Louisiana capitolian., 1879-12-13
DR., SOUTH.
4 KENTUCkIAN WHO HAS "A HOOrED
FORTUNE" IN NEW MEXICO.
Chicago Tribune Letter.

MY companion ana gtlIdo was Ur.
South, noted man In those parts,
and withal such q figure as stands not
boldly against d background Of
disaster. A Kentuckiah IDy blrtl,,a
dead shot BY education, . gentleman
by instinct, the memory! of Daniel
Boone was too fresh to lot him sleep
peacefully, and stirred upa spirit Of
emulation in his daring nature He
drifted naturally into border lie, and
the war found him in old Mexico, rich
in mines and cattle. BY nativity .
southerner, by nature q patriot, and
by necessity M Indian bater, he did
not want to fight his brehien, but was
determined to serve his country. 80
he took charge Of u company Of border
scouts, and during the war participated
In those romantic aud bloody episodes
which were lost sight Of IN view of
the larger and more desperate tragedy
being enacted In the Stntes. After
the war he naturally dlifted back
into the neighborhood TOR ones
neieebor in this country is the man
who lives within 100 miles Of your
rancle) Of Kit Carson, and Chase, and
| Maxwell. Here no settled again, and
began to recruit his fortune by raising
cattle and, plain, kindIyfaced, buck.
skin -hosed man that he was to the
observer, he yet has q hoofed fortune
that would buy Queen, Victoria
jeweled crown which would he tho
envy Of royal rivals. Il 14
When he settled in this country Il
was overrun with desperadoes, who
were the dread Of all settlers, from
whom they exacted a tithing tribute
rs ipligiously as did the lsraelitish
priests. These he determined to
persuade" away, and with tho assis-
tai,ce Of few equally brave men he
has succeeded in restoring peace in
COlfax county. d gai
As an illustration Of his nerve and
the kind of stuff it takes to make q
border "doctor," it may be interesting
to tell ono recent incident in his
career. Some time ago he was one
Of 4 grand jury who indicted for mur-
der bold and dare devil ringlcader
Of q cattle-sh,aljng gang. He and
the other members Of tho jury were
duly notified that their lives must pay
the forfeit Of their audacity. One
evening not long after hc was nwak.
ened by loud call in front Of his
ranch, and, cautiously responding,
he found himself accostcd by ono Of
the "gaDg,' who informed him that
the wife Of the ringleader was in the
pangs Of childbirth and threatened
with death. He was the only doctor
to be had in hundred miles, and
would he comet He hesitated q
moment, but when bis humanity was
appealed to he forgot caution. Yes,
he would come, and through the
mig ght fifty miles he rode to the camp
ofthe desperadoes. Into the tent ho
strobe, and, eyeing his enemy for a
moment, he drew his pistols, laid
them on the woman's pillow, and
politely said: "Let me just finish
this job first, and then | will attend
to YOU" His bravery was more
effective than his bullets, for when he
left he was assured that not alone his
life, but his cattle would in the future
be not only spared, but protected
from other stealers. -
l have given these few details to
impart some idea Of thekind Of giants
which march in the van Of our west
ward faced civilization, and DR.. South
is a fair type Of his class. When he
settled in Colfax county 10 desperate
was the condition of affairs that no
courts could be held, ard the neigh
boring counties, taking advantage Of
the situation, and anxious to divide
the rich spoils of coal, gold, copper.
iron and grazing, and Which has made
this part Of New Mexico the envy Of
the surrounding country, sought to
have the county dismembered and
divided among them. The issue was
squarely made, and Dr.. South was
selected to make the fght, and aftera
most desperate battle, fought with
bullets as well as ballots, he was
elected by small, but reputable,
majority to the Territorial Legisla-
| ture.