The Wichita daily eagle., 1891-10-22
FOUGHT FOR HIS BRIDE.
DAVIS PERILOUS WAY TO Mar.
RAGE WITH A HALF BREED.

citin. courtships on record in the India
Territory, and true account of it read:
like fiction.
Davis is an Ohio boy, who came hert
about two or three years ago, bringing
with him pretty good knowledge of tbs
carpenters trade and not much else, excep
an ability to pick banjo and dance jig
He was stalwart and willing, however
and had no difficulty in getting enough x
do TO earn living
The meeting of young Davis with Mia
Gilbreath was at an Indian stomp dance
a few miles south of mere. In the dance
when the circle around the little fire hac
been enlarged until it was six rods in diam
eter, Davis determined to join. He watch
ed the circle until a particularly pretty
half breed Cherokee girl he had noticed
came opposite him, and then stepped up tx
fall in behind her.
Davis did not know that an ardent ad
mirer of the girl was already right behind
her. The girl tried TO make room for him
but the other fellow, Tad Scott, graspeC
her arm and scowled at Davis. The cir
resented Scotts doings, and a moment
later Scott drew a knife and made lungt
at his rival. Davis lodged the blow ano
looked surprised. The girl thought he wa
afraid and curled her lip reproachfully
That settled Scott's fate.
Davis leaped upon him and, bearing hin
to the earth, grabbed him about the neck
and choked him till he was black in the
face
DAVIS KILLS HIS RIVAL.
The dance had been interrupted some
what by the fight, but it went on after 8
few minutes delay and Davis joined in
The choked man revived and got a si1
shooter The girl saw the pistol and
screamed, and Davis jumped to one side
Just in time Scott's bullet grazed his ear
The next cartridge fortunately missed fire
and before the next could be fired Davis
! had Scott down again. This time tn
| young carpenter caught the revolver,
wrenched it away and struck Scott on the
| head with it, fracturing his SKULL so that
! he died the next day.
After a short sojourn in prison Davis
was released, came back to his home here
and found himself extremely popular, save
! with the relatives of Scott. Davis quickly
! learned that if he stayed in the country he
would have to fight them. Fortunately
for Davis the relatives of the girl were nu
merous, she being a descendant of old
| Chief Sixkiller and of Oochelater as well
! and were all on Davis side.
Davis got a warning the first Sunday b,
! passed here after returning from prison
/ He had an appointment with Miss Gil
breath during the evening, and was told
that Hank Jennings, cousin of Scott
was going to waylay him at a certain
! place on the road to the Gilbreath farm
/ Davis said he would keep his eyes open.
and started to fill his appointment with
! Miss Gilbreath. Instead of following the
road be left it before reaching the place Of
ambush, and making a detOur came back
! into the road on the further side of Jen
nings.
HE HUNTS HIS ENEMY.
But it would never do for him to thus
/ turn away from danger He must fight
or lose caste in the country. So he walked
down the road until he found Jennings
who had Winchester rife and was watch
ing in the opposite direction for him.
| Davis had only pistol and was not good
| shot Sesides, so he determined to stalk tht
enemy.
With great care he approached until
within two rods of Jennings, and then
some noise Davis made attracted the
others attention. Davis plunged forward.
| Jennings jumped up and turned, and then
/ Davis fired. Jennings dropped his gun and
! held up his hands for moment and then
! tumbled to the ground with a bullet hole
/ through his shoulder For a moment
Davis thought he had better finish the jOt
by killing the rascal, but he had not been
in the territory long enough TO DO that.
Afterward he regretted his mercy.
Learning that Duck Murray, a hall
brother of the dead Scott, had publicly an.
nounced his intention of taking a hand in
the row by shooting Davis on sight. the
latter determined to prepare for war in a
scientific manner. So he went to ex-Deputy
Marshal Spaul, one of the best shots in she
Indian country, and asked TO be instructed
in the art OF handling revolver. This
made a great laugh throughout the coun
try, for no one here ever thought of taking
lessons in shooting. Murray went about
telling folks it was pity TO kill school
boy, and nothing but a sense of duty made
him think of doing it.
PEACE WITHOUT DEATH.
Luck favored Davis, however. for be
happened to meet his adversary unexpect
| edly one day as he rounded the corner al
/ the postofice He clinched with Murray
Neither could draw a weapon. It wa:
/ n
| then Davis got Murray's pistol and sprane
to his feet. The spectators leaned eagerly
! forward TO see the prostrate man get hi:
death wound, but once more Davis stopped
He could not kill helpless man just then
A moment later. though. be was ready
I to do so, for Jennings, with one hand in 9
sling and revolver in the other, arrived
and fired at Davis back Davis felt th'
bullet glance on his rib. and firing on,
shot into Murray he whirled about aDC
faced Jennings. Both men fired together
but Davis aim was the better, and Jen
nings fell.
Neither Murray nor Jennings was fatal
/ " wounded. although no one knew it al
! the time and the crowd began shouting tC
| Davis 10 finish his Job Davis method O
doing this was peculiar He grabbed Jen
{ nings By the collar, disarmed him and
dragged him to Murray's side Then h'
lifted both men to their knees and asked
them ii tEev were ready TO die. Both beg
ged for mercy At this juncture Davi,
turned to bystander, borrowed a Testa
ment and asked each if lie would swear u
be his friend in future Each .ook tht
oath. and both have ahided by it since.
To make sure Of his position Davis. or
the day after MS last fight. called on eact
OF Scotts remaining male relatives and
asked him whether he was for war or fo1
peace. /, was, perhaps, tue result OF th,
fight with Murray aud Jennings thai
caused each 20 say peace The war wa,
over. and Young Davis married his hal
breed Cherokee sweetheart without iartasl
trouble & T. Cor. sew Yorl
sun
Accn,.line 20 2 rs--n,an an.har.t-. I. ha,