The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1894-02-08
WILD BILLS IRON NERVE.
Riding SinGIe-Handed Into Hostile Cam
and Capturing His Man.

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Riding Single Handed Into Hostile Camp
and Capturing His Man.
By o'clock in the morning fully
three hundred Indians had gathered
at the agency. Every one of them was
armed with rifle or revolver and many
of them had both. There was no drink
ing and but little talking. Scar Faced
Charlie had escaped from the guard
house at the fort the night previous
and sought their protection. They were
ready to fight a whole regiment sooner
than give him up. They expected the
soldiers to come, and they had planned
how the attack should be made. Scar
Faced Charlie, armed with Win
chester, revolver and hunting knife,
was the center of group at the -four
house. To reach him the soldiers would
have to ride across the agency grounds
between the lines of Indians. They
would have to pass five sheds and
houses behind which the Indians could
find shelter The excavation for new
storehouse would make a rifle pit for
fifty redskins. At o'clock the agent
telegraphed over to the fort:
Don't come. You couldn't take him
with five hundred men,"
At 10 o'clock single white man
came up the road with his mustang
going at an easy canter. While he was
yet rifle shot away the Indians fecog-
nized him as Wild Bill, and there was
an uneasy movement among them.
Every man was watching him as he
turned to the left and rode into the
agency, He might have dispatch for
the agent, or he might want to make
purchase. When he did not draw
rein at the store the uneasiness was
more marked. The Indians gathered
in groups and conversed in whispers.
AS the rider reached these groups he
uttered brief "howdy," but did not
check his pace. At that same canter,
and with his gaze fastened on the
group at the courthouse, the famous
scout rode down the avenue and made
no halt until he reached the group
He nodded to two or three Indians
whom he knew aud then said to Scar
Faced Charlie:
81 have come after you. 1t is not
far, and my horse will carry double. "
There was the man who had sworn
never to be taken alive. Around him
We're three hundred friends who had
promised to wipe out any force sent to
capture him. Instead of two hundred
or three hundred soldiers, here was
one lone man. Everyone looked at him
in blank amazement. He knew why
they had assembled, and yet he had
dared take the risks. He had knife and
revolver, but he did not dare put a
hand to either.
81 will not go!' replied the half
breed, but there was indecision in his
tones.
Il am sent for you. l SHALL take you
dead or alive. Give up your arms and
come along"
For thirty seconds every Indian
seemed to hold his breath, and all
stood as rigid as posts One we'll
aimed bullet would have settled the
scout, but not gun was raised to fire
it. Half dozen of those stalwart men
could rush him off the grounds to re-
turn at his peril, but not foot moved
A regiment would have been attacked
long ago. A company would have been
wiped out with a volley. A squad
would have been hacked to pieces with
tomahawks But one man, and that
man Wild Bill!
ScarFaced Charley looked to the right
and left and half raised his rifle. Then
he handed it to the man on his right,
followed it by the revolver, cast his
knife to the ground with a curse, and
stepped forward and mounted behind
the scout. The latter had entered the
agency with a smile on his face. 1t was
there as he rode up to the flourhouse;
there as he delivered his message; there
as he rode away with his prisoner be-
hind him. When they were out of
sight behind the ridge the Indians
broke up into small groups and re-
turned to their camps. They had been
awed and overcome by a single man,
but they feared that man more than a
regiment of soldiers.-Kansas City
Times.