Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1883-06-28
4 PLUNGE TO DEATH.
Three Mounted COWBOYS Ride at n
GaIlop Over Preeipice.
From the Denver News.

From the Denver News.
There arrived on the Burlington
train last night well.known citizen OF
Greeley who will probably die from the
effec. OF injuries sustained in one OF
the most narrowing accidents that has
a place in the history OF round 40 SEN
saiions in the west. The victim is Mr.,
Charles Hughitt. The Little French
man range, in south western Nebraska,
Ia perhaps one OF the most celebrates
cattle sections of the country. In that
neighborhood Hughitt was one OF the
most noted among the cowboys.
college graduate, he combined intell-
gence with that rare courage which
the better class Of cowboys always dis
play on the range. he was more than
valiant.
On the day in question the herds of
the several stockmeN were we'll gath.
cred on the brink of large mesa
which overlooked the Little French
man river. The bluff was at least one
hundred feet above the stream While
the cattle were being cut out a steer
broke away and made dash along the
edge OF the yawning ohasm. BeneatN
was the swiftly passing water snd sharp
| jutting rocks. There were one hun
dred and fifty cowboys in the circle,
the number being equally divided
among three outfits. A representative of
each put spurs to his horse and made
the chase. Hughitt was the foremost.
| Following him closely were viii.
lam Thompson and John Green, AL
three circlsd lassoes above their heads
and dug the spur points into their
horses sides until the blood spurted.
IL was rivalry Of horsemauship and
herding valoi. Along the edge of the
awful precipice the maddennd steed
plunged, the three ambitious horse.
men closely pursuing and awaiting al
advantage. When about two hundred
yards away from the herd, and as the
surrounding cowboys were about to
utter another yell of encouragement, q
cry of destruction and death went
heavenward. The steer and borsemer
disappeared simultaneously.
The party rushed to the point Of
lookout on the chasm only to see be
meath the mingled bodies of dead anC
ldying. While the members stood par
alyzed on the brink, yet irresolute as tC
Shat they should do, Hughitt was OBJ
served springing to his feet. HIS horse
respor ded to the release and the rider
after some difficulty, mounted. The
twain, by circuitous route, then slow
ly climbed back to the mesa. Dlsmay
ed by the terrible catastrophe, the
cowboys were still standing benumbeo
with dread when the manned man APP
reared among them. Meanwhile &
descent was made into the canon by
a rescuing party. The steer, th'
cause of the disaster, escaped injury
Green was found almost buried ant
dead. He was bruised considerably
and all his linn bs were found oxen
Thompson was found dead and fear
fully mutilated. The pommel Of his
saddle had completely disemboweleo
him.
1t was twenty-eight miles to gilbert
son Station and a weary nights ride
The party escorung Hughiu never
heard u word Of suffering from he
lips. Finally he began to bleed at The
lungs and q halt was made to deter
mine the extent and nature of his in
LURES. He WIS dismountei and ex
amined Imagine the surprise of th'
escort when they found that ne wa
manned almost to death. Hi
collar bone was broken, hi
right arm was fractured il
two places and from his RICH
side there protruded two broken ribs
Add to all this the fact that he Was alec
internally injured, as evinccd by tbs
blood vomit, and the condition Of the
sufferer can be realized Completely
worn out by the long Quincy, the party
arrived at Culbertson about noon yes
terday. When the station hove in sigh
the sufferer revived and began TO ex-
press hopes Of recovery. He was PLACED
on the afternoon train arriving AZ tht
hour stated.
"That ia the grittest man I eve
met" said the cowboy, in rounding Of
bis account If the occurrence