The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1885-01-16
NO.. 6.
The Original OF Bret Harte's Hero


and whether the novelist has drawn
on him for matter or not. he is singu-
lar parsonage. knew him intimately
almost a score of years ago, and his
family which consisted OF a wife, Il
son, who has been for many years in
Buenos Ayres, South America, and
he can be found in a certain beer sa-
loon on Hudson street pulling away at
a clay pipe in an advanced state of
color and relating to a choice circle of
friends and admirers some episode of
his checkered career. Physically he is
a fine specimen of manhood. On an
enormous pair of shoulders rests q
well-shaped head with short neck.
The face is bronzed by exposure, and
his huge mustache is coal black and
wiry. There is a wild, at times savage,
glare in the large black eyes, which
are like those of a man accustomed to
looking great distances in the noun
tains and prairies. His gate is pecu-
liar and awkward, and he explains it
by saving that until he entered Jim
Fisk's service as master of teams he
never wore anything on his feet but
moccasins.
Here is short account of his life as
given by himself: II was born, L
guess, somewhere about 1920, which
makes me about Ga years old, though
| don't look it. My birthplace was
Springfield, Mo. When turned the
Cherokee Indians made raid on our
neighborhood, and carried me off with
them. ! was taken to the reservation
of the Six Nations, and remained there
about eight years. OF course l
learned the six Indian dialects. Shall
| give YOU specimen 'Toma woma
to" pray don't" | gasped to
him. "Well." continued Seely, 81
got tired of Indian life after eight
Years were over, and ran away from
the reservation. | was pretty young,
but knew how to take care of myself
Later on | joined Fremont's expedi-
tions: the first in 1912, up the Platte
river, and the other that went all the
way from Kansas to Fort Sutter, on
the Sacramento. I'm not going to tell
YOU ANYTHING about those expeditions,
because you've only got to open any
history of the United States to find out
all about them. But what you can't
find out in history is just this: Here,
lust draw your finger this way, across
my head, so. Now you feel that three
inch scar running across my skull'
This is how | got that: When the
Texas revolution broke out l was vol
unteer, and when the war on Mexico
was declared | also volunteered. L
fou rht under Zach Tal or until after
Buena Vista, then | was under old
Scott. Just as we were storming the
portion of the City of Mexico above
Puerto del Rey bit of shell struck me
on the foot and floored me. felt
pretty uncomfortable and groaned so
loud that one of my pards asked If L
didn't want TO be put out of my mis-
erv. / thought he was going TO give
me his flask, and so l frightened up.
..Well, he began fumbling in his cart
ridge box-a curious place for flask,
il seemed to me. Then he hauled out
a solitary cartridge, his last one, but it
was wet and he threw it away. After
a second or two heard him mutter:
s.D- this business" and before L
could give another groan l got my
skull split open with the butt OF his
musket. That's what he called putt
ting me out of my misery, but he only
/ came out of the hospital.
"Did | ever drive mail? You bet
| did, and the first one that ever ran
between Fort Leavenworth and San
Francisco. The Indians were tough
customers in those days, l can tell
you, and its many time they went
for the coach, but they never got much
out of it while 'Yuba Bill was on the
box-except bullets. These they re-.
ceived gratis in unlimited quantity
They got square on me once, however.
NV home was on a ranch six miles
from Topeka, and after each return
trip paid my old woman and ehild'en
a few hours visit. One night, on near
inc the homestead, l heard heavy
firing, and when / reached itI found
nv poor children dead and the old
woman standing over their bodies. the
sight of one eye gone and sspkkine
musket in her hands. She hadJus
had a three hours fight with half
dozen Indian cattle-lifters. The same
night started in pursuit with some
friends, among whom was Kit Carson
and before the sun went up the mex
morning three of the fiends wer'
is still living, minus an eye. (Fact.
after six years mail-coaching
took to hunting, mining, and all sort
of things. When the war broke out
served as scout under Gen. Thomas
When that was over | got into jim
Fisk's employ at 800 month, board
lodging, and pin money. This ol'
velvet coat am wearing now belong
cd to jim; see the name Ia the collar
liniag. After Fi>k's death became
trucEman with Fuller's express, an
later on with Garner u Co. MIR. Gal
ner, YOU remember, was drowned
with his wife and child and numbe
of friends, by the capsiziIg OF h
Yacht Mohawk 10 New York bay, OF
posite the clubhouse at Staten islan'
"There, now, you've got it all out
me-
..Yuba Bill'sn daughters are vei
comfortably married, the husband