Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1899-08-12
IN a BLAZE OF GLORY
THE DRAMATIC EXIT OF OLD CAP
FROM LIES STAGE.

wild Death. and He Summoned
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 man who had gone
west, made his pile in mining and
come back to enjoy himself. You'll
find it up in the Rockies among the
hardest, toughest citizens that ever
handled n pick or shot a bear. The
melodramatic instinct is mighty strong
in most men, and the glare of the cal
cium is eagerly sought after by many
who won't admit it. knew an old
man out in Arizona some years ago
who was one of this kind. He was
about the most don't give darn cuss
/ ever knew. He lived up in the noun
tains, about ten miles back of Tucson,
all by himself.
How he managed to live 1 never
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 a
in the days l speak of it wouldn't do to
tread on his toes. He loved to tell of
his wild life, and the frankness with
which he related his somewhat ques-
tioDable escapades made him an excel
lent entertainer If you didn't happen
TO feel squeamish. SQueamishness isn't
n 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 one 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 l ever got
mixed up with. He certainly did go
out in n blaze of glory. 1t all happen
ed about seven years ago. / was in
Tucson. \ lot of US boys were sitting
around in front of a ginmill one after
noon, just talking about things in gen
eral. Our horses were tied in the yard
at the back. 1t was 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.
LAS / was saying. we all sat on easy
wicker chairs, talking and whiting L
reckon, when down the street came Il
10-year-old boy riding broncho. We
recognized him as youngster who
lived q 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.
Whats the matter, bub?' asked a
tall Texan. who was in the party.
"-Old Cap says t come right up t.
his place right OFF an fetch all TIL men
yer kin git. TIL Injuns is cominr
The Indians were always liable to
bust loose and do something nobody
suspected, so we got our horses out in
a jiffy and started up the trail to save
Old Cap. There were about a dozen of
us. and we had our Winchesters and six
shooters with US. When we got near
to Old Caps we slowed up a bit and
began to look pretty sharp for Indians,
but not a sign of n redskin could we
see.
Wen be in time, boys said the
Texan, who was leading the band. 'Ef
we get to Old Caps cabin we kin stand
off a pretty smart lot
''Old Caps cabin was situated in 4
clearing off the trail around a 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 keg 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 our horses hoofs beating
the rocky trail before we wheeled into
view, and he was ready for US. Wait |
ing until we had come within 10 yards
of him, he lifted his hat and moved it |
above his head with a hoarse, wild |
yell. AS / think of it now it sounded |
like the cry of a 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 |
it between them.
''There was n yellow puff of smoke !
tinged with n flash of red, and then n |
terrific roar. Old Caps body flew sky |
ward, and when it came down it didn |
look like a human beings. He had |
been sitting on a keg of powder and |
had deliberately blown himself up. |
Funny thing for man to do, wasn't |
it? Old Cap apparently got tired of /
life and decided TO kill himself. He |
wanted an audience. So he sent the |
kid out to drum one up. He got what |
he wanted, but it wasn't a very sympa-
thetic one. Men don't go much on gush
out there. and the Texan was a little
sore about the trick wed had PLAYED |