Richland beacon., 1888-08-11
SAM HOUSTON'S SECRET.
Wht the Famous Old Man Left
Tennessee sn6 went to Texas.

The blank in the history of the famous
Sam Houston has at last been filled up.
It will be remembered that after living
for some time among the Cherokee In
dians and fighting In the war OF 1872, he
settled In Tennessee began to practice
law; was twice elected to Congress; and
in 1927 was elected Governor Of Ten
nessee, and in January, 1929; he was
married to the belle of Tennessee, and
in less than two months after his mar
rage he suddenly resigned the Cover.
norsbip, deserted his wife and home and
disappeared
This created din intense sensation
throughout the country, rs Houston Sas
regarded as the most promising man iii
the South. The cause of HOuston's re-
signation of the Governorship, his de-
sertion of his bride, and his abandon
ment of the path of civilization has
always been a mystery. He never re-
vealed it himself to his civilized friends.
A reporter sent to Tahlequah, Indian
Territory, to write up the Indian trou.
bles, obtained from undoubted authority
facts that clear up this mystery.
When Houston resigned the Governor
ship he rode straight from tennessee
capital to the Arkansas River. He fell
in with band of Usage Indians near
the present site of Fort Gibson; told
them he desired to live with the tribe,
and he was welcomed. He donned a
breech- clout and blanket. shaved his
head to the crown and daubed his face
with paint. He cut himself off entirely
from civilization and lived with the
Indians.
For d time he was leader and mar
ried an Indian girl; but afterward he
became drunkard: While Under tho
influence of whisky he told the story OF
his flight from Tennessee to John Jorley,
an Indian companion. Jorley told it to
Wolff Star, and from the latter the cor
respondent got it.
Houston's wife married him to please
her parents. She had been previously
engaged to young man in Nashville,
but, under parental influence, broke of
the engagement and accepted HOustUh's
offer OF marriage, and. in view OF his
prospects, it was thought she had made
q brilliant match. He loved the young
woman, and was made to believe that
she returned his affection. Houston
had no knowledge of the previous en-
gagement, and his wife managed to
maintain outward cheerfulness for some
time. He returned home one night
about IL o'clock, and his wife was in bed
and she was weeping. The husband was
solicitous and the wife fretful. He asked
what caused her tears, and she gave no
satisfactory answer. He impOrtuned
her, and at last she told him.
She said she was q bad, wicked wo-
man; that she did not love her husband,
but loved another man; that she never
could love her husband nor forget the
other man, and that her life was misera.
BILE. She confessed that for some time
before she had been engaged to marry
Houston she had maintained illicit rela-
tions with the other man. Houston
never said word, but Immediately
went to his Office, wrote his resignation
ms Governor, saddled horse and rode
into the wilderness. This is the mystery
of Houstons life rs revealed by himself.
Houston Kept little store among the
Indians, and always had barrel of
whisky on tap. He drank all the time.
In this way he lived for couple of years.
He finally went to Texas, where his
brilliant career as soldier in the Texas
war, as President of the Texas republic
and Senator from the State of Texas is
we'll known.-!St. Louis Republican.