Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1890-09-19

A SHERlFF'S COURAGE.
Locking Himself Up With Five Prisoners
to Subdue Them.

Locking Himself Up With Five Prisoners
to Subdue Them.
81 think that the bravest man ] ever
knew" said the Colonel, twas one of
the worst. His name was Kit Castle,
and for some years, so long ago that my
hair grows grayer when think of it,
he was sheriff of Uintah County, Wy.
oming. Kit had his own peculiar code
Of morals like good many other West
ern men of that day. He borrowed
money in the most reckless fashion, but
lie always paid it back to the last cent. He
never broke q promise. But he would
cheat at cards at every opportunity. He
couldn't helpit 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, lion in
strength and tiger when in rage.
"He started out alone on horseback
once when he was sheriff to capture two
horse thieves He was gone for a week,
and people began TO think that Kit had
got the worst Of hard fight, when he
rode into town one evening and stalked
up to bar.
"'Wbefe are your men, Kit" some one
asked with laugh, thinking they had
slipped him.
The sheriff pulled from his belt
three revolvors and laid them down.
Then he went ont to his horse and un-
fastening two pairs of spurs from the
saddle came back and threw them jing-
ling and ringing on the bar counter.
lone Of them revolvers is mine, said
Kit, slowly. All the rest is souvenirs
'sooveneers,' he pronounced it. Ihad
sixty miles to ride back, and ! hadn't
the time to lead two horses with the
corpses of two horse thieves tied on
their backs, That was all he ever said
about the fight.
perhaps n more villalnous set OF
scoundrels was never collected than the
prisoners whom Castle always had in
the county jail. The Jail was of stone
and was at the rear of the courthouse.
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 OF
| them had gotten out of his cell and had
then released 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
locking himself in the room with the
others
Drawing his revolver he leaped al
the men, believing in his anger. He
was too enraged to shoot them. He
wanted to punish them for daring to at
tack him. His strength and energy
we're tremendous, and he hurled the five
men into one of the iron corners. Push
ing them and knocking them about, h,
beat them over the head and shoulder,
and arms with the butt of his revolve
antil they screamed at the top Of thei
voices in their helpless agony. Then
his teeth shut close together in his grea
Jaw, he picked them up one by one anC
pitched them into their cells, securel!
fastening the bolts.
"Such daring and recklessness as hi
could belong only to a man who did no
know the name OF physical fear. III
was a born fighter, and as a soldier in
battle would have been rcmorselessl,
herce. But be had one enemy stronge
than he. Whisky snapped his life wher
be was in his prime. IN, Y. Tribune.