The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-03-18
Lutte M,CABES SHARP FIGHT.
How n Texas Cowboy got the Best OF
Seven WeII-armed Indians-A Kun
ming Fire with RevOlvers and Rifles
A Faithful Guard.

AFafthful Guard.
Correspondent N. Y. Sun ]
FoRr GRIFFIN, TEXAS, Feb. 6.-Lute
McCabe lives about fifteen miles above
here at the 1'Stone Rancho" on the Clear
Fork of the Brazos River. Yesterday af-
ternoon he was out as usual, rounding
up" the cattle, and was riding leisurely
along, little dreaming that band ofblood-
thirsty and savage Indians were concealed
in a cluster of bushes just before him,
eagerly awaiting his approach. They
were seven in number, three mounted ana
four on foot. Awaiting until he had come
within twenty or thirty PAGES OF them,
Lutte was startled by the sudden dlscharge
of their guns, the whistling OF balls, anu
their demoniac war whoop. The splinters
torn from the breech of his carbine flew
up into his face, his horse, uttering loud
groan, sprang up high in the air, and then
wheeling, ran; while Lutte himself was
fortunate enough to escape with only a
flesh wound in the leg. With that quick
instinct which sudden danger often in
spires. Lutte in an instant had his pistol
drawn, and half turning in his saddle, be-
Gan emptying its contents at his pursuerS.
! The mounted Indians were dashing after
him at full speed, and firing their r9velv-
ers as they came. The other four had as
cended a small eminence, and were firing
with their rifles. A ball from enc of the
! former scraped LUte's head and carried off
his hat. Lutte says he at first thought the
/ top of mis- skull had been torn open, but
was satisfied on that point when, after
feeling for his brains, he failed to find
| them.
In the meantime his own firing had not
been without effect. He first shot down
| A. I, r;l
/ then as he fired again he saw the belt
around the third mounted Indian fall from
his body. and Immediately after the Indian
fell himself, The other two Indians ran
to his assistance, while one of those further
behind caught his horse. During this
time. as was afterward ascertained, he had
run about 300 yards, had emptied his pis-
tol, returned it to the holster. and had just
drawn his Winchester carbine, wnen shot
| from one of the Indians on the eminence
went through his horses loins and brought
him down. Lutte lost no time in seek
! ing a shelter in sn excavation among the
rocks.
His dog during his fight had kept close
to his horses heels, and now followed
him to the edge of his place of shelter,
where he took up his position and be-
gan to furiously bay the Indians. No
amount of persuasion could induce this
| faithful animal to come down and share
! his masters shelter, but he kept at his
post, exposed to a constant fire until shot
! from one Of the Indians ended his guard
duty forever.
-Four of the Indians, having secured
places of shelter within about 100 yalds OF
him, kept up a pretty constant fire, which
was returned by Lutte for an hour or more
until the approach of night, when the In
dians disappeared, and Lutte, cautiously
creeping from his hiding place, made MS
way home. The splinters of rock torn uI
by the balls, striking near his head, cOnsid
err bly, lacerated his face.
The next morning an examination OF
the ground was made by several parties,
The three dead horses were found; the
trappinos on none of them had been dis
turbed, showing that the Indians must
have left hurriedly, as it is their c1sHOm to
secure these things whenever possible
The belt mentioned above, with pistol
holster attached, was also found where
Lutte had reported lie had seen 1t fall. In
front il was but a narrow strip Of leather
and bore the mark of the pistol ball which
had rent it in twain. Under the rive
bank a bloody blanket was found, or
which the wounded Indian had evidentl!
been lying; also, several cloths and band
ares saturated in blood. From all thes
signs there can be but little doubt that th'
Indian received a mortal wound, and diet
under the bank while Lutte was being hell
in his hiding place, to prevent his goln!
home and giving the alarm. From tn
empty cartridge hulls found on tn
ground, it is evident that the Indians wer
Supplied with needle guns and Smith
WeSson pistols.