Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1875-01-29
IN OLD INDIAN KILLER.
Interesting Events i'm the His
tory Of an Ancient Rifle.

2VEV VZ 0M tA1oNAN1AO 1oAAANO
Andrew Whitley. of S.. Louis, Ell route
10 Lexington. visited the courier-Journal
Office recently with rare relic Of the carl
icst days of Kentucky. 1t was rifle.
made by Jacob Young, OF Virginia. in
.i744, sn!.owned by Mr.. VS. grandfather.
VIM. Whitley, who Was one of the first
white men that came to Kentucky, and
was compa aion of Daniel Boone The
gun is as much curiosity. on ac-
count Of its length. as 1t is prize on ac-
ount Of its geat age, It's history and re-
cent associalons. II 10 Of the old time
flint lock pattern, about five feet five
inches in length, with n silver mounting
on the stock, herring the inscription Nv.
snd E W." which stands for William and
Easter Whitley.
Thegu in the days of its usefulness
WAS piece of the family property. and
the wife learned as well as the husband
10 cody draw the h q on u deer Or an
Indian whenever occasion required. The
weapo. is of large bore. with perfect
rife, ard the stock and ferruled rammer
are apparently in perfectly S .und condi
ton. Accompanying the gun Is large
powder norm ef beautiful shape. carrying
large supply of powder and suiting the
use Of The hunter as we'll MS the ordinary
small hunting flask or horn, its shape be-
ing us well adaptcd 10 the purpose. he
horn is WI II known throughout the State,
and bc.rs on one side the following verses
carved N the bony substance. The words
were composed by William Whitley him
s. If. and will doubtless he remembered bF
many readers of the Courer-joa IA
miliar with the lives Of the cally settlers:
William Whitley. am your horn;
THE truth love, u Z scorn,
Fill me with the b. . Of powder.
lie uasc your rifle crack the loWder.
See how the DR.. q | ierrifck ball
Make Indians bleed aud toreys fall,
d You with powder lie supply
For 10 defend your Liberty.
The belt 10 which the horn is attached
is heavily ornsmcntcd with btads maize OF
the q llls of porcupines, which are said
to have Eecn killed III Kentucky.
After passing through al The scenes ot
terror enacted on the dark and bloody
ground. incident to- the settlement of the
ICommon wealtl, by the whites. the faith
full oil! rifle was associated with event;
which q I'd great interest to its history.
William Whitley was solder in IN.
war of 1912, aud directed the bullets o
i,s old ,ime friend against The British ane
indians ut the battle ut the Thames, Can
a..a Here he Was killed ir the thick q
The fich', but the gun was preserved ant
returned TO his people in Kentucky.
S,me time before the recent civil VA
! The present owner CANE to this 5 ale
: found the gun in the possession "f Mrs
s Sallie Ann Higgins, near Cr.h Orchard
t and ,,urchas, d il 1T cost Of $50. IL
, carfi. d the rel,c to HI. home, III st. Louis
Z where he kept il uH,il the breaking out q
; he war. when he WAS arrested ut CAM
| jackson during the iemons' lion there o.
the 1l,h day of May, 1871. and was 70
> some tine prisoner in Federal hands: !
short time prtvlou to this occurrcnc.
While contemplating entering the Fedora
r army. he placed the gun in the keeping o
= man named Bates. the janitor Of w,
mans Mus. unl, e.. Louis A short tim
:. after ward tie museum changed h .nds ant
) Ea,es uent to Canada, takiagtite gun wit
him. AT the close IF the war While
returned home aud Immediately at.erwar
commenced leo&tng after Bates and ri
GU bu, all efforts to fad the man Prove
c fruiiless until about twelve months agt
T, when Bates returned 10 st Louis a1tl Wa
= engaged in the business of stufting bird
and animals for natural history dcpo
d His name appeared spon after in The put
q lie prints, ard by this m ans his whcr
atouts was revc,!el to Mr.. Whitley. II
!, went Immediately TO the place, found NJ
Batce. " he readily recognized him a. til
l lownc uf the gun, and III due time .lelivc
I" ed to linn the valuable family relic, whic
). he had kcy. in good order for twelv
years.
ej On returning to Kentucky on visit
- few days ago, Mr.. Whitley went down
!. Crab Orchard and ob.aind d from Mr.
j. Higgins the hosn and belt, which wei
the only accoutremcn,s brlerging I" th
b, highly priced piece. Mr.. Whitley has r
/. fused Nm offer Of $500 for the gun. an
sr would be 10th to part with it at any pric
=