The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1881-09-20
eoMANCHE BILL.
HOW HE nADE A NAN DCsT OFF THE
soLEs OF A eIRL's snoEs.
lKans.s City Tlmos.I

ter, known tar and wide By the appel.
laii0n Of Comanche Bill, has been Tor
some time with Gen. Reynolds al
Fort Rene, aud is now Oh his way to
join Gen. Twry's command OF Par
lou, Dakota territory. He came di,
rect from the Peinca country here,
riding horseback the entire distance,
aud Indeed from Reno. "ComancLs'
disdaiBs vi such m0dera ceRvea-
ieuces as railroad cars, and Il 10 only
when pressed for time that he will
use them 1t all. IL 10 his fsvorite
boast that ke has lsan thiity-one
years in the saddle. This IL the frss
visit Coulauche Bill has made 10 the
States for almost = score Of years.
la 1867 he went back 70 his old home,
seventeen miles above New Ulm. In
Miuaesots, the sceae Of the terrible
Sioux massacre ave years before,
which made Bill aa eatcsst, aud left
him without drop oi bis eva blood
aowing IN the veins OF suy mortal On
earth. ThiS lie says himself, made
him . demon, aud he turned. 70 the
.siaughter of the red man with all the
Ayiuity OF 9 rapacioss blood hound 10
tue human trail. Everybody knows
how strong tho attachment Of =
Scotchmsn is TO his home and coun-
try. Bill was Scotcbmsa, aud still
eau picture In vivid c0iors the awful
revulsion and terror OF dssolAtion that
came over biu when he came back ou
that fair summer morning OF August
l8, 1864, and found that little Scotch
mother, who kissed him Ut porting.
with = tomshswk sticking in her
skull, he sworo vengeance against
the Sioux forever, aud faithfully has
be kept his vow. ~
Tho life Of William Porter reads
like q border romance. II has much
ofthe dime novel order Of sensation
slism in II. Oomanche Bill has al
ready figured In several each stories,
but little Was really known OF his
earlier fife and history. He 10 tact.
turn almost to isult sad 10th TO
speak OF himself. In the far West
his reputation as q guide, scout aud
interpreter is great, and be looks with
scorn on such lesser lumiusries as
Buffalo Bill and other would. be-
heroes. In fact Comanche never did
like Bufio Bill much, aud since the
ls,ter's stage experience he's liked
him still less. Ii is notorious that be
would take the lstter's scalp Oh the
least provocation, aud he has fire..
Quenlly taken occasion to reior TO
him in terms which the latter has
never seen proper to resent. Bu6alo
Bill steers clear Of the old plaipsmsn.
Comauche Bill is II years OF age,
but looks much younger. No owe
would take him TO be over 30. He
wears the proverbiAl long hhir.
cropped closer behind than some who
affect this style, aud heavy mus
lache, which is allowed TO ruu lar
down on the side of his face. He is
not over FIVE feet ten inches in height,
with broad chest and brswuy arms
and an iron frame, which fatigue eau
not overcome nor cxertion subdue.
lie has q slightly kQuiline nose, .
piercing gray or dark blue eye, and
in all respects 9 typical scout and
frontiersman of fsct and fiction.
When seen by the reporter Bill had
already moulted his buckskin suit
aud assumed something like the garb
of civilization, but he still wore his
riding boots aud pants, . dark blue
flannel shirt aud the indescribable
heavy felt hat, With depth and cur
yature of brin, which would have
made Quaker or stage scout turn
green with envy and die OF jaundice
the ssme night.
Who killed your mother Bill2
1t was one OF Cutn0se's band.
IL be alive YETI
Wssl guess he'll never scalp any
m ore women.
Did they kill your wife, too?
Yes, they tortured her 10 death.
Oh, I've had scalp Tor every drop
OF blood they spilled that day, ho
continued.
took an oath that as long ss ]
could look through the hind sights OF
rife I'd kill every Sioux Indian |
got chance to shoot w. Invent back
there afterwards and sat down at q
table to eat, and, somebody says,
Thst's Comanche Bill Another man
said he didn't blame the Indians for
what they done that day. l jumped
over the table and scalped that tel
low, aud Id do it sgsin to-day If any
body commenced to make any sach
talk.
The conversation then took gent.
ler turn, aud by the aid of frequent
| potations of the milder grades OF fire
water loquitor and listeners began IL
brighten up.
Bill, asked the reporter, what Il
your opinion Of Indians.
never saw . good Indian but once
to my life, and he was dead, was the
response.
Do you know Buffalo Bill?
Oh. Buffalo Bull; yes, I've hcert
on him.
What kind Of q scout'is he2
Scoutl (evidently scouting, at the
idea), why that d--n fool cant tell
beef trail from pony track.
| Have you any fricnds in Missouri
Comanche, or are you just stopping
here to sec the town.
Friends? No, l amt got no friendI
any where. The only friends | evel
had was pair of good six-shooler'
and when they cracked i knowet
they reached Tor keeps.
Were you ever in Kansas City be-
foro1
| Young fellow, reckon I was In
this town before you was foaled.
An incident illustrating the noble
ness OF heart aud gsllantry TOWARD
women OF mountain men is related o.
Bill, which happened In Wichita
few weeks since. Bill rode intt
town dressed in q complete suit o.
buckskin, and with gang of honee
rangers at his back. AS he wen
along he saw "counter jumper" a
he was pleased TO call him, roughl.
catch little girl about Is years olt
fpiti,a iioa nf liftla o,rlN hv IN,