The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1890-09-04
Daring Kit Castla.

Il think that the braveSt man l
ever knew" said the colonel to the
Atlanta Constitution, twas one of
the worst. His name was Kit Castle,
and for some years-so long ago
that my hair grows grayer when l
think of it-he was sheriff of Utah
county, Wyoming. Kit had his own
peculiar code of morals, like good
many other western men Of that day.
He borrowed money in the most
reckless fashion, but he always paid
it back to the last cent. He never
broke a promise, but he would cheat
at cards at every opportunity. He
couldn't help it. Every one knew
that he cheated, but no man was
ever bold enough to say SO in his
face; for Castle was not afraid of any
thing that walked or crawled, and he
was a dead shot every time his big
finger pressed a trigger. He was
over six feet in height, a lion in
strength, and tiger when in a rage.
''He started out alone on horse
back once when he was sheriff to cap
ture two horse thieves. He was gone
for week, and people began to think
that Kit had got the worst of a hard
fight, when he rode into town one
evening and stalked up to a bar
"'Where are your men, Kit?' some
one asked, with a laugh, thinking
they had slipped him.,
"The sheriff pulled from his belt
three revolvers, and laid them down.
Then he went out to his horse, and,
christening two pairs of spurs from
the saddle, came back, and threw
them, jinGling, on the bar counter.
"'One of them reviewers is mlne,'
said Kit, slowly. All the rest is
souvenirs'-'sooveneers,' he pro-
nounced it. 4 had sixty miles to
ride back, and l hadn't the time to
lead two horses, with the corpses of
two horsethieves tied on their backs
That was all he ever said about the
fight.
''Perhaps more villainous set of
scOundrels Was never collected than
the prisoners whom Castle always
had in the county jail. The Jail was
Of stone, and was in the rear of the
court house. Inside the place was
lined with sheet-iron, and along the
end ran the heavily barred cells.
One evening the sheriff went into the
Jail to see if his prisoners were all
right for the night. One ofIhem had
got out of his cell, and had then re-
leased four other desperadoes. When
Kit opened the door into the Jail the
men started for him with rush.
Kit had time to spring through the
door and close it. and his prisoners
would have been as secure in the iron
walled corridor as in their cells. But
the sight of the five men maddened
him, and he threw the door shut
with a loud clang, locking himself in
the room with the others.
Drawing his revolver, he leaped
at the men, flushed with anger. He
WAS too enraged to shoot them. He
wanted to punish them for daring to
attack him. His strength and ener-
gy were tremendous, and he hurled
the five men into one Of the iron
corners. Pushing them and kno OK
ing them about, he beat them over
tile head, shoulders, and arms with
the butt Of his revolver until they
screamed at the top of their voices
in their helpless agony. Then, his
teeth shut close together in his great
jaw, he picked them up one by one
and pitched them into their cells,
fastening the bolts.
"Such daring and recklessness as
his could belong only to man who
did not know the name of physical
fear. He was a born fighter, and as
n soldier in a battle would have been
remorselessly fierce. But he had one
enemy, stronger than he. Whisky
snapped his life when he was in his
prime"