The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1890-09-20

/ Daniel Boones death and Tennessee has
with imposing ceremonies Just laid the cor
] ner stone of a monument to Davy Crockett
! Daniel Boone was born in Pennsylvania
/ Feb. II, 1875, and died at Charette, Mo,
/ Sept. %, 1890; but David Crockett was born
in the very heart of the wilderness where
his great exploits were to be performed,
and save for a short experience as a con-
gresham his whole life was spent upon
the frontier, and chiefly amid scenes so ex-
citing that the coolest narration thereof
thrills the blood.
Boone lived to the age Of s. and died in
peace and honor, while Crockett fell by a
murderous hand in what was to him the
prime of life. Boone is perhaps the more
celebrated, but the life of Crockett was far
more romantic, and affords the more ma
terial for anecdote, as he was orator, politi-
clan and humorist, as well as hunter and
fighter; while Boone was man of action
only, saying little and writing nothing.
Yet his fame has filled the world. Every
western boy has listened TO scores Of anec-
dotes about him; how he lived so long in
the wilderness alone with gun and dogs
that he understood every gesture and tone
of his dumb companions; how he walked
ward, to mislead the Indians on his
trail; how he cut the lower end of a grape
vine loose and swung over long space
to "break his trail, and how he learned
to use every art of woodcraft better than
the Indians, and so "beat them at their own
game" Lastly his exploits were celebrated
in Europe, on the stage and in popular ro-
nance, and the poet Byron praised the pio-
neer hero in those peculiar stanzas begin
ming:
OF all men saving Syla, the man slayer,
Who passes for in life and death most lucky,
OF the great names which in our faces stare
The genial Boone, backwoodsman of Kentucky,
Was happiest among mortals anywhere;
For killing nothing but bear or buck he
Enjoyed the lonely, vigorous harmless days
OF his old age In wilds OF deepest maze.
The present case in point
Cite is that Boone lived hunting up to ninety.
Not quite correct as to fact, for Boone
dropped few Indians as well as "bear and
buck" In 1863. with five com anions, he
sought the unexplored wilds Of Ken
lucky and within a few months he and a
companion named Stewart were captured
by the Indians They escaped, but were
soon captured again and Stewart was
killed. Boone again escaped and, refusing
to leave the wilderness with the others,
lived alone for months in little cabin.
Again and again the Indians reconnoitered
the place, but they dreaded the sure rife
of the wary Boone who had trained his
dogs to be the best of sentinels
He brought his family to the wilder
ness and, with other settlers, fought off
the savages till 177s when he was again
captured. Such was the superstitious rev.
erence of the Indians for this marvelously
skillful pioneer that they took him all the
way to Detroit to refer his case to the Brit
ish commander. Discovering that move
against Boonesborough was on foot he es-
capped from the fort and made that wonder
full journey, which would be incredible il
not clearly proved. In five days be trav-
erSed the entire distancel Boonesborough
was at once strengthened, and the attack
was repulsed. The Indians soon gave way
on all sides, and kentucky was rapidly
peopled. Then came cruel blow. The
supreme court decided against Occupation
titles" Boone's land proved to be in a
strip bought by spectators, and he lost
every foot Of it.
In 1895 he took up his gun and started
again for the wilderness, locating in the
then Spanish territory OF Missouri. The
Spaniards made him commandant Of the
Femme Usage district, and gave him a
large tract of land. The region became
part Of the United States, and once more
the old hero lost every acre by conflict Of
the laws. In 1872, however, congress Be-