The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1898-03-12
+ GABE FUCKERS DETECTION 4


There were "A good many pretty hard
characters among the early-day Kan
sas cowboys, but 1t is doubtful If there
was one who held any advantage over
Gahe Tucker. Gabe often boosted that
the one consuming ambition of his life
was to become the champion tough and
terror of the cattle range. Ia drank.
gambled and fought, and was always
ready to engage in a shooting scrape
at a moments notice, and on the least
prOyOcatiOn. And swear. Why. he
was simply eloquent in the use of pro-
family.
Gabc had no more respect for religion
than he had for the dirt under his feet.
He derided and scoffed everything of
d religious nature. and some of his
remarks were so bold and blasphemous
that even his cowboy companions
heard them with "A creeping sensation
of awe and fear.
One of Gabe's chief Sunday enjoy
ments was to come into town, fill up
on whisky and proceed to break up
religious services. He would charge
up aud down in front of the building
where services were being held, yell
ing aud cursing in the most horrible
manner and peppering the side of the
house with bullets or SCATTERING the
glass from the windows. Frequently,
when night services were being held,
he would ride up to the door and pro-
cced coolly and calmly to shoot out the
lights. one after another, until the con-
gregation was left in perfect darkness.
Of course the people of the town did
not approve of Gabe's style, and they
we're generally agreed that his devil
try ought to be stopped, but when it
came to stopping it, that was another
matter.
Things went along in this way for Il
long time, but ut last one Sunday n new
minister occupied the pulpit. He was
a young college graduate from some
where east of the Mississippi. rash,
mpulsiye and unacquainted with the
natures of the unframed western cow
boys. In the course of his sermon he
took occasion to speak of Gabe Tuck
er'S deviltry. and he denounced 1t in
40 uncertain terms. His audience lis
tened in establishment and trembled
with fear for his safety. Wen. Gabe
heard about the preachers remarks,
and the next Sunday he rode up to the
church, tied his horse and went In and
took a seat among the congregation,
but well back from the pulpit. He
sat quietly while the opening hymns
were sung and a prayer was offered,
but the congregation kept cycling him
suspiciously. The minister came for
ward. read passage of Scripture. Of
fered a few words of prayer and be-
gan to deliver his sermon. When he
had spoken a dozen sentences Gabe
suddenly arose and drawing his pistol
began 10 plant bullets in the floor all
around the preachers feet. The audi
ence yelled and screamed and crawled
under the benches while the preacher
hoped and lodged about. scared with
in an inch of his life. 1t was an eXcit-
ing time and Gabe was the only person
In the house who was calm and cool.
He continued to fire his pistols until
he had but two balls left and with
those he cut little bunch of hair from
either side of the preachers head Just
as reminder of his proficient marks
manship. Then he went out, mounted
his horse. gave series of whOops and
dashed away across the prairie. The
young minister went back east right
away and for long while there was