The Portland daily press., 1881-01-26
THE PRESS.
Deaf Smiths Duel.
The Kind of Men Sam Houston Employed
as Messengers.
Jim Nastic in Wheeling Leader


frentiersman on the outskirts of civilization
crowded down into the far Southwest, even in
to Mexico, and by series of aggressive acts
which resulted in the massacre of the Almo
(where fell some of the most heroic spirits that
ever graced the annals OF any land), and cul-
minated in the victory of San Jacinto, by
which Texas became an independent govern
ment under the administration of General
Sam Houston, known as the Lone Star" Re
public and afterward admitted as State into
the Union, such was the heroic daring, the
cool courage of the actors in that drama that
the heroes of antiquity compared to them were
but as overgrown children. 1t is sad to think
that the march of civilization, so called, will
pass over the territory wrested by their valor
from the mongrel Spaniard, and its very &C.
cupants will consider the names of Travers,
Bowie, Crockett and other kindred souls as
nothing but myths.
The machinery of the young republic was
running in Austin, its then Capital, situate on
the east bank of the Rio Colorado, with the
usual multtudinous mixture of humanity,
such as Senators, saloonists, Representatives,
roughs, lawyers, lobbyists and those of every
sweat of other peoples brows. These people
were thrown into violent state of excitement
by an order from President Houston to move
the government archives from Austin to
Houston, as there was large force of Com
anches not many miles from Austin, laying
waste the ranches, and 1t was thought they
might make descent on the seat of govern
ment and destroy the archives. Hence, the
Presidents order for their removal, according
to an act of the Legislature, For the preser-
walton OF the public archives SO made and
provided"
The citizens of Austin, seeing in this meas
urc -.he decadence of their city and their hopes,
licked against the measure at once, swore it
was trick of the President to enhance the
value Of his property in Houston, at their ex-
pense, that they were fully able to protect the
city from the Comanches and from President
Houston, also, and they would Not allow any
person to move one picayune's worth of public
property out OF Austin as long as one of them
lived to defend it.
And they set about making their word good
by enrolling and equipping three hundred men
at once, and considering the personnel of this
force and its being organized at the Capital for
their own existence as holding the seat of en-
pire. it seemed to get President Houston in
tight place. The man who was to command
this force was singular person-Coonel Nor
ton, gentleman, in the Southern acceptation
OF the term, chivalrons to a fault, fearless as
the Numidian lion, quick as flash at his
weapons, OF which he carried the surest and
deadliest. Strong, wirey and muscular was
he, and there was latent ferocity underlying
his calm demeanor that when reused was truly
terrible.
1t meant death to his opponent. Within
the year previous to our story he had fought
duel with rifles and killed his man at the first
hre, and twice in an encounter with bowie
knives literally cut his man to pieces. This
Colonel Morton was appointed to command
this battalion of desperadoes.
The Colonel, with Judge Edwards and 9TH
er prominent citizens, occupied a hall in which
they were holding council with closed doors,
barred against ingress, and to devise means
how to counteract the scheme of Houston.
A crowd stood on the sidewalk outside dis
cussing. the situation in no very gentle mood
when their attention was attracted by strang-
er coming up with long steady stride toward
the building within which sat the concave.
He was dressed in the garb of hunter,
heavy coonskin cap with the tail dangling
down over the broad and tasseled
collar OF his buckskin hunting shirt, which
was secured at the waist by strong belt of
buffalo hide, in which were conveniently
stuck, ready to grasp at an instant's warning,
heavy pair of silver mounted pistols and a
hunting knife. His neither limbs were encased
IN leggings of buckskin and mocassips, and in
his hand he carried long, heavy rifle.
de appeared TO pay no attention to the in
quisltlve looks OF those he met, but walked
straight up to the enclosure in which the
house stood, and without seeking admittance
at the door he sprang with the agility of a
cougar and grasping the pendent limb of a
tree that grew near the wall of the house, car
rying his rifle with him, he climbed the tree,
which was but short distance to the second
story, and there was an open window through
which he swung himself, and he was in the
council room of the disturbed denizens of Aus
tin. Had an incendiary shell of the most
modern invention landed in that room it could
not have created more of surprise than did
the entrance OF the stranger SO unceremoni-
ously. Colonel Morton scowled while the rest
looked amazed at the strangers calm, COOL
defiant look and attitude.
Morton broke the silence by demanding of
the stranger, "W hat brings you into our pres
ence in this manner without invitation or even
consent?"
The stranger looked at Morton, then at the
rest of the company and walked up to tle
table, took sheet of paper and taking pen
and ink wrote these three words thereon: II
am deaf"
Judge Edwards looked at the writing and
taking the pen wrote underneath, "My dear
sir, will you please to tell us what business
brings you here amoug US in such strange
manner"
The stranger glanced at the paper and i'm
mediately drew from the pocket of his hunting
shirt letter signed by Sam Houston which
read as follows:
Although the citizens of Austin are in the
wrong and knowingly SO, yet the President be-
lore resortlng TO extreme measures will give
them five days longer to deliver up the ar
chives of the Republic, at the end of which
time if not delivered he will come and take
them by force.
lSigned) SAM HOUSTON, President"
The stranger after delivering his message
and having seen it read, was in the act of turn
ing away when Colonel Merton, drawing his
attention to the paper on which he had writ
ten, You were brave enough to Insult me by
your impudent entrance and your defiant look.
Are you now brave enough to give me salts.
faction?"
The stranger. after glancing at the writing,
took the pen and wrote underneath, 81 am at
your service"
Morton took up the pen and wrote, "Name
your terms"
The stranger took up the pen and wrote,
"Weapons-rities; distance fisty PAGES; place
west bank of the Colorado, opposite Austin;
nme-suDset this evening. Don't fail to be on
time" and putting down the pen turned on
his heel, strobe toward the window and by a
oextrous swing was in the branches of the
tree making his exit by the same means as he
entered. He walked down the street leaving
the people in the council room as well as those
on the street astonished at his singular behav-
ior.
AS soon as Judge Edw ards recovered from
his establishment at the proceedings of the last
few moments he addressed Colonel Morton
thus: Colonel, is it possible that you intend
10 nght a duel with that man? He is mute
and perhaps maniac, and cannot think but
that it would tarnish your laurels to fight
duel with him."
There you are mistaken, judge" replied
Colonel Morton, sit would be no disgrace for
even Colonel Morton to fall in an encounter
with him.
"You know him, them"
81 do"
"Who is he, Colonel?"
deaf Smith,"
''Oh, no." replied the Judge; "deaf Smith
fell at the Amo.'
There you're mistaken again, Judge" re-
Piled Morton, that was trick of Houston
to shield his favorite from the vengeance of a
score of Texas desperadoes who vowed to have
his life if be was above ground"
well then, Colonel" retorted the Judge,
'if that's as you say, it leaves you in no better
predicament. Deaf Smith was never known
to miss his mark
Its settled,' replied Colonel Morton.
" IT'S no disgrace to fall by his bullet, while
II kill him shall feel proud of having felled
the best shot on this continent: and now. gen.
tlemen," said the colonel, rising, II will bid
you good bye, as / have some things to attend
to that may not be postponed. l hope to meet
you at sunset on the west bank of the Colorado,
opposite Austin. Adieu.' And the colonel
stepped out of the Office as light and lively as
if he had not to stand opposite to the muzzle
Of naa St,,,fh Dc Load .l ~