The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-18
JOE Loosrox,s BEsr FIGnr.
A TSnad-to-Haud Rattle for Life VIII :
Naked Gisst Indian.
N-on ne Cfncirnon Eaqufrrr.

fTOW ~ NOtctNNoAN hNf"'Fs
LAwRrSCEBURo Ind, Nov. Done Of the
noted characters Of pioneer days was Joe Log
ston. a gigantic Kentuckisn, who settled on the
banks Of the Ohio River, not many miles below
Cincinnati. He was a powerful fellow, six fees
four inches in his moccasins, aud proportion
ately stout and muscular, with the agility ofa
cat and the courage Of q lion. He ,~excelled IN
made men conspicuous In those days. when such
accomplishments were requisite and a necessity
man and snsrling beast. Logston was a great
hunter, but had achieved some distinction as an
Indian fighter. and often boosted that IT, gave
him more pleasure to pursue the red man than II
did to follow the trail OF the wild game that In
feated the almost unbrOken wilderness.
On one occasion the intrepid hunter WA care
lessly riding along an established trail through
the dense woods on the back Of a fine horse that
he had captured from an Indian ciiief when the
unexpected crack of couple OF rifles reused him
TO q realization OF danger. One OF the bullets
horse in the .ioins,, and It sank 70 the
release himself from the foundering beast
two Indians rushed from their concealment
hawks and e~xultant shouts. But, although PIN
Toned 70 the ground, with one, leg beneath the
rife to bear upon the approaching ssyeges, and
, they . well sn sS,s It. rsb IInSsrT n5 s s.@i halted trass' S sns
Of the Indians. however. was not quick enough
to place himself entirely behind the proteetins
flss p pSlSgs ' Ii. G Saef. ar and in he e feIf WIN MR' a f mSn
tured spine. Disengaging himself from his
horse, the wary white man rS game; . his his fss.
strike. The Indian dropped his ramrod in
he SSr hurled Il with PHs ff eTSGiass ne force 5Sm az Sis
enemy. Logston lodged the dying weapon. and.
his foe. The Indian leaped aside, and the gun
struck a saPling and was shiyerSd to pieces;
his adversary, who was his equal in size and
strength, but, his inferior In the science OF
his antagonist to the ground. But the Indian
being naked. with his body well oiled, was able
to &c slip from nnt the ..S clutches hes t Of the so SHaspeTsts ed
hour these two giants-each n Gollah-fought
like gladiators in the desperate struggle to con-
The terrific contest caused an increased flow
of blood from the wound in the breast of the
and nc began To feel that his strength was giy-
Ing out; But he determined TO end the combat,
greater advantage over him. And when the
Indian had again crawled from his grasp, after
and as his assailant rose UP he dealt him a blow
with his fist that would. have done credit to, q
staggered to bis feet he received' a second
blow from the strong arm OF the pugillstio
.paiaS. on 'h 1ss s st5 e pe sim he hsif could p1G SI.e
both feet and attempted 70 stsmp the
him BY the legs and %tripped him TO The
ground, and again the combaiants engaged in .
exhausted from the blows and stamping
he had been subjected to, and his adversary
clutch that closed lis breathing and rendered
his resistance weaker and weaker until he
Indian became insensible, Logston released his
hold upon his throat. and running to where the
,&e sids " t Isss' . aS psssS %h 1t q had ' partly trsG resaiSs ID
his senses, he Glove his skull with the weapon.
thsh Whose c RVS o a''S Despair 20 @. the he wItbnessed tne
death of his companion had reached the ear of
the victorious hunter and recalled his presence.
The unfortunate savage had crawlrd to a log,
against which he had rested and reloaded, his
gun, but his broken back would not permit him
shoot he would torple forward on his face, and
could only raise himself again by pushing the
II. Seeing that the wounded savage was almost
helpless and unable to escape, and not caring tn
wearied hunter hastened back % the Tort and
told his story. Covered with blood and dirt, his
he had passed through. The following
morning a posse OF men from the fort were
P Pf,l9SSs fs S by the u info snrass hgI ,Ss i 10 ise s sisn.
lay where he had succuinbcd To his fate. But
the crippled Indian was nowhere TO be seen; \
trail was discovered made by the br1ken-backed
savage, who had dragged himself some distance
through the woods, and. following its course.
his knife sticking up to his hilt in the breast.
The unfortunate, warrior, finding that the
him to reach his own people, had, after, endur-
ing untold agony in crawling several miles oyer
u TOuRn anu uneven route, tOIlNluutu w tuu III
misery by plunging his knife into his own heart.
He had first cut with its keen point into tho
bark Of the tree, beneath which he had deter
mined to die, In rude characters the story of his
fate, so as TO inform passing members OF his
tribe that he had taken his own life IN prefer
ence to surrendcring II To the hated enemy.
when hope had gone out in the darkness Of de-
spalr, suicide under such circumstance being
heir foes and an art of daring heroisin. The
was ever afterward known as the Old
Indian Tree"
The long distance travelled by the desperate
,avHge in his despsiring and crippled condition
the wonderful powers. OF physical en-
iurance possessed by him. and his break ing the
gun OF his dead companion, as well a. his own,
'or the purpose OF rendering them useless to
heir enemies should they return and ind them.
'howed the hate that filled his heart nj the mo
nent when he checked its pulsatlOns with the
Ieen point OF his piercing knife.