The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1893-09-13
CAPT. JACK" CRAWFORD.



"Heraid" Man.
While in attendance at the national en-
campment of the Grand Army Of the Re-
public at indianapolis last week, a HERALD
representative met Capt Jack" Craw ord,
former resident Of Shenandoah, now famous
as the poet scout of the great wild west, and
one Of the best known and most popular
men Of the "boys in blue" At the second
session of the encampment Capt. Jack
made the speech of his life in nominating
his friend, Capt. Bigger, of Texas, for Junior
Vice Commander, and secured his unani-
nous election.
Captain Crawford's present home is at Fort
Craig, New Mexico. 4 He was the centre Of
an admiring group of old soldiers at one of
the leading indianapolis hotels one night last
week when HERALD representative met
him.
81 never killed an Indian in my life"
said Crawford in answer to a score of ques.
tions regarding frontier life which had been
fired at him simultaneously. zone thing l
dislike about these stories of frontier life is
the red fire that the dime novels give These
Observation-Disclosures stories are the most
demOralizing works that can be turned loose
on small boy | have received good offers
to lend my name to stories that other men
would write about dreadful doings of Indians
and bad men on the frontier but have
| always refused. For the last four years l was
special agent Of the Department Of Justice in
running down cases where men sold liquor
to Indians l took a special delight in work
ing on these cases, for believe nearly all of
the Indian troubles are caused by furnishing
the Indians whisky. No; l do not hold the
position now. I made political speeches and
sang political songs in New York last fall for
the Republicans and my friends say that
these songs and speeches went good way
towards elected Grover Cleveland.
yes" he continued, "the Indian wars
and troubles are a matter of the past There
will be no more trouble except where the
young bucks get dissatisfied and start out to
steal horses. Sometimes they will kill a
miner or some out-ofthe-way fellow and
then slip back to the reservation. "The
Kid bad Apache, is now at large in the
White mountains of New Mexico, with
several thousand dollars of rewards on his
head, dead or alive. He would give himself
up If he did not know that he would be
hanged as soon as he comes in"
Il was newspaper man after fashion
during the troubles in the Black Hills" he
continued after while. "At that time was
the courier for the New York Herald. After
the Custer massacre 1 rode $50 miles with
dispatches for that paper making the iauut
in three days and half, killing two horses
and beating five relays that were competing
with me. Bennett paid me $500 for that
trip, and allowed me 1922 for the horses that
were killed and for the incidental expenses.
l think that was one of the greatest rides
ever made in such service l was at the
Black hills at the time of the famous massacre
carrying minerals toward Chicago for party
of miners l was one of the first men in the |
Black hills country after it was opened up by |
the j government, Yes l have knocked !
about great deal, and l have missed great
many opportunities that came to Others l |
never went to school day in my life, and all |
that have picked up in the way of educa. |
ton has been since 1 left the army at the
close of the civil war"
Captain Crawford is also widely known as
a frontiersman who has never touched drop
of liquor, and this is somewhat remarkable,
when his surroundings in the last thirty
years are considered. He has been subjected
to numerous temptations, of course, and he
speaks Of them in this manner:
"Once / had a six-shOoter showed under
my nose, with the request that I take some
red liquor, but this was not half the 'tempta-
tion that came to me when l sat down at
banquet in Boston and young lady asked
me to drink a toast with her About that
six shooter episode? A fellow named Wild
Bill and myself were in a saloon at Cheyenne
when bulldozer came in and insisted that
we drink. was willing to take a lemonade
but the stranger wanted all hands to take
whisky. l demuued and Mr.. Stranger got
angry. He wanted to fight, but Wild Bill !
steps in and says he is doing the fighting for
ne, The stranger persisted and Wild Bill !
tent him spTawling under the table, Mr..
Stranger came up and told Wild Bill that he
lid not believe Wild Bill' could do it again.
Ny friend made another move and the ,
tranger pulled his revolver half way out of
lis business pocket. Wild Bill had a gun T
lnder the strangers nose in quick order and +
he stranger retired When my mother was I
lying she asked me never to drink, and that Z
S one Of her wishes that l have always OBJ =
erved. do not belong to any church or
emperance society, but the old religion l got I
t my mothers knee and her last request q
ave stayed with me all through life" +
Thousands walk the earth to day who
'ould be sleeping in its bosom but for the
mely use of Downs Elixir. I'm