New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-15
"DAD" WALTERS CAREER.
THE OLDEST MAN IN THE ROUGH RIDERS
alice OF EXCITEMENT IN THE WEST

,bs oIde., man among the Rough Riders. has had
a career that would make the hero or 'he average
.penny dreadful" turn green. Nobody knows now
many men he has killed; he has probably forgot
ten himself and the fact that he long since aio
not die in his boots not due 20 the failure or co'u
lead 10 ind its way into his internal anatomy pul
r. the good fortune that II did not reach VIAL
part Starting at twelve years OF age with Juan
trelis raiders "Dad" lived a LIE more or less
steadily filed with violence until he sent Spaniards
to the happy hunting grounds at san Juan anu
himself laid IN a new assortment OF WOUNDS
Dad" is now ffty-three years old, but MS toush
constitution has resisted the Entertainments Oh
time and ne can pass easily for ten years younger
When the recruiting FOR the Rough Riders began
Dad" was one Of the first 10 show up. the intro
AUCTION of the tame ideas OF the East In Prescott
Ariz had brought shooting -irons somewhat INTO
dlsrepute and as consequence Dads appetite
hal got whetted TO the point where nothing put
holocaus. would suit him. He knew that IN Ouos
was going 10 be excitement OF the real sor' anu
Dad" was not going to be left out OF IL on any
such miserable War Department pretext as that
ne old.
old you?' inquired the recrui'"e
officer.
"Torty-two" replied the old manly mistake
as ne explained to the boys afterward There was
n little hemming and having when they looked
at :he crows feet around his but they pounded
at him and listened to him. and as he was sounu
as a dollar they asked no more questions.
IL guess | done my share with you younger
fellers" said Dad" In nQuiring voice yester-
DAY and there c chorus from the younger
troopers Of That's what you done. DAD
The old man Nrst showed what was In him at san
Antonio Tex. when the Rough Riders were break
inr fob lot OF horses which the Government had
bought particularly mean looking roam horse
was brought out. and Dad said
Let ride him
well &c. a saddle and br1dle" replied the off,
in charge
Don't want any, was Dads" answer. as ne
swung upon the hitherto unridden animaIs BACK
The roam bucked in a manner that was superb. 80
well. in fact. that II finally landed the old man
with a heavy jolt on the ground He came DacN
to the work and still refused saddle or bride lhis
time he tired the horse out. and won the hgh al
niration of the cowboys. He certainly justified
his own boast that he can ride anything with
four feet"
WOUNDED. BUT FOUGHT ON.
The nchtng had not been going long al San
yuan before bullet went through the left arm OF
pad" He had TO pass with a file or Roush hloers
through an open space between tree trunk ana
clump Of chaparral. The Spanish poured MUIR
6erous fre ct this opening and II was bit OF fore
thought on Dads part that saved his life After
he had filled his cartridge belt with the usual aot-
ment Of fifty cartridges. he had put fifty or sixty
extra ones In The left sdepocket Of his army shirt
so as not to be caught without ammunition. The
bullet that through the upper part OF MS LETT
arm struck the shells in this pocket and glanced
Off instead of entering the old mans heart. The
second maa after him to pass through the open
space, Louis Reynolds. was killed
GO back 10 the hospital and get that wound at
tended to-" ordered Lieutenant Garter when ne
saw the blood streaming down the arm of his old
trooper. Both belonged to Troop A. the Arizona
troop.
"AIl right sir" said the wounded man. saiuting.
re DrOtected not. and getting out
an old bandanna handkerchief bound 1t tightly
around his
NEEDN'T think I'm comm this far and then
miss the fun he said when he caught up with his
troop again Not for little sting like this I've
tended TO more wounds than this'n."
The old man fought all day in the hot sun. and
when the trenches were taken he went back TO
the brook and fetched eight or ten canteens or
water, a load that is about all a fresh man wants
to carry Then he rolled up his right sleeve and
began 10 cook. After supper his arm was badly
swollen and he was persuaded TO go hack and have
1. properly dressed But Dad would not let any
amount OF coaxing keep him 10 the rear. He was
on the fighting line 10 the finish, and he received
no further injuries until he rode into Santiago on
a mule. Then ne got his leg caught between two
pack mules and the calf crushed in manner
that must have caused excruciating pain. NO one
was able 10 tell # by looking into his placid face
however.
LEG just bent little" he said when asked
about 1t
Dad sat at his tent door yesterday. sewing a
button on his army shirt. He wore pair Of ancient
spectacles, which the only thing about him
that suggested his ffty-three years. His dark
hair was thick under his gray hat, and there were
few white hairs, in his bushy mustache.
While he uses glasses for sewing and such work.
there is no weakness indicated in the gray eyes
that look out from under heavy eyebrows with
that steadiness that from looking often
olo ba ciohf of rt1 81
smile that while friendly enough does not ndi-
cate gerruty In fact, II is difficult To get into
Dads" confidence enough TO get him TO disclose
some Of the interesting chapters Of his past.
SHOT A sPANIARD IN A TREE.
When he was asked whether he killed any
IN the Cuban campaign he replied:
Don't know how many 1 killed But know
killed one. He sharpshooter, and he was
tryin to pepper Finally he landed ball so
near me that ne threw dust in my eye saw him
In tree two hundred yards away and missed
him The second time he came falling down out
Of the tree ano II the bullet didn't finish him the
fall did.
.'Where was ] born? In Ohio bu. | went 10
Nellie Bend Mo. with my folks when was five
When I was twelve ran away and Joined Guam
trelrs Guerillas. | was too young TO join regular.
but they let have horse and a Colts pistol
was in the engagements at Moores MIL. Voun-
teer Prairie and elsewhere.
Did I know the James boys? We'll enough.
saw Frank James IN 1880 railroadng on
the A. and p in New-Mexico and ne TO my
shanty I kept him night and showed him
the road TO Mexico the next morning. They were
irving 10 get him for something. I dsremember."
When asked how the first finger Of his right
hand was taken on. DAD" said that II got
ketched in a knk" In rope to the opposite end
Of which two horses were attached. AS they
pulled away from one another his finger hung by
a string He rode sixty-hve miles to the nearest
doctor get 1t attended 70.
How long since you have been back 10 see your
folks in Missouri" somebody asked OF Dad
"Oh twenty thirty years. was thinkn some
Ct stoppin' of on my way out West They might
want 10 see me. Don't knows ! will. though.
fich sta an. I don't want anYhodY