The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-11-17
COLONEL BOWIE.
SLAVE TRADER, DUELIST AND
TEXAN REVOI.UrIONIST.
Eventful Career of the Man Who
Invented the Celebrated Hunt
ing Knife Named After Him
"A Life Of Danger.

"A Life Of Danger.
James Bowie was born in Logan Coun-
ty, kentucky, in the year 1876. Ills
parents were natives of Georgia, his
father being q woodsman and hunter, in
which craft James was brought up. The
family wandered from place to place,
usually seeking the remotest frontier,
and finally settled on the borders of
| louisiana and Texas. Here, in 1914,
James Bowie made a clearing for him
self, built log cabin, and lived princi-
pally 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 on
one occasion he caught, roped, and rode
sn alligator.
He grew to be large and powerful
man, six feet in height and extremely
muscular. His. temper is sad to have
been good, but he was easily aroused to
anger, which was terrible and unap-
peasable, and LED him into many trag-
ical encounter. He never fought reg
ular duel, out was engaged in many
fights, most of which had a bloody ter
mination. He was said to have been
general favorite among his friends and
neighbors, which goes to disprove that
he was not of a cruel or bloodthirsty dis
position.
Texas. at that time belonging to Mex
leo, was O sort of promised land to the
adventurers of the Southwest. One of
the first expeditions into that country
was under General James Long, of Ten
nessee, and Bowie accompanied it. This
was in 1919. The expedition resulted
disastrously, Long being captured and
killed by the Mexlcans, but Bowie re-
turned safely to his home.
He now sold his land, and in company
with his brothers engaged in slave trad
ing with La6tte, the notorious pirate OF
the Gulf. Under the laws of the United
| States at that time sla;es werc not al
lowed to be imported into the country,
but the brothers Bowie easily evaded
difficulty. Their plan of operations was
to 60 to Galveston anil purchase from
Jafitte number of negroes, for which
they paid at the rate Of 81 pound, or
about $14O for each negro. These they
would bring into the limits of the United
States, and then 60 to custom house Off
, GERS and become informcrs against them
selves. The law gave the informer half
the value of the negroes, which were put
up and sold by the United States Mar.
shal. At the Marshal's sale they would
themselves become the purchasers,
would receive half the purchase money
back and a certificate of sale, which en-
titled them to dispose of the negroes in
the United States. Bowie followed this
business until he made some 500, 900,
most of which he soon spent in riotous
living in New Orleans.
It was during these expeditions to
Galveston that his genius evolved the
hunting knife, with which his name will
always be associated. 1t was made for
him by blacksmith after design of
his own. 1t was made with a heavy
back, so that it could be used in chop
ping as well as thrustlng, thus fulfilling
the purpose of hatchet, for which he
used it in his woodsman life.
In the exciting political contests that
grew out of Jackson's advent as candi-
date Bowie took an active part. In
1926 he was residing at Ale andria, on
Re River, and during political CAM
paign he got into al alteration with
Norris Wright, Sheriff of Rapides Par
ish. Bowie was unarmcd, and Wright
drew pistol and shot him throug b the
b DIV, but even then, if Wright had not
been rescued by his friends Bowie would
have killed him with his fists. This at.
tack so enraged him that lie determined
thereafter never to 60 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 feud with sheriff
| Wright eliminated in terrible encounter
at Natchez. In September, 1927, two
very respectable citizens of louisiana,
DR.. Maddox and Samuel Wells, having
difference to settle, agreed to meet on
sand bar in the Mississippi River op-
Natchez with few friends. They m t,
exchanged shots, and became rcconciled.
When retiring from the ground Wells
invited Maddox and his second, Colonel
Crane, to the woods adjoining, where
some others of his friends, excluded
from the field, were, to take refresh
ments. Crane objected, on the ground
that there were certain men there he
could not meet. Wells then assentel to
20 where Maddox's friends, who had
also been excluded from the field, were.
When on the way the party were met by
the friends of Wells, who were James
Bowie, General Curry and another per-
son. Crane and General Curry were
mortal enemies, and Immediately drew
their pistols. Crane had pist j in each
hand, and shot Bowie first and then
Curry, the latter being instantly killed.
At this the friends of Maddox hurried to
the scene, and among them was the
Sheriff Wright who had the encounter
with rowie year before. Wright also
fired at Bowie, and he fell. A general
firing ensued and several others were
killed. Wright seeing Bowie lying ap.
parently dead, approached and bent over
him, when Rowie suddenly drew his
knife and stabbed Wright to the heart.
lie then arose, though severely wounded,
and stabbed another of the party with
his knife, and the battle then termi-
| mated