Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1894-12-17
A DESPERATE FIGHT.
A HAND TO HAND BATTLE WITH A
NAKED GIANT INDIAN.

Ono Of the noted characters of pioneer
days was Joe Logstun, n gigantic Ken
tuckian who settled ON the banks of the
Ohio river not many miles below Cincin-
natl. He was powerful fellow, q feet
inches in his moCcasins and proportion
ately stout and muscular, with the agilt-
ty of a cat and the courage OF u lion. He
excellcd in many of the fcats OF strength
and skill that made mon conspicuous in
those days, when such accomplishments
were requisite and necessity in the fierce
struggle for supremacy over savage man
and snarling beast. Logston was n great
hunter, hut had achieved some distinction
as an Indian fighter and often boasted
that IL gave him moro pleasure TO pursue
the red men than it did to follow the trail
of wild game.
On one occatiOn the intrepid hunter was
carClcssly riding along an established trail
through the dense woods on the back of a
fine horse that he had captured from an
Indian chief when the unexpected crack
of n couple of rifles reused him to a roali-
cation of danger. One of the bullets scrap
ed his breast bone, making slight flesh
wound. The other ball struck his horse
in the lOins, and it SINK to the ground
with it's rider. AS he struggled to release
himself from the floundCrinG beast two
Indians rushed from their conccalmCnt
and dashed toward him with upliftcd
tomahawkS and cxultant shouts. But, al
though pinionCd tn the ground, with one
leg beneath the dying horse, he managed
to bring his trusIy rifle to bear upon the
approaching savaEcs. and they, well
knowing its uncrrinG aim, halted and
then sought safety behind adjacent trees.
Onc OF the Indians however, was not
quick enough to place himself entirely be-
hind the protecting tree before the bullet
of the expert white man had pierced his
back, and he fell, with n fractured spine.
DiScncaging himself from his horse, the
wary white man rCgainCd his feet, and
seeing the other savage rcloading his rifle
spranS toward him, with his gun raised
to strike. The Indian dropped his ramrCd
in his excitement, but grasping his toma-
hawk he hurled it with fcrOcious force Mt
his enemy. logstOn lodged the flying
weapon, and daShing forward with uplift-
cd rifle struck at his foe. The Indian
leapcd aside, and the gun struck n sapling
and was shvCrcd to pieces. The disap-
pointed white man then clinChcd with his
adversary. who was his equal in size and
strength. but his inferior in the science of
wrestling. and this enabled the hunter to
throw his antagonist to the ground. But
the Indian, being naked, with his body
well oiled, was able tn slip from the
clutches 81 the CIaSpCratCd white man and
regain his feet. For nearly an hour these
two giants, each GOliah. fought like
gladiaturs in the desperate struggle to
conquer or die.
The terrific contest caused an increased
flow Of rlOOd from the wound in the breast
Of the white man made 10y the bullet Of
the Indian. and he began to feel that his
strength was giving out. But he deter
mined Ia end the combat II possible before
his antagonist could secure n greater ad-
vantage over him, and when the Indian
had again .Crawl,1l from his grasp after
being flung To tho ground lie jumped to
his feet. nnd IS his assailant rose up he
dealt him u Low with his fist that would
have done credit 10 n COrbCtt. The sur
prisCtl sava-" fell, and as he staegerCC! to
his feet he received second blow from
the strong arm Of the pugilistic pioneer
that StrrtCLCd him half unconscious on
the ground. Before he could rise Logston
lCapOd uTun his PROSTATE form with both
feet and attempted to stamp the breath
from his body. The Indian caught him
by the les ana tTippCd Lin to- the ground.
and again the Comlltants engaged in "a
terrible tUsSic for victory The RID man
was almost exhausted from the blows and
stamping he had l'rcn subjected tn. and
his adversary succccdc,l in soizing him by
the throat with clutch that closed his
brCathiuG and rendered his resistance
weaker and weaker until he lapscd into
unCOnSCiousnCSs.
As soon as the Indian became insCnsi-
bic 1.0G>tun released his hold upon his
threat, and running to where tho toma-
haw% lay hc picked 1t up, and returning
TO the side Of tho savage, who had partly
rCgainCd his senses, hr Glove his skull
with the weapon, then turned his attCr.-
tion to tho crippled warrior, whose CRY of
despair as he witnessed the death of his
companion had reached the car of the vic
toriOuS hunter and RECALLED his presence.
The unfortunate savage had Crawlcd to
n log, against which he had rested and
reloaded his gun, but his broken back
would not permit him tn rise, and rs he
would raise his weapon to shoot he would
tOpplc forward on his face and could only
raise himself again by pushing the gun to
the ground and pressing himself against
it. Seeing that the wounded savage was
almost helpless and unable To escape and
not caring to run any risk of being shot
by n cripple, the wcariCd hunter hastcnod
back to the fort and told his story Gov
cred with blood and dirt. his appearance
gave some indication of the severe contest
he had passed through. The following
morning u posse OF men from the fort
were pilOtCd by the unfortunate hunter TO
the sCCrc OF his battle. The corpse of the
Indian giant lay where he had succunbcd
To his fate. But the crippled Indian was
nowhere to be seen. \ trail was discov-
cred made by the broken backed savage,
who had dragged himself some distance
through the woods, and following its
course the white men came to where he
lay dead. with his knife sticking up to
the hilt in his breast.
He had first cut with its keen point into
the bark Of the tree, beneath which he
had determined tn die, in rude characters
the story of his fate, so rs to inform pass
ing members of his tribe that he had tax
en- his own life in preference to surrender
ing it to the hated enemy. Tho tree was
ever aftCrwarl known rs the odd Indian
tree. "-Cincinnati Enquirer.