorious frontier characters was an
exception--a novelty hitherto unheaTd "i
and i'll consequence produced a tfei,l'n-
dous amount of excitement among Iho9e
Who witnessed If 1t was a horrible affair
throuphout both men being literally shoC
and hacked to pieces, and finally dying
locked in each others embrace. Before;
however, entering into the details ul tHe
fight itself l venture slight description
Of the Lodge and the immediate '"'"''
causes of the duel.
Medicine Lodge is in the very heart of
the Indian nation, about a hundred miles
south of the Kansas frontier, and, on ac-
count of its peculiar natural advantages as
hunting rendezvous, is annually the re-
sort of a large number of both whites ard
Indians Directly on the main line OF
travel pursued by the buffalo in his migrl-
ton from south TO north, and vice versa,
from being originally simple trading sta
ton with the Indians it has risen to the
dignity of a settlement though the houses,
with the exception of two rather good sized
buildings, used for storage purposes, are
but five i'll number and of most unimposing
dimensions.
In the centre Of the settlement" stands
a huge log cabin occupied by job Harding,
a Kentucl1ian of enormous strength and
stature, who, in addition to his pursuits
as hunter and trapper, adds to his income
by keeping Il small stock of goods, which
he exchanges with the Indians for pelts
and hides, and sells to such parties hap
pen to run short of supplies.
This cabin is divided into five cOmpart-
ments, two of which the trader reserves for
his own use, and two serving as a store and
bar-roOt1. The latter, in view of the char
acter Of the customers of the place, is, of
course, extensively patronized, being usu-
ally crowded with a motley class of Indi-
ans. hunters, and half-breeds to whom
strong drink from sheer force of indulgence
has become a necessity, and gaming the
inevitable occupation of their leisure hours.
A long, wooden table, rUugh made but
eommodious, extends nearly the whole
length of the room, around which, III lieu
of chairs, are placed rows of empty kegs
and cracker-boxes for the accommodation
of such as may feel an inclination to play.
1t thus happens that tho ssorne, which is
rls,I1 Fly Conducted by Harding in person,
rarely closes, the press of players filling a
seat as soon as vacated, and the bank keep
ing open as long as there is reasonable
promise of profit.
THE TEXAS DFsPERADO.
81 / 4 l.
the Texas desperate, the horse thief, the
celebrated piStol-shot, the Ted-hanGed muir
derer | saw the handsome silver mount
ed pistol, now peepingsout at his breast,
send death into the bOsoms of three human
beings i'll a Newton dance-house, three
years ago. | instinctively recoied our
eyes met, and he flashed a look Of recogni-
tion on me- In the account | had written
OF the dance-hOuse tragedy had held him
up to public execration as wretch well
deserving of the halter, and had even ad-
vised the formation of vigilance commit
tee, to int1ict on him summary vengeance.
1 had no reason, therefore, to expect his
friendship, but, on the contrary the fall
revenge of which | knew he was capable.
He kept his seat, however, and Harding
at that moment entering, | quietly with
drew and fastened to the house i'll which
the party to which | was attached had ia
ken up its quarters, with view to arming
myself
AS passed along wing of the building
voice hailed me by name from an upstairs
window. Looking up, the figure of man
appeared for an instant, and with rapid
motion of the hand, as if inviting me to as
cend, suddenly disappeared. Though not
AZ she time recognizing the person who
thus hailed me, | was not left long in
doubt, for on mounting the stairs | encoun-
tered the buTly form of an old Newtonian
who at once grasped me warmly by hand
and expressed the greatest pleasure vt our
meeting.
THE KANSAS DESPERATE.
"Why, McCluskey,'' | exclaimed. .twhat
brings you here so far out of your usual
beat P''
''To avenge Mike" he replied. e.But
come here into my room, where we can
talk in quiet, at the same time pushing
open the door Of a small room close at hand
which, after we had entered and he had
offered me chair, he proceeded to close
and fasten.
Anderson is here" ke resHmed. after
seating himself on an old saddle which had
been fixed up to serve as a seat. Il have
tracked him all the way from Abilene
where Hudson has just driven big herd
of beeves. Old boy, l shall kill Hugh An
derson to- day. - him. he exclaimed.
starting from his seat, with clenched hands
aud eyes blazing with fury - him,
Eve goa hira now, and by y--I'n give him
what he gave Mike. don't want to drop
on him, continued McClusky I'm give
him an equal show. I'll fight him fair and
square with pistol and knife. | want a
good man to back me up and see fair play"
ANDERSON CHALLENGED.
As was anxious 10 witness the progress
of events, l strolled into the gambling
room, and taking position where could
easily observe everything that trauspired,
quiest7 awaited the delivery of The hostile
message. | had not long to wait. I'm \
few moments Richards, the guide, entered.
and striding up To where Anderson was
dealing the cards, bent over him and whis-
psred IN his eaF. The payers, accustomed
to such Interruptions, at hrst paid no atten-
tion to the delay, ard betooll themselves.
sofie to conversation and others to re-
ranging their stakes but it soon became
apparent that a subject OF more than ordi-
nary interest was under discussion. The