Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1879-12-10
DIR. South.
A KENTUcKIAN WHO HAS a HOoFED
FORTUNE "IE NEW MEXICO.
tChicsgo Tribune ls.tsr.l

(Chicago Tribune lettsr.l
Ny companion and guide was DR..
South. q noted man In these parts, and
withal such q figure as stsads not bold
ly against background Of dissster.-
A Kentuckisn BY birth, q dead shet by
education, q gentleman by instinct, the
memory of Daniel Boone was too fresh
to let him sleep peacefully, and stirred
up spirit of emulation in his daring
nature. lie drifted naturally into border
life, and the w1r found him in old Mexico,
rish in mines nd cattle. Dy nativity q
southerner, by nature a patriot. and BY
necessity an Indian hater, be did net
want to 6ght his brethren, bot was de.
termmed 10 serve his country. SO he
took c'G.y|-I +. company of bordcr
scouts, and during the war participated
in those romantic and bloody episodes
which we're lost sight Of 10 view Of the
larger and more desperate tragedy being
enacted the States. After the war
he natural1 drifted back into the
ueighborhood lfor ones neighbor in
this country IS the man who lives With
in 100 miles Of your ranche) Of Kit
Carson, ana Chsss. and Maxwell. Here
he settled again. and began to recruit
his fortune b. sing cattle; and.
PLAIN, kindly faced, buckskiu-hosed
man that he was to tisS casual observer,
he yet has a hoofed fortune that would
bu, Queen Victoria 4 jrwsled crown
which ysuld be the envy Of frOyal rivals.
When he settled IN this country il
1e<AsAoverrun with de-pera does. wiz
i Il Me dread cf sll 's!tlers, RON
d beY exacied ,lth:ng tribute as
Il as did the Isrseiitisb priests
&c determined 20 persuade
4ns and With the assistance OF few
'ssiEliy brave MEN he aas succeeded in
reslosing peace IL ColiaI county.
As an illustrs, Of his nerve and
the kind Of sun .t'lakes TO make a
border doctor" II NAV be interesting
a. III one recen! incident + '.ie ireer.
Some time ske'he vss~, - grand
Jury who iE+iCte0 Tor murder bold
I'D dare-s, <. ringleader Of 4 cattle
stealing gag. He and the Other mem
bers OF the jury were duly notified thai
heir lives nust pay the forfeit OF theiI
audacity. One evening hot long after
he was awakened by = load call in
front Of his ranch, aud, cautiously re-
spending. he forni himself accssted BY
on. of the "rang," who informed him
that the wife Of the ringleadsr was in
the pangs Of childbirth and threatend
with death. He was the only doctor to
be had 10 hundred miles, and would
he come He hesitated mement, bal
when lis humanity was appealed 10 he
forgot caution. Yes, he would come
and through the night fifty miles be
rode to the camp Of the desperadoes,-
Into the tent he strode. and, cye:ng hi,
euemy for a moment, he drew his pis'
tolls, laid them on the wonsn's pillow,
and politely said Let finish this
lob first, and then l will sttendto you.'
His bravery was more effective than biz
bullets, for when he left he was assured
that not alone bis life. bat bis cattle
would in the future be not only spared
but protected frem other stealcrs.
l have given these few details to i'm
part some idea Of the kind OF giants
which march 10 the van Of our west
ward-fased civilization, and DR.. Soutt
is fair type Of his class. When h'
settled in Colfax county 50 dtspeHt'
vas the condition Of affairs that NJ
courts could be held, and tho nelsbbor
ing counties, taking advantage OF thu
situation, and anxious to divide the ricl
,pOils of coal, gold, copper, iron sn'
grazing. and which has made this par
of New Mexico the envy Of the sur
rounding country, sought to have tn
county dismembered and divides
among them. The issue was 'qusrel.
lnade, and DR.. South was selected L
make, and after most desperat
battle. fought With bullets as well q
ballots, he was elected by small. bu
reputable, majority to the Terrltorla
Legislature.