Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1896-09-26
HUNTING FOR PURCELL.
A Dramatic Lifs-Atonement Of q West
ern Cowboy.
Expiating Crime BY Voluntary Sacrifice OF
His Own Life to Save Perishing comrade-
They Bought Tombstone for Purcell

,NGT IL tG SQtnat 9kO hVtAAo "
Well, eroont Purcell. When he first
come out here he got a job herdin'
cattle for ole Berry Hickman. ! heard
the boys a-tslkin' about Hickmans
cowboy. an what a tenderioot he was
but he'd been out here nigh on ter
a month fore knowed him. Yer see,
stranger. twas fore | married an had
a wife an' little nm ter take keer Nv
me. Well. was over ter Rockets
one night a-playin' a hand with Tom
Dorkins an Monk Morrison an' Jim
Townsend. Purity soon a tall Teller,
kinder pale-faced and sad lookin'. with
a heavy beard on his face. como in the
saloon.
That's Purcell. ole Hicktnan's
dude COW hoy. said Dorhins. or treadin'
on my foot
Il glanced over at the TELLER now an
ergin es he sot there by the fire. him
a-sayin nothin' 10 nobody an nobody
sayin' nothin' ter him. by an by he
went over tor the bar an bought u
newspaper, an went back an sol down
an read erlong. Jest as calm like. same
es II he'd a-been at home In his own
liberty. AFTER good long spell he
got up ar went out Every night AZ
ter that he lister como In an set down
by the fire an read. Some OF the boys
TUX ter watchin' him. an said he allus
read the court news iust an sometimes
he'd git Police Gazette.
by an by ono night. when the fell
lers was on err big carouse, some uy 'em
got ter guyin' Purcell He sot mighty
still and quiet ike. never notlcin' EN-.
Fin'ly one Nv 'em, ! b'lieye twas Jim
Townsend, axed him ter take or drink.
".No. | thank yer. sir. Purcell
answered i never drink.
well. yer'll never learn any
younger Jim said. an goin' over ter
the bar he got or full gluss an TUX il
ever ter Purcell Jim was so full his
self that he didn't know now ter STAN
up steady. Coin up clost, he held tho
glass high up over Purcell's head.
Now. Mr.. Tectot'ler. will yer
drink?' he said.
:" No. said Purcell. smilin'
with that Jim turned the glass or
round quick an suddipt. err slappin'
the liquor square into Purcell's face.
Take II that way. then. yer blamed
fool he said.
"Quickeriu' 1 ken tell yer Purcell
sprung to his feet. whipped out bis
six-shooter an had Jim kivered. His
face was pale as death; his black eyes
shone like Goals OF fire. | never seed
nothin' like II before nor since We
were all a-standin' thar expeetin'
every mint ter see Jim shot down, an
thar warn't er one Nv Us but What
would er said he oughter been. jim
was so skesred when he seen Purcell
had the drop on him that II sobcred
him.
Shoot man, an BIO done with 1t /!
he said low an steady like.
Suddenly thar come shot. an
when the smoke cleared away. W,
seen that Purcell had put CIR hol,
through ceiling.
60. ne said ter Jim; 4 give 70,
yer life
The crowd made way fer him &c,
pass, an he strobe through an out .,
the house before one NV us could speak
We'll. arter that thar was a good
deal OF talk erbout Purcell. Thar wa,
them as said he was coward, but
toie 'em that they neenter try ter max,
me blieve that err man es could look
like that man looked was or coward.
1T jist seem like he was allus on the
lookout 70 do somethin' fer somebody
Efanybody was sick he was the fust Il
hear OF IL an 20 to nurse 'em; OF any.
body got hurt no allus knew jest what
ter do. Stranger. couldn't begin ter
tell yer how many folks he'd helped
In that way. No trouble warn't toe
great fer him ter take ter relieve suf
FERN. Well, we'll; I think II was
erbout five year ergo las fall or GROVE
NV as fellers was gone down ter the
south In the county lookin' fer stra,
cattle. Purcell was erlong lookin, f.
some Of Hickman's branded ones. 81
we come nigh ter Monk Morrison's va
seen powerful commotion Qoin' on n
the corral. At fust we couldn't make
out what the racket was, the cattle were
snortin' an cavortin' an bellerin' 40,
We pushed up clost ter the fence.
".By George. they're KILN, Monk
one Nv the boys said. sho nuf tina
was Monk down on the ground in IN,
pen. Yer see, he'd lariated a ma,
cow an she had got the better OF him
an was tearin' round the corral drag
GIN Monk arter her an all the cattl,
was In stir, stampin' an kickin' an
hookin' like mad. II ermost make
my hair stan on end ter think abou
It, We ali jest sot thar on our ponies
not one nv us KNOWN what ter do.
'.All Of student we seen Purcell
jump into the midst NV the ma,
beasts. Fer mint we couldn't go,
what naa hannanint tha nattfa 1T.