Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-05-20
A Brave Officer.


ever knew" said the colonel, "was one
of the worst. His name was Kit
Castle, and for some years, SO long
ago that my hair grows grayer when
l think of it, he was sheriff of Uintah
county, Wyoming. Kit had his own
peculiar code of morals, like a good
many other western men of that day.
He borrowed money in the most reck-
less fashion, but he always 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. Everyone 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 dead
shot every time his big finger pressed
a trigger. He was over six feet in
hight, lion in strength, and tiger
when in rage.
"He started out alone on horse
back once when he was sheriff to cap
ture two horse thieves. He was gone
for week and people began to think
that Kit had got the worst of a
hard fight, when he rode into town
one evening and stalked up to a bar:
"'Where are your men, KitT 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 un.
fastening two pairs of spurs from the
saddle came back and threw them
jingling and ringing on the bar
counter.
"'One of them revolvers is mine,'
sad Kit, slowly. All the rest is
souvenirs'-'sooveneers, he pronounc-
ed it. i had 60 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 was never collected than
the prisoners whom Castle always had
in the county Jail. Thd Jail was of
stone and at 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 if his prisoners were all right
for the night. Ono of them had got
ten out Of his cell and had then re-
leased four other desperadoes. When
Kit opened the door into the Jail the
men started for him with a rush.
Kit had time to spring through the
door and close it, and his prisoners
would haye been as secure in the iron.
walled corridor as in their cells. But
the sight of the FIVE men maddened
him and he threw the door shut with
a loud clang, locking himself in the
room with the others.
Drawing his revolver he leaped at
the men, believing in his 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 and knocking them about,
he beat them over the head and
shoulders and and arms with the butt
Of his revolver until they screamed at
the top of their voices in their help
less agony. Then his teeth shut to-
gether in his great jaw, he picked
them up one by one and pitched them
into their cells, securely fastening the
bolts.
"Such daring and recklessness as
his could belong only to a 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 he haG one
enemy stronger than he. Whisky