The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-06-27
They Have Saved As Well As De-
strOyed Human Lives.

From the st. Louis Globe-Democrat.
Cedar Bayou, Tex-A paragraph in an
inland paper of recent date calls to mind
Lucky" Lawson, a well known sea cap
tain on the Texas coast several years ago.
He was a big, blue-eyed Swede. and
about the most profane man that ever
trod a shiD's deck. But the ship owner
who could secure Lawson to run his yes
sci was considered fortunate, for it made
no difference it seemed, however hard the
wind might blow or in whatever direction
it might be. when he was ready to sail
the weather was good enough, and the
wind had at least a slant in it, if it was
not exactly fair. But Lawson was wick
eddy profane, and the thunder and light
ming, especially, called it forth in all it's
hideousness more often than anything
else. It was no uncommon sight. when
the thunder pealed the loudest when the
lightning rent the black sky above him,
and the water foamed with phosphores-
cent light all around him to see him stand
bareheaded, his broad face turned upward,
his clenched hands uplifted, cursing every
thing, and roaring defiance at the dis
turbed elements and the rulers of the uni
verse.
The newspaper paragraph mentioned
gives the ending of Lucky Lawson's
life as follows:
Peter Lawson, a resident of this place
for several years past, and know far and
wide as Lucky Lawson, met with a
sudden death Monday evening last Mr..
Lawson had been attending the big camp
meeting and revival at Elm Grove, where
he was converted last week, and was re-
turning home. on his way home, during
the thunder storm of that evening, he was
struck by lightning and instantly killed"
The accounts of the notorious Dickson
Burnham fued down on Big Bushy filled
many newspaper columns a few years ago.
1t was said then that it had cost the two
waring factions over twenty lives. 1t
came to a sudden end last summer. At
that time only two males of the two fac
tons remained, the others having either
left that part of the country or been kill
ed. The last of the Decisions was an old
man, over TO- and the only remaining
Burnham, a youth of 49, A week before
the final ending of the fued these two had
met at the store, and only for the timely
Intervention of some mutual peaceful
friends their differences would have been
settled then and there, and would per-
haps have left one survivor to claim the
victory. AS it was, they were prevailed
upon to part and each went his way, VOW
ing to kill the other.
1t was Saturday. Early that morning
young Durham rode across the country
to intercept old man Dickson on his way
to the store. The road the old man had
to come lay partly through the timber
along Bib Bushy. The timber had a dense
underground of twining vines and high
palmettoes, good hiding place, and there
young Durham tied his horse and lay in
waiting At his back was tall cotton
wood tree. in front of him was an OPEN
ing among the vines and palmettoes, Civ
ing good view of the road, and across
his knees lay the old Winchester rifle
which had been his fathers, and which,
it was claimed, had slain nearly dozen
Dicksons, ready for use. There were
sounds of distant thunder and faint
flashes of lightning in the air, but as the
time passed both increased in volume and
vividness. Presently there came the sound
of horses hoofs then a horse and rider
came in view. 1t was old man Dickson.
Young Burnham raised the Winchester to
his shoulder. waited a moment and then
fash Of the gun there was vivid flash of
lightning, and a clap of thunder that jar
red the ground. Dicksons horse galloped
away riderless, while in the middle of the
road the old man lay dead. shot through
the heart. With his back still against the
cottonwood tree, young Burnham was sit
ting, his face black and scorched, his
eyes staring wide, and on the ground be-
side him lay the gun, its barrel bent and
twisted out of shape by the lightning.
In one of the churches in Nechez City a
few years ago there was a stormy meet