Thomas County cat. [volume] (Colby, Kan.) 1885-1891, 1886-07-29
MUM BAPTIST.

4 Z
-CArSe sf Man Who west About Light
nag Matches Untii He became .
Noisancs. assF'stt,s saa -
iniun' Baptist never had Al enemy
until he stumbled upon one. He came
from no one knows where, though it
has always been suspected that he was
an Indian Territory product. He is
well acquainted in the Nation. seems
to have Indian blood in bis veins, and
looks more or less like . red man of
the improved order
The oldest inhabitant can not re-
member when Injun Baptist was s
smart man, but great many people
here knew HIM when he was smarter
shan he is now. He always had a
cloud on his brain. Simple, docile.
credulous, he was in earlier times a
sad wreck of border civilization. No
body ever interfered 18th him. He
came and went among roughs, des-
peradoes and outlaws the same as
| among men whose boast it was that
they were honest. His long absences
created no comment, and when he re-
turned Hello, Injun," was the only
greeting that he received. He would
toll laDoriously when put at work. and
would not leave any job that he had
undertaken until, exhausted from
hunger and lack of sleep. he would
wander off not to return. When chill
1rcn first appeared here he took a
great fancy to them. They rode him
around like donkey, and he seemed
never to weary of their tyranny. ~
According to all accounts, he never
exhibited any signs of mental power
but once. On one of his periodical
visits to the Nation he fell in with a
party of desperadoes who were on a
neutrality-suspicious.. Some ofthem
knew him, and, thinking they might
maze use of the ..foo;ish," Is they
called him. they persuaded him to &C
company them. Whatever they,asked
him to do he would do accomplishing
", and as a newer of wood and drawer
OF water he proved himself of great
value to his companions. One night
! Injun was left in the outlaw camp,
near the Canadian. with orders to re-
main there until they returned. The
horses were all br;dled and every thing
! was in readiness for flight, but the un-
| fortunate who stood on guard perceived
nothing extraordinary in the situation.
An hour or two later the men returned,
and one of them, calling Injun to one
side, led him far enough away from the
camp to point out house that could
be dimly seen in the moonlight, and
with instructions that he was to 60
there and remain until they called for
him, he darted off. - ~@
! Injun made his way to the house,
walked around it once or twice, and
then. seeing an open door, entered.
All was dark within. Lighting match,
he peered around, and, seeing nothing,
he advanced few steps and lighted
another. In a corner of the room was
the body of man drenched in blood.
Once again 1njun drew forth match,
and, lighting it, he turned around
to fall over the PROSTATE forms of
two other men. His matches were
now gone, but while he was mechanic
ally searching his pockets for more, it
is believed, from the story that he aft
erward told that one of the victims who
yet retained consciousness recognized
him and told him to 60 for help. How
ever that may have been the fellow
who never before seemed able to act
intel.igently on two ideas in succession
set out alone and without waiting for
daylight in search of a neighbor. How
long or how far he tramped was never
known, but he did not abandon his
search until he had found assistance
and led the way back to the cabin.
The sight that there presented itself
was enough to make the stoutest heart
quail. Every thing in the house indi-
Gated the desperate nature of the fight
which had taken place there. The
walls, the ceiling and floor were spat-
tered with blood, and the three men,
now dead. were frightfully mutilated.
Injun showed how he had entered the
place, and finding the stub of a match
on the floor he exhibited it with pride,
and by motions and grants demon
strated how he had CROPPED his way
around in the horrible place.
The herders who had been sum-
moned took in the situation at glance.
From Injun they learned something of
the size of the murderous band, and
the nature of the work done indicated
clearly enough that revenge rather than
robbery had been the motive. Com
municating the facts to the proper au-
thorities. it was not long before
posse was on the trail of the MUIR
Gerers. and in running fight which
afterward ensued between the two
parties two of the desperadoes
were killed. Injun found his way
back here in the course of time, and
was made great deal Of The SYM
patty of his old friends was aroused,
and many of them went out of their
way to compliment him and do him
kindnesses. Injun Baptist getting
smart row." he would say when ques-
toned on the subject of his adventure.