Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1889-03-08
SOME COSTLY KNIVES.
Blades That Were Made for Bu,iness ID
the Early California Days.

Blades That Were Made for Bu'iness In
the Early California Days.
In 1853 NJ. Price, who then had
small cutlery shop, sat up nights and
made fine bowie knife, which he ex-
hlbited in the first Mechanics Fair
held in San Francisco. After the fair
Ward Eaton took the knife to the Bank
Exchange and rallled it for $780, Price
had taken great care in tempering the
blade, and had offered to forfeit 800 II
any better steel could be found. At
that time Billy Allison, OF Yolo, was
making knives, which were sought by
all men who wanted reliable weapons.
Surveyor-General Higley had an ALI
son knife, and he backed it against
Prices blade. The test was made In
the Bank Exchange and aroused as
much interest as n National election.
General Higley laid half dollar on
the counter and drove the Allison
blade through It without turning the
point or edge. Ward Eaton WELD
cd the Price blade with steady,
strong arm, and achieved the same
feat. General Higley then tried two
half dollars, and the point of his knifo
turned. Eaton piled up three of the
coins, drove the Price knife through
them, and when he raised the weapon
| the three half dollars were impaled on
the point, which was not turned.
That made Prices bowie knives as
famous on this coast as Toledo blades
were in Spain. and every man who
went heeled had TO have one. Marion
Moore, noted mining and sporting
man, whose nitro-glycerine blew up
Wells, Fargo & Co. s express Office on
the corner OF California and Montgom-
cry streets, ordered of Price the best
knife he could make. Moore gave
Price gold brick and piece of gold
quartz, that he had taken out of mine
with his own hands, and told him to
work the metal in. Price made an
eight-inch bowie, having gold handle
inlaid with quartz. Moore paid $l75
for the weapon, and handed back to
Price the gold that was left over
Moore's lawyer, McCabe, got gold
mounted knife for 800, and these two
expensive weapons played leading
part in bloody tragedy in White Pine,
New. Moore had mine there, and, las
was usual in those days, somebody
tried to Jump the claim. Moore and
McCabe were caught in the tunnel by
n band of fighters hired by the other
claimants, and cut their way out with
their bowie knives. Several men were
killed in the fight, and rs most of the
dead had only knife wounds. 1t is sup
posed that Moore and his lawyer did
some game and lively work.
A little gambler named Barney
Kenny used six and one-half inch
bowie of Prices make with deadly eff
feet about eighteen years ago. He
was playing poker with three other
sports in saloon in Portland, Ore.
Somebody was caught cheating,
and Barney grabbed the pot.
Instantly the three confederates
pulled their pistols and blazed away
at Barney, who drew his knife and
waded in desperately. After a brief,
but furious combat, in which fifteen
shots were fired. Barney walked. out
OF the room, leaving the others on the
floor. One was dead, second NOR
tally wounded, and the third cut so
badly that he had to be in II hospital
for months.
In 1901 Dstna .,,nlA ly,,i,.n, u.
Colonel Jack Gamble, who supplied
Mexican gold onzas for the handle
frames. The handles were inlaid with
alkaline shell and gold quartz, and the
Colonel paid $40O for tho two weapons.
Gamble gave one to his friend, Charles
Norris, who lost it some years later.
1t was n mere fancy of CANDLES to
have such weapon. as he was never
known to use it. Joe Winters, in 1864,
walked into- Prices place with two
friends, saw three $75-knives in the
case, bought them, and, turning
around, presented one TO each OF his
companions just us he would hand
about cigars.
OhR VI thp hiOh "ip bOhSib| ah "a
travagantly expensive knife from Price
came into the shop some time after
fight had occurred in mine and sew
eral men had been carved TO death,
and exchanged the weapon for some
other wares As he put the gold,
mounted bowie down. he said with a
shiver that he would never use knife |
Ggain. When the weapon was exam
ined, the blade was found rusted with
blood, and there was blood oven in the
crevices between the slabs OF the ham
die and tho frame There were no
guards on the hilts OF these knives, be-
cause the men who bought them car
ried them for sudden use, and u guard
is likely to catch in the clothing and
delay the draw.
The first big knives made by Price
were for party OF United States sur
veyors, who wanted them as substi-
tutes for axes in cutting trails through
the brush. The blades were twelve
inches long and very heavy, and in the
hands of strong man would cut per-
sons head of at one blow. San Fraa-
cisco Erdmtner.
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