The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-04-02
HE THROWS ROPES.
APACHE GEoRG IS" SKILL WITH
TIE LASSO.
Has Hair Like Samson-T1e Career of a
Texas Boy Who Loved Bronchos
Better Than Books Or Women.

From the San Francisco Call
"Apache George" the man who led But-
falo Bills cowboys in their memorable
fight with DR.. Caryer's cagalcads at Ham
burg, Germany, five years ago, is in San
Francisco.
He is the one who traiIed Frank and Jesse
James TO the moonshiners' camp in the
mountains Of Georgia. and was with the
outlaws when they fought aud whipped
Pinkerton's detectives; the man who is ac-
knowledged by the cowboys OF America to
be without peer in handling the rope and
whip.
He is here among US, and is daily showing
his skill to wondering hundreds on the
water front.
The day was when Apache George wore
diamonds. but bis love for the nomadic life
OF pl ainsBan broke him, and be works
now for a salary as ''the attraction" for a
patent medicine peddier.
George still sticks to his greasy buckskiu
jumper and chapparajos, and wears his hair
cowboy style, long and hanging over his
shoulders. Wonderful hair it is, too, for
with 1t he can lift clear from the ground
dead weight of 500 pounds.
A more romantic and checkered career
than that of George Bush, alias APACHE"
George. could hardly be imagined even by
a writer OF the improbable dime novels Of
the day. and still more wonderful is the fact
that most of the events of his life are too
well authenticated to admit of being
questioned
APACHE George" Bush was born in San
Antonio, Tex, in 1858, his father being
"Old Joe" Bush, government scout in the
employ of the United States and working
with the famous Texas Rangers.
San Antonio at that time and for MANY
years afterward was the last town between
civilization and Mexico. 1t had no rail-
roads, and it wa3 three days hard ride to
the next town to the eastward.
In 1868 George, then strong, sturdy boy of
Is, who was much more proficient with the
lariat and rifle than in parsng verbs and
nouns, and who could ride a wild broncho
much easier than he could do a sum in SIM
pie arithmetic, was sent to an old uncle
who lived on big ranch some distance
from San Antonio de Bex ar, to be educated
gaThe uncle was a college graduate, and
George was to be tutored and taught and
kept away from wild horses and herding
cattle.
The schooling lasted just one week to a
day, and then one night be quietly crept
out of the house, saddled the fieetest pony
in his uncles corral, and struck out across
the plains toward the Mexican line. Morn
ing found him good sixty miles from his
uncles ranch. with pony tired and spent
with the hard riding and long distance
covered.
George struck out as he thought In the
direction of home, but instead walked into
an encampment of Apache Indians and
there tried to steal pony, but was caught
and made captive.
For four years, or until he was 10 years
Of age. George remained With the Indians
marrying young squaw and living as
one of the tribe. He made numerous at
tempts to escape, but was closely watched
especially by his Auache wife,
whenever the tribe camped near
white people.
One night Apache Georges chance came.
He was sent with several Indians to a set
Element on the frontier to buy ammuniti IN
and whisky because he could talk English. He
saddlel an unbrJken brOnoho and let it run
away with him, and once out of guushot he
piled the Quirt and spurs and was soon
beyond reach.
he landed at the ranch of "Col Platt
a well-known Texas stockmRn, and with
him lived some time. 1t was while in his
employ that man came to him and wanted
him to go into the wild west show bussi-
ness. He went and v hon the show was in
Georgia the detectives applied to the mana
ger for trailer to hunt down Fralk AMI
jesse James, who had escaped into the
mountains of Georgia, and were hiding
among the moonshiners.
apache George" gladly undertook the
mission, having learned trailing while in
captivity with the Apaches. He followed
the James boys into moonshiners' camp
and was taken captive by the James boys,
and the detectives who were with him them
attacked the camp.
George says be has been in many a
tight hole, but never before or since has he
been in place where both his friends and
enemies were trying to xiii him. The
James hOVB P9CRnA1 in no
moOuSblueri camp
He then joined the Cody and Carver
wild west SD 1w better known az buffalo
Bills" show, and after touring the United
States went TO England with it. In Ger
many Buffalo Billn aud DR.. Carver quar-
relied and they divided the show. George
went with buffalo Bill"
The rival shows fought for patronage in
the various European towns until the
bitterness of the quarrel extended to the
cowboys themselves. and in Hamburg,
Germany. the two shows pitched their
tents directly opposite each other on the
same street. The cowboys knew there
was going to be war and they filed their
revolvers and cartridge belts with real,
sure enough powder and ball instead of the
blank cartridges used in the performance.
One afternoon Apache George stepped
from the tent into the street just as one of
Carver's cowboys came out of the tent
across the street. Compliments that
wouldn't look well III print were ex-
changed and "A second later the men were
shooting at each other.
Another second and every cowboy and
Indian belonging to both shows we're on
the street fighting like demons. The police
of the quiet German town were scared to
death, and in the midst OF the melee COM
pany of dragons belonging to the German
army charged down the street and stopped
the fight.
Apache George was thought to be fatally
wounded, having been shos in the groin,
and fourteen others were also badly hurt,
several fatally.
The melee broke up both shows, aud as
soon as the men were able to leave the
hospital they returned to the United
States. Apache George" at once struck
out for the plains, and ever since has
worked off and on in wild west shows and
on the prairies.
II walked into San Francisco. coming
clear across the Mojave desert on foot, and
l was busted when / got here" said
George. ''But SO long as [ can get 80 feet
OF rope I'll make a living" he added,
and then offered to show the re-
porter some of his feats Of skill.
Taking rope and putting a running
moose at one end, Apache George" aske1
the reporter to go down the street and
walk toward him. He first caught the re-
FOOrfar1s aFE xxyifh ha ha