The state herald., 1893-09-29
TWISTED IN THE. FLESH,
BLADES LIKED BY MEN WHO
FIGHT WITH KNIVES.
Tho Work Of Artfui Men Mt tho Forge
Types Of tho Edged Weapons Carried
by Those Who PIN Their Faitl. to tho
bowie InateAd OF lha Pistol.

| boWho Auht0hu OF Inc PISTOL,
Since the days OF tho Roman short
sword knife fighting has gone out OF
practice almost. until 1t was revived
by the hot-headed men Of the South
and the Southern frontier, such MS
Colonel Bowie, whose prowess with a
peculiarly modelled blade gave his
name to that sort OF a knife, says the
San Francisco Examiner. The knives
with which Colonel Bowie was won't
to refresh himself by removing ears
and other appendages of such Tex
ans rs seemed to him to have no par.
ticular need for them wore made By
William Allison, and tho success OF
Colonel Bowie in his encounters,
many of which tested the
strength and temper OF the Allison
blades, made that maker famous
among all who carried such weapons
1t is said that tho first knife prepared
Tor Colonel Bowie by Allison wis
hnrriedly forged from heavy fiat
iile, and that with 1t tho redoubtnble
colonel at one sweep dissolved the
continuity between the body OF a
Texan ranger and the head OF that
citizen. Whether that be true or
not, the latter knives. forged and
tempered and mounted by Allison.
were rs nearly perfect us could be.
They were expensive, none being
sold for less than $50, and for those
highly ornamented extraordinar,
sums were paid: sometimes as much
as $500. The popular impression
that d bowie knife was monstrou:
thing, eighteen inches or more in
length, is erroneous. The knive.
used by Bowie himself were neavy,
but rather short, tho blades being
five and one-half inches long, broad
straight backed, and able with b
single slash to leave cheating
gambler iingerlcss or an insuller OF
women minus half dozen ribs.
Captain |. w. Lees OF the San Fran.
cisco detective force has for many
years. nearly forty. cherished among
the memorabilia gathered in his
| "ANN % BtiAthtS - tiut DDNlc hlilt
made by Allison for Casey, tho poll
tician. who killed James King Of
William and was lynched by the Wig.
ilanoo committee OF San Francisco.
The knife was carried for long tim,
by Casey and shows considerable
wear about the fastening which con
fined it to the armhol6 Of his vest.
Casey was notably ready with
weapons. and tho knife served pur
pose In more than one saloon Draw
and political scrimmagc, until at last
Casey introduced it with violence be
tween the ribs OF Robert Cushing, j.,
political opponent of the early SOS
Although Casey turned the blade In
the wound, and In so doing cut
clcanly through n rib harder thar
the cervical vertebrH mentioned b,
ko-ko. the cdgo Of the knife was mo-
turned. Captain Lees insists thu
with tho Casey knife he can cho,
silver dollars into halves without In
iuring the edge SO fine Is the tempei
and so perfectly proportional til,
blade.
Allison died long ago. Knife fight
ers are few, but among those loft tn,
knives OF the old man, together Will
those OF Michael Price. the pioneer
cutler of this city. who followed All
son n few years ago. and Fred Wat
son OF Colusa, almost equally famous
with the great cutters mentioned
will always DO valued. Watson Il
still forging all kinds Of knives. and
to show his skill. is fond Of maltinf
such singular forms us tho Mala,
kriss. n wavy blade. sharp and keen
which for ease Of entrance us n stab
bling implement has no equal. On,
OF the scrpentinc knives sent out b,
Watson can be plunged TO the hilt II
flesh. unless the point engages on
bone OF large size, and when that oc
ours tho silver steel holds It's edg,
without turning or breaking.
The Price knives. of which score
were made. had character peculiar
In several respects, They wero. as
rule, double edged, and the maker
who was himself very skilliul In tn,
use Of the knife. added llttlo lnyen
'ions which materially improved tn.
output OF his forge. A iavoriic pat
tern was one In which the guard
very often made solid. was mudo II
rings, one on either side Of the blade
In the position usually occupied b,
tho guard. In a personal encounter
tho fingers would be hooked In on.
OF the rings. tho handle firmly grin,
ped by tho other fingers and oppo.
ing thumb, and the knife held agnlns
all efforts TO 'oa- II from the grasp
Price usually put ivory handles OF
his knives Allison finished his Will
horn handles, heavily bound viii
silver and studded with silver nails
Watson turns out handles much NOR,
elaborate than either Of tho other,
The most delicate Mosaic work 1,
horn and mother Of pearl. surround
cd by heavy mounts OF silver. Il mos,
affected by him. All Of the maker,
mentioned have plenty Of admirers
but there socms 10 be little dlfforenc,
In tho quality Of their productions
each Of thom being skilled worn,
man and proud OF his art
Marriage IN England.
Getting married IN England. u