Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-09-02
COLONEL JIM BOWIE.
SOME "REMINISCENCES OF THE KNIFE
INVENTOR.
His Rncsuntsr with Sheriff Wrignt--A
Duel in Dark Rsom-Adyentures
in Texas
tssn Francisco CALL

ISdu rIhncbco toALi
Half century ago one OF the most
prominent and best-known characters III
the Southwest was Colonel Jim Bowie,
the inventor OF the terrible blade which
bears his name. He was identified with
the bloody annals OF the Lone-Star
State and the Red-river country Mt a
time before the refining influences which
surround older and well-established COM
munities had overcome the wild lawless-
ness that there reigned almost supreme,
and his name is linked with those OF
David Crockett, Governor Sam. Hous-
ton, and others who assisted Texas IN
the days when she was struggling to be
freed from Mexican masters on the one
side and horde of lawless desperadoes
and criminals from all parts of the world
on the other. Few are the numbers OF
those now living who had any particl-
patton in those exciting events, and their
ranks, like those OF our pioneers. are
daily thinning out. -,
james Z. Parker, white haired old
resident OF this city and a pioneer OF
1851, is one of the number who, as he
expresses it, has not "crossed over the
range" and it was during the course OF
q conversation with him last week that
cal reporter gained the following ints-
resting facts regarding Colonel Bowie.
Mr.. Parker is seventy mine years OF age,
and he has had peculiarly adventurous
career, yet his frame is still vigorous and
his health excellent.
81 WAS born" said Mr.. Parker, when
pressed to speak of Bowie, Sin New Or
leans, and from tho time was o youth
the name of James Bowie was as familiar
TO me and every one in the South As that
of Blaine is to every one to-day, though
of course in different way. BY some
Bowie was looked upon as cold-biood-
ed, cruel man, who would not hesitate at
any crime. Others, and 1 am glad to say
they were in the majority, knew Bowie
as he really was-a genial, whole-souled
fellow, possessed of an ungovernaole
temper, which frequently led him into
fierce disputes and bloody encounters.
/ met him often when | was older. and
WAS numbered among hundreds OF
staunch friends which he had.
BOvIE'S CABIN.
"Bowie WIS a Kentuckinn by birth,
and, like all the sons of that State. was
tall and muscular. He had keen, flash
ing eyes and determined cast OF fea-
lures, which betokened his disposition.
When he irst came to Louisiana he To-
Gated himself in cabin near the Texas
border line aud INDUCED in hunting and
fishing. His many deeds of daring and
recklessness soon made his name famous
in the vicinity of his home. AS you
know, Texas then belonged to Mexico,
and L can tell you it WAS not para
disc to live in. 1t was overrun
with desperadoes aud adyenturers
of all kinds, and these wild fellows,
who were more TO be feared than
the Indians, infested the borders. 1t
was considered quite the right thing to
every year organize expeditions OF fill
clustering nature and invade the Terri
| tory. Bowie was attracted by the pro-
mise of adventure which those expedi-
tons afforded, and accompanied one led
| by O Tennessee man named James Long.
| 1t met with dire disaster. The party
was ambushed by the Mexicans, and
| Long and the greater part OF his men
were killed by the 'Greasers, as we
called the Mexcans. Bowie managed
to escape. and after many weary days
and nights of wandering reached home.
He was sickened of Texas fillibustering
expeditions for some time after this.
"He then engaged in rather repre-
hensible business together with his
brothers The Bowies entered into an
agreement with LATTE. the Gulf pirate,
whereby they struggled slaves into tho
country. The buccaneer had sheltered
places along the Gulf shore in the vi
cinity OF Galveston. These were only
known to himself and his followers.
He landed parties of negroes
freshly torn from their African
homes at these points, where they
were sold to Bowie and others en-
gagged in the business at the rate OF 81 q
pound. The Bowies took their human
chattles into the United States. They
then went directly TO the Federal authorl-
ties aud placed an information against
themselves, as it were, it being against
the law to bring slaves into the State.
OF course the slaves were seized, and the
BowieS were paid half Of their value for
informing.
THE KNIFE INVENTED.
"a marshaps sale was then held, and
the Bowies took good care to be on
hand and purchase the slaves at low
price. They in this way became the
legal owners of the negroes, who were
sold at greatly advanced figures. In this
kind of work Bowie accumulated for
| i,,na Of ca 600 or e90 000 II uaa alen