The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1898-12-18

4 Thrilling Incident in the Career
of s.WfId-Cat- smith

n IuCt0eut In inc AofecE
of ..WfId-Cat- smith.
Old wiidca; Smith is just about the las.
living one q that famous band Of pioneers
who drove the Indians 10 the mountains
killed the panthers and bears and hIazei
the paths through the wilderness. He does
not look ike a lawyer, but ne has.
nevertheless sat upon a camp stool
and decided cases OF the great
est Importance He does no, bear any very
marked resemblance 20 a general. but he
has com anded a considerable force in
battle. and while military critics might
have complained that he was deficient in
strategic ability, none ever charged him
with a lack Of yaior Few people would
discover in his face or manner any OF those
traits tnat distinguish q duelist. but ne has
demonstrated that ne possesses them ali III
eminent degree 6y ordering pistols and
coffee for I'VE" more than once. Upon one
occasion he had the audacity 10 invite Gen.
Houston, who was al that period president
OF the republic u Texas. 10 come out and
exchange shots" with aim. He says that
The old warrior "foored" him by cooliy
making a note on A slip OF paper and put
ting L in his desk N answer 10 the en-
ragged chalenger's inquiry. the general SIM
ply said: Mr.. Snt1, you are the .or;,eta;
when J have killed these other thirty-nine
d-a scoundreis who have challenged me I
will accommodate you. BE patient. sir
Smith came 10 Texas in 1885, and served
In the Texas army through all the long
wars with Mexico. He WAS also a soldier
III the great civil war and w1en that ended
he enlisted 10 fight Indians, and remained
on the border until there Were no more
Comanches 10 s1Cat. He has been man OF
war from his youth up ard IN his old age
he carries a soldiers musket with a fixed
bayonet and continues to make war on all
kinds Of game and ''varmlnts" He wanted
20 go TO Cuba. and when the boys insisted
that ne was TOO old and Ieeble he threw off
his coat and challenged the whole company
70 light him.
Upon one occasion Smith was captured
by a rowing band Of Comanches. many OF
whom were well known to him. They
frankly told him that they intended 10
make him run the gauntlet and burn him
a; the stake when they reached their vii
lage on Devil river The captive had a
flask OF whisky. which the chief took
away from him. After taking several
drinks the Old warrior asked Smith IL he
could play 'seven-up." Smith proudly
boasted that he could beat any man living
playing that particular game. This answer
appeared TO pu; the Indian on his mettle..
and he at once proposed that they should
halt by the side OF the warpatn ana play
for the highest stakes that mortal MEN
ever wagered on a game OF chancf-life.
Smith eagerly agreed 20 the proposal and
they sat down under tree and ieait the
cards on a blanket. The other warriors
dismounted and anxiously watched the
game. The chiefs name was Big Laugh.
50 called on account Qf natdrai grin that
marked his featuree After short time
they stood 6 10 8, Ap4 Vas Smiths deal.
He ran the cse1eso a1gd turned jack
from the bossQuA osh had Won his lib
sr'y am and e sss al .ha ne ee ish mt
view. he might EASILY have walked away.
but no had determin ID upon another act
which marks him a. generous soul pos
sessed Of the highes. courage. There was
young white girl ted on one Of the ponies
who was weeping in the most piteous
agony. Smith ceoliy proposed to play an
other game Stalking his life against the
liberty OF this you're girl Big Laugh was
evidently blessed with the white mans
courage and after taking another drink he
began to shlffle the cards. The young
girl was cut loose from the pony and made
TO e{and on the Blanket. while the thongs
for hInd,n< SMITH in cas- he lost were
,nrowu NJ her s1set. Again they played a
close ean< and az the end OF a short time
stood & ,6s6: but IL was Big Laughs deal.
Wiz phak awful interest that poor girl
u,s,st have watched the turning of that
trump. The indian slowly dealt the cards.
and. peep.ng at the trump a hldeous grin
spread all over his face.
@s.T ~as sure that ali was lost. and was
1us, IN the act Of sprnging n his tAro3t"
saws Smith. ''Hhon he turned the queen OF
heerts FOR trump. lie could not give ne.
Of course. and / held both the ace and
dsnce ef hears
Big Laugh was by this time hilarious'y
trunk and In a most excellent good humor.
Re not only kept his word and gave Smith
md the young girl the.r liberty hu. H.
furnished Them two ponies and allowed
Smith to take his gun The liberated cap
tiyes rcached the settlements In safety.
where Smiths strange story would never
have been credited had not the young girl
bore witness that II was true. She Is still
living on a fine plantation on the Brazos
and Is the widow Of no less q parsonage
than Col. Sam jones. who was killed a.
the battle OF Shiloh.
Wildca, Smith Nves in a little cabin in
the wood and devotes his whole time %
hunting bear and deer ard sometimes
smaller game When asked for .nforma-
ton concerning his ferocious n3n1e he said:
''Oh. the boys call me wildcat cause tit
one OF them var1nts once without. any
weapirs got t1e ''arnal critters ear IN
my mouth and then I busted mis- ribs ani
antnte his neck with my hst."-St Louis
Siobe-DenoCrat.