Middletown transcript., 1881-06-03
JAMES BOWIE.
THE BOWIE KNIFE TOLD BY
ONE WHO KNEW HIM.

On one occasion Bowie, whose repu
tation had reached Memphis, arrived
by boat at that city, or rather at what
was then known as the Third Chicka
saw Bluffs. The bank from the boat
landing to the top was about one hun,
dred and fifty feet high and large
number of people were watching the
arrival of the strangers. Looking down,
one of them recognized Bowie as he
stepped over the gang-plank, and made
the remark, "There comes Jim Bowie. .
''What ~ shouted big flatboatman,
then known as the 'Memphis Ter
ror,' as he looked down the bluff
''what Jim Bowie That's the fel-
low I've been looking for for months.
Jim Bowie ! Why, -- him, I'll
whip him so quick he won't know
what hurt him. I'll whip him if /
never whip another man as long as l
live Stand by, boys, and see the fun p
Bowie came slowly up the bank. In
his hand he carried an old umbrella.
He had no pistols and was evidently
not expecting or in fact prepared for a
fight. This fact did not escape the
now thoroughly interested spectators.
Up went the fiatboatman promptly, as
Bowie reached the top of the bluff. SIS
your name Jim Bowie ?'' he asked.
Bowie replied that it was.
"Then, p" shouted the flatboatman, as
he squared off, ''I think you -
rascal and Pm going to whip you right
here and now."
Bowie was man of few words. He
stood and gazed at his adversary, who
was more emboldened than ever. 81
think you're - coward, " he yelled,
''and Pm going to knock your head
off, :" and so saying the memphis Ter
ror" advanced to the conflict.
Bowie never fiinched. His keen eye
was fixed on the 'Terror," who at
this moment was face to face with him.
But as the man of Memphis drew dirk
from his breast, Bowie stepped back a
foot and thrust out his umbrella as if
to keep his antagonist at bay.
The "Memphis Terror seizing the
umbrella with one hand, made a pass
at the inventor of the famous knife
with the other. In so doing he pulled
the umbrella to himself, leaving free
in the right hand of Bowie his murder
GUS weapon, which to this moment had
been concealed in the folds of the inn
promptu sheath. The sight of Bowie
standing there, with the knife in his
hand and the CLEAN of vengeance in his
eye, was too much for "The Terror"
From the bouncing bully he became
transformed into craven coward in II
second. His face turned pale and his
knees trembled, while the dirk dropped
from his hands as he gazed on Bowie's
weapon with staring eyes. ''Put it up ;
put away that scythe, for Gods sake,
Bowie 1 was mistaken in my man..
Bowie advanced a step.
''Don't-don't kill me - beseeched |
the bully ''for Gods sake, man, don't
go for me with that scythe and 1 swear
to you I'll never attack another man as
long as l live.''
Bowie looked at his now thoroughly
demoralized opponent for moment,
and then turning on his heel with the
expression, Coward, :" walked rapidly
away. Thenceforth the Memphis ''Ter-
ror'' was changed man, and until the
day of his death he never lost the So
briquet of 'sPut-up-that-scythe.
Bowie was very fond of music and
dancing and on occasions where he
could enjoy both he invariably appeared |
in the best of humor, and the reserve
which had begun to characterize him
at this time appeared to thaw out. 1t |
was on one occasion at a dance, when
he was in such favorable conditions,
that had an opportunity for a free
and-easy chat with him about some of
the encounters in which he had been
engaged. Referring to the disparity in
size between himself and some of the
men whom he had met in conflict,
asked him how he regarded his chances
under such circumstances.
"Suppose, said L, referring to a
man of herculean build, who stood
near, Suppose you were attacked by
such a man as Hob Johnson there.
What then %
tOh,'' drily responded Bowie, 81
would cut him down to my size y