The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-09

ltT JleUl III CuSp Ol trouble ABOUT land titles.
| he was ready enough and greatly dlstin-
guished himself. His brother. Rein p. Bowie,
| quiet man enough. had como to Louisiana
| with him. gone into the interior OF the State,
| and taken up plantation When wounded or
| when the officers got too inuusitivc, James
| Bowie retired to Rezn's plantation as TO n
| haven. On one occasion he was sent by com
pany of planters to Havana. where the Spanish
records were kept. Returning with a trunk
full of papers. he established his employers in
their holdings and received handsome sum
in payment. This led to more lighting, and,
his money being all gone to the gaming table,
he made his usual trip to Rezin's place and lay
dark for while.
On this plantation was a negro blacksmith
OF much ability named Manuel One day hav-
ing nothing better to do. Manuel took large
file. which had been lying about the shop and
fashioned 1t into n hunting knife which he
gave to his owner, Rein F. Bowie Its length
was fifteen inches with the handle; the blade
was nine inches. This was the original bowie
knife and its purpose to cut the throat of
deer Jim Bowie took 1t to New Orleans with
him and at Quadroon ball killed n man with
1t. literally disemhoweing him. The wound
was SO terrible that II attracted expert atten-
ton. and George wilkins Kendall then editor
OF the HcdWtne. wrote an article about It
also printing picture OF the weapon. Bowie
was hp' ShtlSltu NllH tne knlIt Wnltn MUnupl
made. thinking that it could be improved in
some particulars; so he called in man named
Pedro. then a celebrated cutler OF New Orleans
Pedro fashioned knives of marvellous temper
He would not sell one which could not be
driven through the thick Spanish dollar
OF silver alloy without in any way marring
tho edge or point. He made Bowie knife
modelled upon tho Manuel product. but
lighter. kecner. with a thinner blade and
- I.s,, IL. 49,.
the bowie knife as it IS to-day. The fame OF
the weapon spread up and down the great
river until no Southern gentleman was prop
erly armed unless he had one somewhere
within reach. In advocacy of its use old Gen.
Barrow used to say: The people which short
ems its weapons lengthens its boundaries"
The knife in time became as famous as the %
inch Roman sword. Bowie had one within
three feet OF his hand when he was killed. BY
that time they had become common enough
The original knife, that made from the file by
Manuel. was sent back to Rein 7. Bowie. was
handed down to his descendants. and was
burned and lost in the ashes Of n plantation
big house when Banks'S army of FederalS
went through Louisiana In 1854.
When Bowie was drinking and fighting in
New Orleans. politics between Wings and
Democrats was at white heat In Rapid"s
parish. on Red River. there had been much
lTOuDle. me people were ABOUT equally SpllJ
between the Wells and Overton families on the
one side and the Cranes and Maddoxes on the
other. Bowie went to Rapides on invitation
and allied himself with the Wells Overton fac
ton. who were Wings He was a strong card.
and things began to go the Wells-Overton
way. The Crane Maddox people sent down
to New Orleans and imported a professional
duelst named Wright. His especial bust
ness was to kill Bowie. The latter was wait
II. ~ al.
boat. insuted him. was struck 10y him. and
shot him with single barrcled pistol. infiict-
ing. however. only flesh wound in the arm
Wright was laidup for month or two. then
reappeared on the street and challenged Bowie
They fought on n sand bar in the issiSspp
River. opposite Natchcz tho object being to
get out OF the jurisdiction both Of Louisiana
and Mississippi. Five men from each faction
were present. Bowie fell at tho first fire. shot
through the abdomen. Some one Of tho Over
ton Wells faction-it will never be known who
shot Wright through the head. killing him in
stantly. Crane sprang at Bowie with sword
cane. Bowie. PROSTATE on the sand. CRASHED
the cane with his left hand and. holding his
Pedro knife in his right. cut his asSailant
nearly in two. Another of the Maddox faction
rushed up. thought better Of it when within
two feet and turned to retreat. As he did so
Bowie slashed at him viciouSly and cut of his
pOdttulS just NJ waist 10 cItuIIIS as II 'OHAA
have been done with pair Of scissors To the
day of his death this man suffered under the
opprobrious epithet. Bob-Taed Crane. Bowie
was in bod for six months after the sand-bar
fight and when he got well. Louisiana having
grown too hot to hold him. went TO Texas.
where he fought for 1--WE years before meeting
his death with the flag Of 1924. the flag Of tho
infant Texas republic. waving over him.
| The testimony OF Nine. Candclaria. who was
| ~. coll tSrina
| of Bowie's being found with a ring Of dead
Mexicans around him. all bearing the marks
| OF his terrible knife" For days before the fall
| OF the church fortress he had been too weak to
! lift his hand to his head. Nine. Candelaria
| washed his face for him each morning in the
| water which was hauled M in little buckets
| from the irrigation ditch that ran Just outside
| of the rear wall and fed him with such food as
she could get. The mans dauntless spirit
never hickered. but disease prevented him
| from taking any active part in the de-
fense. II was on the evening OF March }.
| 1896. after days and nights Of struggle. that
| Col Barrett Travis. commanding, had his men
| arranged in line and spoke to them. telling
| them that they were doomed, and giving per
mission to any man to leave the fort who cared
| to do so. Rose was the only one who lett. In
ending Travis drew line on the ground with
| the pont of his sword and said that every man
willing to die for glory and duty should step
across it, Bowie had been brought into the
! ward on the canvas cot which was his bed. and
smoke first. He said
Boys. can't walk but some OF you please
lift me on that side Of the line"
| He was lifted over
When the Alamo fell Bowie was lying with
his head upon Candelaria's bosom.
She was feeding him milk. Tho MeXicans
rushed in and one Of them drove bayonet to
the clamp into Bowio's breast He died with
ont struggle. The point OF tho bayonet in
passing deeply Gashed Candclaria's chin and
| she bore the scar all her life. Bowie was un-
able to offer any resistance at all, nor did he
lay two Mexicans low with bis pistols as has
been printed thousand times. In fact. OF all
the characters of national fame who persisted
at tho Alamo Crockett was the only one who
appeared to have been fatal to the last. Dead
| focmen were around him two deep. lilo died