Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-11-23
SAVED BY HIS HORSE.
Colonel Broadwater's Twenty-Mile
Race With Two Murderers.
THE ANIMAL DROPS AT TIE END.
Thirty Pounds of Gold Dust and Human
>. Life Made Up the Stakes.
TALE OF PIONEER DAYS IN MONTANA

incident when l was in Montana last sum-
mer. Colonel Broadwater is one OF the
leading men of the new mountain State,
having been one of the earliest settlers of
the Territory. He was fortunate in his gold
discoveries and is wealthy. He is short and
stout, but gives evidence in his muscular
frame of having in his younger days been
extremely athletic.
At the time this incident occurred, which
was early in the sixties, Bannack City, the
principal place in the Territory, had been
overrun with gang of desperadoes, and
vigilance committee had been formed,
which hanged some of tnem and banished
others. Two of these banished men were
named Moore and Reeves. Colonel Broad
water, with a Young man named Pemberton,
had some time before this gone into Deer
Lodge Valley, where a mining camp ex-
listed, had selected the present site of Deer
Lodge as an eligible town site and began
laying it out in lots.
KINDNESS TO OUTLAWS.
They were thus engaged when Moore and
Reeves arrived there under banishment.
The outlaws were absolutely without food or
shelter and Moore fell sick. Colonel Broad
water took care of them, fed them and
doubtless saved Moore's life. il not Reeves
besides. Just year later Broadwater was
heavily engaged in the cattle business. He
bought beef in Deer Lodge and sold 1t in
Bannack City at a good profit. The pro-
ceeds of his sales often amounted to thou
sands of dollars in gold dust, which was the
currency OF the mining camps. On one oc-
casiOn he was preparing to return to Deer
Lodge after a profitable sale, with about
in prb
denly turned up, renewed acquaintance and
asked for few moments private converse
ton.
1t transpired long afterward that there
was large and well-organizsd band of road
agents and thieves at Bannack, o.: which
one Plummer, the Sheriff, was the head.
Moore was a member OF this gang, and he
tod Broadwater that the word had been
passed to wsylay him on his homeward
journey and murder him for his dust.
Moore, of course did not disclose his own
connection with the band, but advised
Broadwater to leave the city secretly and on
no account tell anyone, not even his most
intimate friend, what hour he would leave.
TOOK EVERY PRECAUTIoN.
From remarks dropped by Moore Broad
water became satisfied that the information
was correct, and he started for Deer Lodge
in the evening and rode until nearly 3 o'clock
in the morning, crossing the Big Horn be-
fore he stopped tor rest. Then he lay down
with the lariat fastening at his horses bride
firmly tied to his wrist, so that the animal
might not be stolen by Indians. 1t was
daybreak when the horse wakened him by a
snort, and he surprised an Indian creeping
on him. A shot from his revolver sent the
redskin skurrYing away to the mountains,
dangerously wounded as he afterwards
learned, and he resumed his journey.
Having ridden for an hour, Broadwater
suddenly came upon q camp fire, before
which two men were seated whom he knew
to be among the most desperate ruffians OF
the region. They were greatly surprised to
see him, and he felt certain they had come
out from Bannoek City to lie in wait for
him, and were the persons against whom
Moore had warned him. They were George
Ives and Johnny Cooper, both oil whom were
executed Ov vigilantes some months after
ward. Their horses were grazing on the foot
hills two or three miles away and Broad
water saw his advantage in that fact. Il
showed that they had not expected him so
soon.
CONTwAY'S TWENTY MILES AWAY.
They hailed him as he passed and urged
him to wait for their company. as thev were
going his way, road agents were out and it
would be safer to travel in company He
told them his horse was jaded and he would
ride slowly on, as they could easily over
take him. By way of allaying their sus-
picions he got off his animal and led it up
steep incline, shouting back as he did so
that his horse was tagged out and they could
catch up in short time. The walk up hill
favored the horse and possibly saved his
life. He was 20 miles from the second cross
ing OF the Deer Lodge river, where a
I irfr r;,L-
his Indian wife, and which point he knew
was his nearest place of safety.
The moment he was out OF sight of the
scoundrels whom he could see making ac-
tive preparations to ollow him, he mounted
again and began what he knew was race
for life. The Colonel tells now with quiet
relish how he spurred over the broad open
valley. where there was nothing but prairie
vegetation, hoping to cover as much ground
as possible while out of sight of the ruffians
and before they could take alarm, but it can
be imagined that ne was in no emviable
frame Of mind during his hard ride. His
horse obeyed spur and whip reluctantly and
might give out at any time. He had coY-
cred ten miles, when, looking back, he could
see the two men in a cloud OF dust about
three miles back, in full pursuit and gain
ing on him.
DIAMOND CUT DIAMOND.
There was one chance to escape, to goad
his horse to greater exertions. his 80 pounds
of gold dust strapped to his person being q
terrible handicap against the fresh animals
OF his pursuers. As Contway's ranch came
in sight the hurried tramp of the hoofs or the
rufians' horses rang in his ears. He put
the spurs in again and again and dashed up
to Contway's door, while Ives and Cooper
reined up so rods away. B=oadwater's
hnrSe drOnnpd frOm pxhauStion hoino M
terly ruined, but had saved his masters
life.
When Ives and Cooper came up Ives
coolly pretended that Broadwater had raced
to beat them, and Broadwater fell in with
the deceit, saying that he mad waited for
some time but as they did not catch up to
him he had ridden somewhat harder to make
up the lost time. This was by no means the
end OF the adventure. All three men
shared Contway's hospitality that night, the
ruffians not daring to make any hostile dem
onstrations on an equal footing. Broad
water knew that Contway had some fee
horses, and persuaded the Frenchman
saddle and bring up one of his feetest
pretense OF going to hunt for cattle He hs
made quiet arrangement with the Frencl
man to buy the animal.
SAVED BY A SECRET BARGAIN.
When the magnificent and elean-limb
horse stood in front of the door, Ives
Cooper, whose animals were tethered on
prairie at some distance, came out
Broadwater The latter entered into
versation OF bantering character W
Conway, pretending to want to buy
horse, and mounted, as if to try the amin
81 will keep him and pay you when co
this way again, Conway" he said, "and
might as well be going now. After so