Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1890-01-15
A DESPERATE STRUGGLE.
SAVED BY A BRAVE OUTLAW FROM
AN INFURiATED BULL.

man of this vicinity, reports singular AND
well nigh fatal adventure which befell him in
the valley of the Franklin mountains lying
north of this place. Your correspondent.
calling on him learned the following particI.
lars which he gives In Mr.. DaviSon's OWL
words:
| had ridden out to a ranch owned by a
man named Blake, about twenty miles from
my place, for the purpose of looking at lot
of imported sheep he had for sale, and was
| returning when | met a Mexican with bro
| ken arm hobbling along the road, who told
me that bul bad charged him the day be-
fore and flung him into water hole, break
ing his arm and bruising him severely all
| over. The bull was wild one from the
mountains, and dangerously savage from
| some cause.
| DANGEROUS SITUATION.
| The Mexican warned me that he was
| doubtless still in the nelghborhood, and that
| it would stand me in hand to keep a ookout
! for him. | bad ridden mile or two when
| dismounted to drink of a little running
! stream | had reached, and to eat my lunch.
Ny horse left standing without taking the
| precautlon of tying him, though without I'M
saddling him. He was young mustang, as
nervous as a woman, and, without any ap-
parent cause that | could discover. threw up
| his head all of a sudden and broke down the
valley in mad gallop, carrying, Of course,
my saddle, with my belt containing my pis-
| tolls, which l had rather foolishly removed
! from my waist an hour or two before, and
| hung from the horn of my saddle.
There was nothing for it but to follow the
horse on foot, so off | put in as bad humor as
| you can imagine, for | was already fatigued
by my long ride, and a tramp of perhaps
| miles was anything but inviting. | trudg ed
on for an hour or two, until my feet were
cut and bllstered by the sharp rocks, and
| had sat down to rest near clump of cot
tonwood trees, one of great size, and the rest
OF them mere saplings At that moment |
heard a loud roar and crash in a bush be-
hind me, and out rushed at a terrific pace
large bull, charging straight at me. | had
only just time to throw myself to one side
fiat on the ground as he numbered by me.
My next move was to make for the clump of
cottonwoOds, which | succeeded in reaching
just Us the bull turned again. My hat had
fallen TO the earth as l ran, and this the
animal now attacked with a ferocity and
mRddened rage that showed how little mercy
would be shown the man when his turn came.
Having torn the hat 10 pieces with horns
and hoofs, and having smelled me out, he
commenced circuit round the trees stamp
ing, paving and believing frlghtfully. With
his bloodshot eyes and long, sharp horns, he
looked like a demon / was quite unarmed,
having, by some unlucby chance. neglected to
put in my knife in leaving home, and my
pistols, as said before, being in my saddle,
and was wearied unto death. The situation
was desperate one and my only chance con-
sisted in lodging the bull round the trees UNI
til he should be tired out, and this was. in
deed, a faint hope, for the animal seemed
fresh and warranted to outlast the strength
of ten men. The bull charged again and
again, sometimes coming against the tree
with such force that he fell on his knees.
sometimes bending the saplings behind which
] stood until his horns almost reached me-
There was not branch of the one large tree
low enough for me to seize and climb up and
had no time in which to scale it between the
bulls charges.
How long this awful game of 'touch
wood" lasted l cannot tell, for after the first
excitement Of self preservation passed off
WEAKNESS again took possession of me, and is
required all the instinct and love of life in me
to keep me on my feet Several times the bull
left ME for few seconds, pacing suddenly
away, believing his malignant discomfort of
my refusal to come forth and be trampled
and gored to death, but before could cross
over to a better position he always came
back at full speed Ny tongue began to
cleave to the roof of my mouth, my ewes
grew hot and misty, my knees trembled I'M
der me- while ringing in my ears warned
me that nature was exhausted. and / felt it
impossible to hold ont NATL dark
THE RESCUE.
At length grew desperate, and determined
to make run for the opposite covert the
moment the bull turned from me again |
felt sure | was doomed, and thought of it
until | actually began TO welcome the idea of
its ending in any way. The bull seemed to
know l was worn out and grew more rapid
and fierce in his charges, but just when was
going TO sit down under the great tree and
let him do his worst, heard the rattle of a
horse among the rocks above. and a shout
that sounded like the voice of an angel Then
came the barking of dog and the loud re-
ports of stock whip but the bull, with his
devilish eyes fixed on ne, never moved. Up
came horseman at full speed, and crack fell
the lash on TIE bulls black hide, while the
blood spurted out III long streak The ami
man, believing with astonished rage and
pain, but the horse wheeled round lust
enough to battle hin-no more-and again
the lash descended, cutting like long fiexi-
bic razor; but the infuriated bull wa. not to
be beaten OF with whip-he charged again
and again. But he had met his match, for
right aud left, as needed the wiry Spanish
mare turned, sometimes on her hind, some
leo pa
magnificent exhibition of equestrianism l
ever saw, and l actually forgot my fatigue
anu exhaustion while l watched it.
My rescuer now shouted something leaped |
from his horse and strobe forward 10 meet
the bull with an open knife between his teeth |
AS the beast lowered his head to charge, he |
seemed to catch him by the horns There |
was struggle, a cloud of dust, stamping
like two strong mcn wrestling | could not |
see clearly, but the next moment the bull |
was on his back, with the bleed yelling from |
his throat and the limbs quivering in death !
The stranger, covered with dust and blood. !
came up to nee then. saying apparently as i
unconscious of triumph as If he had been |
killing calf in a slaughter house: "Ee's |
dead enough now, sir; he won't trouble any
body any more.H | walked two or three
paces towards the dead beast. when nv
senses failed me and | tainted When I /
came To myself my horse was standing near
me, tied 70 n bush, and my strange rescuer
had withdrawn few feet and was watching
me lntenuy. went up to him, ami thank
Ing him for tue service rendered me inquired
the name of him To whom | owed nv life.
The man laughed little and then replied:
"Wel, l don't mind telling you, under the
circumstances, | am -" No, III leave
his name u1told--he was an outlaw and
fugitive from justice. he certainly saved