The Ketchum keystone. [volume] (Ketchum, Idaho) 1885-1899, 1886-11-06

IueStOyeu tneH.
In John Hays poem, "The
Mystery of Gilgal," there is an ac-
count of bowie knife encounter
between Jedge Phinn and Colonel
Blood, in which they
Carved in way that all admired
Till Blood drawed iron at last and fired,
Which took Seth Budso betwixt the eyes,
And caused him great surprise.
Poetry and history having thus
united in illustrating the wonders
of this renowned weapon, destined
to fame as great as that of Excal-
ibar, the world-famous sword OF
King Arthur, it may not prove un-
interesting to give some account OF
its originator or inventor
James Bowie was born in Logan
county, Kentucky, in the year 1896.
His parents were natives of Georgia,
his father being a woodsman and
hunter, in which craft James was
brought up. The family wandered
from place to place, usually seeking
the romotest frontier, and finally
settled on the borders of Louisiana
and Texas. Here, in 1914, James
made clearing for himself, built a
log cabin. and lived principally by
fishing and hunting. Many were
his deeds of daring and reckless
ness in his forest adventures, and
many stories have been preserved
of his wild exploits. He would
catch and ride, not only wild horses,
but wild deer, and one occasion he
caught, roped and rode an alliga-
tor.
He grew to be large and power
full man. six feet in hight and ex-
tremely muscular. His temper is
said to have been good, but he was
easily aroused to anger, which was
terrible and unappeasable, and led
him into many tragical encounter
He never fought a regular duel, but
was engaged in many fights, most
of which had a bloody termination,
He was said to have been gener-
al favorite among his friends and
neighbors, which goes TO disprove
that he was of cruel or blood
thirsty disposition.
Texas, as that time belonging to
Mexico, was a sort of promised
land to the adventurers of the
southwest. One of the first expedi-
tons into that country was under
General James Long, of Tennessee.
and Bowie accompanied 1T. This
was in 1919. The expedition re-
suited disastrously, Long being
captured and killed by the Mexi-
cans, but Bowie returned safely to
his home again.
He now sold his land, and in
company with his brothers engaged
in slave trading with the notorious
Laftte, the celebrated pirate of the
gulf. Under the laws of the United
States at that time slaves were not
allowed to be imported into the
country, but the brothers Bowie
easily evaded that difficulty. Their
plan of operations was to go to Gal
weston and purchase from Lafitte
number of negroes, for which
they paid at a rate of 81 pound,
or about $40 for each negro. These
thew would bring into the limits of
the United States, and then go to
custom officer and become in
formers against themselves. The
law gave the informer half the val
ue of the negroes, which were put
up and sold at auction by the United
States marshal. At the marshal's
sale they would themselves become
the purchasers, would receive half
the purchase money back and a
certificate of sale, which entitled
them to dispose of the negroes in
the United States. Bowie followed
this business until he made some
$50 600. most of which he soon
spent in riotous living in New Or
leans.
1t was during these expeditions
to Galveston that his genius evolved
the hunting knife, with which his
name will always be associated. It
was made for him by blacksmith
after design of his own. 1t was
made with heavy back, so that II
could be used in chopping as well
as thrusting, thus fulfilling the pur-
pose of a hatchet, for which he
used it in his wcodsman life.
In the exciting political contests
that grew out of Jackson's advent
as a candidate Bowie took an
active part. In 1926 he was resid-
ing at Alexandria, on Red river,
and during a political campaign he
got into an alteration with Norris
Wright, sheriff of Rapides Parish.
Bowie was unarmed, and Wright
drew a pistol and shot him through
the body, but even then, if Wright
had not been rescued by his friends
Bowie would have killed him with
his fists. This attack SO enraged
him that he determined thereafter
never to go without his knife, and
he had a scabbard made for it, and
said he would wear it as long as he
lived. A year later this fued with