Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1885-09-10
A CARSON INCIDENT.

So much has been written about Kit
Carsenasa. hunter, trapper. scout and
guide, thai it is hard 10 write an incl
dent that has not alFeady been told
over and over again.
was associated with him for n time
| inthe Northwest Fur COMPANY, aud
learned TO know him for all he was
worth rs a man Of nerve, modesty and
nnfailing courage.
We were just. ready to leave ST..
Louis for the Yellowstone in a stern
wheel steamer with crowd of trap
pers. boalmen and hunters, when il
was discovered that about Il dozen of
the Canadian trappers and half-brecds
NNSre-ashore on. Il spree, spending their
advanced wages and would not come
off.
"Jadson, take man with You and
bring them Off, said old Choteau. the
head man in the company, and adj
dressing mo.
leaied TO Carson to put ON his belt
OF tools and 20 up town with me.
ave want no tools to handle them
drunken fools with!n was his reply.
And unarmed he started on shore with
me. We entered several saloons be-
fore We found the men we were after.
but Ut last their yells and songs piIoted
MS to the right place. There were ten
Of them, crazy drunk, dancing, yelling
and carrying on as only such men can.
when wild on eight-rod whisky Step
| ping III amongst them. told them the
boat was about to start and they must
| get aboard.
| Boat go to hell. You toor' cried one
OF The leaders. .'Choteau no good
we in for big drunk. VoiIa,'
/ A back-hander under his left ear
dropped him, and then his comrades
made rush for me. As they did SO,
Carson '.mixed In without waiting for
orders. He caught the two foremost
each by his long. shaggy hair, and
brought their heads together with a
crash that sounded like Il boat bnttinp
end onto wharf 1t WAS enough for
those two; they dropped, bleeding at
the nose and mouth, aud then he
caught up another, and using him as a
/ iiail, thrashed right and left with his
1.-the and timber. body and limbs,
knocking men to and fro, and literally
leaving me nothing TO do but to look on
/
fracas was all over, the men subdued
and ready TO go on board; for, though
they hated Carson heartily, they feared
him more.
Now, more trouble seemed immi-
nent. The keepers OF the saloon claim
cd $50 damages for broken table and
two or three chairs thathad suffered in
the skirmish, and sworc none Of us
should leave the room until the money
was paid. He was reputeli fighter.
He stood over six feet high aud was all
bone and muscle. He had barkeeper
TO back him nearly rs large, and he
picked up a club and he seemed ready
! to use it.
We're going off to the boat noe; if
you have a bill 10 collect take it to
/ Choteaui said Carson, quietly, while
| got the Canadians together to start.
Il II mash the first euss that moves, -
/ yelled the keeper ami he started for
| the door 10 head us off lie was going
/ fast and he fell over Carson's out
stretched foot. And when he struck
the floor Carson was sitting on his
head, while a pistol that Kit had
snatched from my belt was looking the
| DdIheepef III the lace.
Take the men on board, cap; I'll
get there as soon as you do'' said Kit
to me quietly. "Tm tired and want to
rest minute left him well know
ing he could "hold the fort and went
on board with the men, had scarce
| " crossed the gang plank when Kit
came over it, quiet smile on his face.
Handing me back my pistol, he said:
u had no use for the iron-that cuss
didn't like the looks of itr' Always
cool, immensely strong for his stature,
Kit Carson was Il danger to an enemy
and a blessing to friend 1t is a pity
/ that there are but few Of such men left
on the plains, in the present day
lie was Il man to bet your life and for
tune on, for you had a sure thing every
| time Ned B2tnttiHc