The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1897-04-29
Ex-GOvernOr Spraguc Had
One Out in Kansas.
He Stopped Over With Party
of Friends at Wallace.
Governor Had a Narrow Escape
From Death--Chased by a Bull.

SAID an Ol0 tlfuc IuhioauSi' '' ---
was in the days when buffaloes We're SUN
roaming over tho prairies in vast nerds.
William Sprague was then governor oil
Rhode Island, and at the height OF his
populartty and influence In pollticai,
financial. and social affairs. While on a
trip across the continent by the mover
new railroad route, in company wltn d:
y Morgan of Wall street, he stoppeu on
at WaIIace by invitation of Colonel Moalc,
who was in command of the L nlted States
military post then at that point, 10 ENJOY
a buffalo hunt and that hunt came near
being the end of Sprague's career, right
then and there.
~ dontt suppose there was ever a hunt.
ing marty on the continent that presented
so formidable an array as this Que did;
Governor Sprague, escorted by Colonel
Moale led the hunt His friend Morgan,
accompanied by an officer Of the post, rooe
next followed by NEW erVi'fS sebind HeS rs
rode half dozen or more officers ana
attaches of the post, the rear being
brought up by guard OF fifteen soldiers,
In charge Of the commissariat, VINO Were
TO act "a FOUNDERS up of buffaloes Tor the
benefit of the hunters, ana TO Dear the
trophies OF the chase back home.
HWord had come in before we startec
that a large buffalo herd was feeding on
the plains fifteen miles northwest OF wal
| lace and the hunt was led In that dlrec-
| ton. We had gone but few miles wheh
smallrstraggling punches of buffalo began
| to give indications that the Information
| as TO the big herd was correct. we paid
| no attention TO these, reserving the day
| snort for the meeting with the man nero.
| This we came Ina sight OF after a two
| hours' ride Ii was, indeed, vast herd
AZ far as the eye could reach over the
nlain the feeding buffaloes spread away In
| n black. undulating mass. Like all buffalo
| herds. it was broken up in buncnes OF
| twenty or more, each bunch In charge Oh
three or four young bulls, while the IN
| evitable outposts of dethroned old pulls
| Font their enforced watch and guard,
Grouping the grass in impotent loneliness;
| Owing to the 'spotty' nature OF the WIG
pasturage at this particular point the
| lunches of buffalo were more uetached
than was usual with feeding nero, a
| fact that was favorable lor the sreaoef
| success of the hunt.
"The country was not such as would
bnye been selected for the days sport III
there had been any choice in the matter.
IL was rolling and diversified by the dry
| beds of streams that had once irrigated
the plain, but which were now ugly
ravines and abrupt gullies 1t needed
but glance TO note THAT race Wioh
buffalo over that treacherous course had
its dangers as well as those that might
attend the furious charge OF wounded
bull. The hearing and scent OF buffalo
were very keen, and II single Duhch in
| n herd of TO- 600 was disturbed Its move
ment would stampede the entire herd.
They had to be approached against the
wind. and no matter how slight or I'M
nerceptible the breeze might be, the
hunter could never mistake its direction,
for buffaloes always feed with their
! ; heads to the wind. II the wind was blow.
| tn
, wards of a herd before his presence was
discovered.
ION this occasion, large party as we
were. we drew up to within 200 yards ol
this herd undiscovered. We halted at
that distance, gazed for fow minutes
on the vast collection Of shaggy monsters,
and then formed plan of attack. There
, were two large punches of buffaloes or
!. the left of the main herd, and somewhat
a isolated from it, Colonel Moale selected
. these two to be attacked by Governo
Sprague and himself and the governor
friend. Morgan. and Captain Irwin, wh'
was the brokers' personal escort, aided b.
| the other officers and attaches OF th'
e most. The rest of us were To wait unit
o this party had made their result, and wer'
n then to join In the general chase, as CIR
% oumstances and the situation might
"a dictate
Is The governor aud Colonel Moale pu
Is spurs TO their horses, sped like the wine
d ncross the intervening space and wer
fairly among the buffaloss before the an
imals were aware of danger. Wo watches
the result from our position. GoverDo
Sprague had never hunted buffaloes be
NJ fore, but he had been thoroughly coaches
~ by Colonel Moale. He urged his hors
Is unhesitatingly into ono of the bunche
~ and selected an enormous buii Tor thi
a. first trial of nerve and skill. He sent
10 pistol bali behind the bulls foreshoulder
D. The animal turned and charged viciousl.
o. upon his enemy. The governor dexter
'. ously avoided the rush of the ponderou
ia ia brute and by quick and skilful detou
p ie drew up close 10 the angry bull an
~ dropped him i'm his tracks at tho secon
III shot, leaving further disposition of th
~ trophy To the cavalrymen.
no The butfaloes were flying over Oh
plain like the swell Of gigantic way,
the ground quivering beneath theI
mighty tread as with tho tremor OF n
-. earthquake. There was no time To los
~ Governor Sprague spurrcd his horse on I
'.ss its full speed, and was soon side by sic
Wv, with another immense bull. Just as
!" raised him arm TO fire. his horse sank u
- To his knees in prairie dogs hol
ot tumbled forward and threw his .rid
~, over his head. The governor fell alino
na I'm front Of the flying bull. Tho anim
"N stopped in his flight and charged upc
al ! his prostrate foe. Unaided there coul
~ be- no escape for the governor from Il
~, animals deadly thrust. We were too Il
NJ away TO hope TO render such aid. but v
=" dashed at brcakneck speed toward q
spot.
"Colonel Moale fortunately had Ike
49,. close to the rear of his imporilei gues
l.s and from him alone could the need
- assistance come. He sank the spurs dccpin
- his horse IL the animal had once stun
- blcd or faltercd the governor would ha
q boon impaled and torn asunder bofo
", our very cycs The Coloncl's horse W
~ true but when he dashed with his rid
L Ler uron the angry bull and turned {
vi deadly assault tn quick retreat {
a buffal0's horns were almost touching G
nc helpless hunters breast Before Color
~ Moale could dismount Governor Sprag
f- was on his feet and ready to mount aga
for the chase, his horse having been
captured by the cavalrymen. He W
ahursc and In full pursuit of the flyi
elf herd again before we reached the 81
crs where he had narrowly escapcd dcatl