The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1899-07-14
IN A BLAZE OF GLORY
THE DRAMATIC EXIT OF OLD CAP
FROM LIFE'S eTAGE.

Wild Death, and He Summoned a
Wild Audience to See Him DO His
Final Wild Act.
"The longing for the center Of the
stage exists not only In the centers Of
civilization" said Il man who had gone
west, made his pile In mining AMI
come back to enjoy himself. You'll
find 1t up In the Rockies among the
hardest, toughest citizens that ever
handled a pick or shot a bear. The
melodramatlc instinct Is mighty strong
In most men, and the glare Of the cal.
cium Is eagerly sought after by many
who won't admit 1t. l knew an old
man out In Arizona some years 6
who was one Of this kind. He al
about the most don't give Il darn cusS
I ever knew. He lived up in the noun.
tains, about ten miles back Of Tucson.
all by himself.
"HoW he managed to live l eve
knew, but he seemed contented. His
evil deeds never seemed to worry him
any, and the Lord knows his record
was black enough. He had been IL
great gun fighter in his time. and eve
in the days | speak Of 1t wouldn't do to
tread on his toes. He loved to tell o.
his wild life, and the frAnkness with
which he related his somewhat ques.
tiopable escapndes made him an excel
lent entertainer II you didn't happen
to feel squeamish. Squeamishness isn't
a common fault out that way. and
everybody knew and liked Old Cap
that's what they called ~him-except
the few who had been In trouble with
him at n time or another.
"Now, no one ever thought that Old
Cap was spectacular. He was the last
man on earth who would be thought
likely to want the center of the stage
for any Of his stunts. But he did. and
the climax Of his life was more pyro.
technical than any mans | ever got
mixed up with. He certainly did 60
out In n blaze Of glory. 1t all happen.
ed about seven years ago. ! was In
Tucson. A lot OF us boys were sitting
around in front Of a ginmill one after
noon, just talking about things In gen.
SA"' ""l Ol'SS "SIS LICu III IllC yIlN
at the back. 1t was a mighty fine day,
just warm enough for solid comfort
out of doors. and with the sky as clear
as absolute dryness could make it. 1t
was one OF these days. you know,
when you throw your chest out and
congratulate yourself on being alive.
"As ! was saying, we all sat on easy
wicker chairs. talking and whiting l
reckon. when down the street came a
l~O-year-old boy riding a broncho. We
recognized him as a youngster who
lived a couple Of miles this side Of Old
Caps on the same trail. He rode right
up to where we were sitting and rolled
Off his horse, with his eyes a.popping
and his breath a-panting.
"'WhAt's the matter. bubY asked q
tall Texan, who was In the party.
"'Old Cap says t come right up t.
his place right off an fetch all tn men
yer kin git. TIL Injuns is comin!'
1.-THE Indians were always liable to
bust loose and do something nobody
suspected, so we got u horses out in
a jlffy and started up the trail to save
Old Cap, There were about a dozen Of
VS. tAie wv IISlu OuJ w IllCLCSlGES anu SIX
shooters with us. When we got near
to Old Caps we slowed up n bit and
began to look pretty sharp for Indians,
but not Il sign OF n redskin could we
see.
"'We'n be in time, boys said the
Texan, who was leading the band. 'Ef
we get to Old Caps cabin we kin stand
Off u pretty smart lot
sold Caps cabin was situated in a
clearing off the trail around n bend,
with high rocks hiding it until you
came out in the open. We reached the
turn In safety and swept around it ut
full gallop. There we saw, first Of all,
the little cabin looking as snug as
usual, and then we noticed Old Cap
sitting astride a kcg about ten feet In
front Of his door. His big, gray som.
brero was cooked to one side. and the
red scarf about his neck gave him the
look Of a stage hero Of the plains. He
had heard II horses hoofs beating
the rocky trail before we wheeled into
view. and he was ready for us. Wait.
ing until we had come within IS yards
OF him, he lifted bis hat and moved it
above his head with q hoarse, wild
yell. As ! think Of 1t now it sounded
like the cry OF n mailman. Then he
reached into his pocket and drew forth
a match. This he drew carefully across
a rock which was within reach Of the
keg upon which lie sat. and saving it
from the breeze until it was safely
lighted he opened his legs and dropped
1t between them.
"There was. a yellow puff Of smoke
tinged with a flash OF red. and then a
terrific roar. Old Caps body flew sky
ward. and when 1t came down it didn't
look like a human beings. He had
been sitting on Il key of powder and
had deliberately blown himself up.
Funny thing for q man to do. wasn't