The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-08-21
DARING KIT CASTLE.
He Didn't Always Take Prisoners,
buthe Brought Back Souvenirs.

81 think the bravest. man ever
knew" said the Colonel to an Atlanta
Constitution reporter, "was ore 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 Utah county, Wyo.
Kit had his own peculiar code OF NOR
ais, like a good many other Western
men Of that day. He borrowed money
in the most reckless fashion, but al
ways paid it back to the last cent. He
never broke 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 anything that
walked or crawled, and he was a dead
shct every time his big finger pressed
a trigger. He was over six feet in
height, q 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.
"Where are your men, Kit?" some
one asked, with 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,
unfastening two pairs Of spurs from
the saddle, came back and threw them
jingling on the bar counter.
"0ne OF them revolvers is mine"
said Kit, slowly. GAIL the rest is SOU
sooveneers, he pronounced
it. had 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 a more villainous set OF
scoundrels never collected than the
prisoners whom Castle always
had in the county Jail. The Jail was
Of stone and 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 ii
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 prisoners
started lor hlm with a rush, Kit had
time TO spring through the door and
close it, and the prisoners would have
been as secure in the ;ron-walled cor
ridor as in their cells. But the sight
OF the five men maddened him, and
he threw the door shut with loud
clang, locking himself in the room
with the others.
Drawing his revolver, he leaped at
he men flushed with anger. He was
too enraged to shoot them. He wanted
/ to punish them for daring to attack
him. His strength and energy were
tremendous, and he hurled the FIVE
men into one OF the iron corners.
Pushing them and knocking them
about, he beat them over the head and
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 to-
gether in his great jaw, he picked
them up one by one and pitched them
into the 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 born fighter, and, as a
soldier in battle, would have been
remorselessly fierce. But be had one
enemy stronger than he. Whisky
snapped his life when he was in his
prime.