Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-04-21


LESS, HE FACED DEATH MANY
TIMES. BUT WAS KILLED BY A
STROKE or LIGHTNlNG--A WILD GA.
REER.
Lawrenceburg, Ind. April III can
tell you about one OF the brayest men
that ever crossed the plains" said
Captain Colt OF Boone county. Ky.
yesterday, land that man was
Laughing Bill Gordon Kahn
tuekian, too, be CAD SIR who feared
neither man. devil nor beast. but
laughed at every danger In fact, he
laughed at everything. whether fight
Ing wild Indians or wild animals. 1t
was all the same, his laugh could be
heard above the roar OF battle, the
whoop OF the warning sayages. or the
fierce scream and angry below OF the
enraged beast. Yet he was as tender
hearted as he was brave and fearless,
and many incidents are remembered
that Illustrate his humanity and in
vincible courage.
with u dozen brave followers he
led an attack upon camp OF hostile
Indians who had murdered several OF
their comrades, and with his single
hand sent seven of the surprised saw
ages to their happy hunting grounds
IN the shadowy realms OF death.
When the affrighted warriors had He'd
a hideous old squaw was found lying
among the dead with broken leg that
prevented her from escaping with aor
more fortunate companIUn H. Expect
ing no mercy from the hated white
man, she lay upon the ground, curslng
her enemies with all the vlclousness OF
her savage nature. Brain the bab-
bling squaw,' said one Of the men as
he approached the crippled but de-
finnt female with upllr,ed Ratchet.
Hold on there. shouted Gordon, as he
laughed. Don't strike that squaw
she Is old and helpless; 30 was my
mother once; and for her sake / would
spare the life of this poor thing. even
If she were the mother OF every In
dian devil on the plains And without
ceasing to laugh the sturdy hunter
carried the old squaw IN his strong
arms as tenderly as II she was n babe
to safe distance, then carefully
bandagng her BROKEN limb, left her
with weapons and several days supply
OF water and provisions to sustain hor-
sun ullll Nplllt Ol utl HtNIlt ElAbhlu
come to her relief. As the victorious
whites left the bloody camp the nld
squaw. who understood sufficient
English to comprehend the cause Of
Gordon's kindness TO her. was seen eX-
tending her hands toward heaven, IN
voking the blessings OF the Great
Spirit upon Laughing BILL ana at the
same time calling down the bitterest
curses upon his less humane COM
panions.
ION another occasion one Of his party
was terribly torn and mungled by the
teeth and claws of q wounded grizzly
bear. 1t seemed Impossible for the
poor fellow to live, and II being nearly
ten miles to the camp OF the trnppors,
the wounded hunter was unable TO en-
dure the pain OF moving, and, there
fore, comfortable shelter was pro-
vlded for him and a companion de-
tailed to keep him company and care
for him until death should ensue, then
bury the body and report TO head
quarters. Several days later the de-
tail. WHO was a Mexican, returned 10
camp and stated that the injured man
had died of his wounds and mat ne
had buried MIN so that Wild beasts
could not disturb the corpse.
Ills story was credited. but nearly
n week afterward the unfortunate We
tim Of the bears attack came crawling
into camp on his hands and knees, eN-
hausted by his eNertions and emaciated
from starvation. He told his compan-
Ions how the heartless nurse had rob
bed and then abandoned him in his
deplorahle condition, and how he had
been compelled to subslst on the roots
of grass and what few berries he could
find while making his slow and pain
full way into camp. The Indignation OK
the trappers who listened to the mar
recital was aroused to flaming !
heat against the craven culprit who /
could thus lnhumanly treat and de- |
sert n dying companion when IN sueh !
distress. While they we're considering |
the enornity OF the offense the loud |
laugh of Bill German sounded on tho !
air like the shrill scream Of a prowling /
panther. As he leaped toward the /
trembling Mexican, he shouted, You /
are not fit to live and the next In
slant plunged his hunting knife to the
hilt In the breast Of the heartless
wretch. The injured and deserted
hunter could not recover from the neg
lect suffered. and died a few days af-
ter getting into camp and witnessing
the lust punishment OF the perhdious
Mexican by Laughing BIZ for his
cruel treatment and abandonment OF
the injured and helpless hunter.
ION one occasion Gordon and a COM
1AnlOn ndne0 Bill w lllldIlS were uulil-
ng alone In the mountains when they
discovered a number OF
Blackfoot Indians camping In a Sc
nook near mountain
Itream, and preparing TO enjoy a sup
ser of black tailed deer and noun
ain trout. That Is feast fit only for
white men, and ! propose. Bill. that
We enjoy It, said Gordon to his com
,anion, as he chuckled merrlly In
OF satisfying his hunger
/ the expense OF the unsuspeciing
avAges. Hastily forming their plans
I attack, the in' repd fair boldly pre-
AIRED to encounter nine powerful In
ians. all well armed.
'When ready for the charge the ca
hinatlons OF Laughing BIZ rever-
rated from cliff TO cliff and echoed
trough the mountain gorge. sounding
bove the din OF the cracking rifles and
etching pistols OF the daring hunters,
s they dashed upon the startled saw
ges with a deadly volley OF bullets
our OF the surprised foe fell before ,
leir unerring aim. and the others !
ed In different directions with all the
Deed they possessed. for the terrible
ugh OF the fierce hunter was familiar ,
them. II had often been associated :
18th the accounts OF the death and de- i
at OF their people. and was never
card in battle without inspiring super r
itious dreEd. Gordon and Williams {
lrtook with keen relish OF the invit- I
Il supper prepared BY their enemies +