Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1895-05-01
~. ". B. GALLAHER. Editor.
Terms--S2 90 Per Aamum In AdUancc
Mdy I, 1925.
A Desperate Fight.

Il DeSpe:dte Ii0Ht.
One of the noted characters of pioneer
days was Joe Logslon, a gigantic Ken
tuckian who settled on the banks of The
Ohio river not many miles below Cincin-
natl He was a powerful fellow, 6 feet 4
inches in his moccasins aud proportion
ately stout and muscular, with the agili-
ty OF cat and the courage of lion. lie
excelIed in many Of the feais of strength
and skill that made men conspicuous in
those days, when such accomplishments
were requisite and q necessity ia the fierce
struggle for supremacy over savage man
and suarling beast Logston was a great
hunter but had achieved some distinction
as an Indian fighter and often boasled
that it gave him more pleasure to pursue
lbe red men than it did to follow the trail
of wild game.
On one occasion the Intrepid hunter
was carelessly riding along an established
trail through the dense woods on the back
OF fine horse that he had captured from
an Indian chief when the eunexpecied crack
of couple Of rifles reused him 10 reali-
zation Of danger. Que Of the bullets scrap
cd his breast bone making slight flesh
wound. The other ball struck his horse
in the loins, and it sank TO the ground
with It's rider. AS he struggled to release
himself from the houndering beast two
Indians rushed IRON their coucealment
and dashed toward him with upIiiIed
tomahawks and exutant shouts. But, al
though pinoued to the ground, with one
leg beneath the dying horse, he managed
to bring his trusty rife TO bear upon the
approaching savages. and they, well
knowing is unerring aim,- halted and then
sought safety behind adjacent trees.
One Of The Indians, however, was not
quick enough to place himself entirely be-
hind the protecting tree before the bullet
of the expert white mau had pierced his
back, aid he fell, with Il fractured spine
Disengaging himself from his horse, the
wary white man regained his feet, and
seeing the other savage reloading his rifle
sprang toward him. with bis gun raised
to strike. The Indian dropped his ramrod
in the excitement, but grsspug his toma-
hawk he hurled it with ferocious force at
his enemy. Logston lodged the flying
weapon, and dashiug forward with uplifi-
ed rife struck at his foe. The Indian
leaped aside and the gun struck a sapling
and was shivered to pieces. The disap.
pointed white man then cliuched 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. Bat
the Indian, being naked, with his body
well oiled, was able 10 slip from the clutch
es of the exasperated white man and re
gain bis feet. For nearly an hour these
two giants, each Il Goliah, fought like
gladiators in the desperate struggle to
conquer or die.
The terrific contest caused an increased
flow of blood from the wound in the breast
of the white man made by the bullet of
the Indian, and he began TO feel that his
strength was giving out. But he deter
mined TO end the combat if possible before
his aniagauist could secure greater ad-
vantage over him, and when the Indian
had again crawled from his grasp after
being flung to the ground he jumped to
his feet, and as his assailant rose up he
dealt him bloa with his fist that would
have done ere e, to q Corbsit. The sur
prised savage "a, and as he staggered to
his feet he rec ived a second blow from
) the strong arm Of the pugiisiic pioneer
that stretched him half unconscious on
the ground Before he could rise Logslon
leaped upon bis PROSTATE form with both
feet and attempted 10 stamp the breath
from his body. The Indian caught him
by the legs aud iripped ain TO the ground,
and again the combaianis engaged in q
terrible tussle for victory. The red man