The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1900-08-10
HERO OF A H.
MARKARXE DUEL

y A1'iAn - ~ -
Lexington. KY. - Especially = Joseph
aoURAn. who died few days ago at
- ancestral home on Jessanine Creek,
tuenty-one miles from this city, was
she hero Of the most remarkable duel
0eyr fought In the south.
BOvman's father, Joseph Bowman ST.,
Ge to Kentucky more than 100 years
okD from Maryland and settled on Jes-
9Dmins creek. He found there little
eDaouy of Germans, and married the
dn8hter OF one Of them. Miss Eliza
aoefh clearinghouse girl of II. They
aaIe very poor. Their Oldest son. Jo-
Rph- had to work the farm in summer
and go to school for few months each
U5Ater.
BY hard work he educated himself
Dn1ciently to teach country schools;
12W citizens Of the Jessanine creek
aeighborh0od, now old men, went to
school to him. He tired of the prosaic
0Re OF Jessamine creek. but he contin-
I'D to remain and teach school in the
Winfer and help on the farm during
NE Hmmer.
He lost his father under peculiar cir
;gunastances.
The old man always went to the
spEtng each morning for water for his
Nife One morning he failed to return.
o0d she sent Joe to look for his father.
lie found the bucket at the spring, but
- trace Of the missing man. Nothing
Os eer heard Of the elder Joseph Bow
-A He had disappeared as II the
NKth had swallowed him up. His wife
0sea until few years 40. when she
1sA at the age of 1o4-always expect
A4 that MY joe as she called her
,1Nband. would return.
FINALLY young Joseph Bowman decid-
- 10 go south about the year 1915. He
OeBt to Mississippi and took position
~ oyerseer on a plantation. Several
y0n later he went TO Louisiana and
Ecepted similar position.
He was six feet one inch high. raw
Anned and perfect giant in strength.
EfAs7ng been used to steady manual la
1EK 1rUm boyhood, his muscles were as
xd as iron, and he inspired fear
1nong the negroes over which he had
1een set. He had deep blue eyes set
aer a heavy brow, large nose. heavy
1Dwer jaw. firm mouth. high cheek
1rn- To the latter possession his long |
{ liz WIS due.
He possessed q kindly nature: was !
1azd TO provoke to anger. but when
s@e aroused he was a fiend incarnate |
d mercy was for the time blotted
1kon his mind. The negroes of the
11atdanA plantation soon spread the |
<vs that MARS" Bowman was the
nest man to best in q personal diffi-
Sly IN the parish.
-4hls news spread to other planta-
Int II did not come to the ears
- Bowman for months. Then he learn
- Of his reputation In an unusual way.
He was on the plantation one day su-
the building Of some
r1n11Hs across the drains. Several
- Elihurs were present. A stranger
- up. He was fully six feet high.
And long. black hair that fell to his
dlderH and q piercing and cruel eye.
NIk1uIe NE dismounted he askd the
i II they could tell him where he
esuld fnd Joe Bowman.
IN nhe mention Of his name Bowman
spped forward and said: 81 am Bow
zunpose you are looking for me:
/ VIA t.canIIxs for your
= understand you are the bully Of
'lias parish" replied the stranger. "and
h1ye come to settle the matter. My
80 10 Abner Smelling. and have
neen considered for years theSbest man
~ the parish. and you and me cannot
E1sn Mye here z
1sumsan thought the man was Joking.
MA replied: You have been misin-
d xIsfd, Mr.. Smelling. am not bully;
s1nfgriis 10 my home. I am under con-
II 1.ere, ana i don.x see how can
1 1--we and do Justice to my employer"
WelL We can't both live In the par
Z sald Smelling.
IIon do yon propose to settle lit"
reN newman.
sS.5 m skhcw you.'' Smelling then made
- rirg In ne sandy soil about ten feet
- diameter. made mark through the
eenter Of Il and produced two large
sxse knives, take your choice" he
.aM 10 Bowman.
n man then stepped into the ring
Shslllng toed the mark through the
\ lenter. atili Bowman supposed the
4 s. was making . bluff. He struck at
& man ana the latter raised his arm
Wand on the blow when the knife
:. deep cash In his forearm. Before
xould recover from his surprise,
eslin9 had struck another blow with
49, knife, cutting through Bowman's
bone and severing two; RIBS.
srhen newman closed in on Smelling
1865 ~ could strike again. and ow-
- hfs abnorrnaily long arm he
aaBie "a reach around his oppo-
& six.s go. ne brought the knife to-
him ana almost cut Smelling In
ii The latter fell n q heap end
u ,ssan putting HI foot on the pros
Il eufs mAn.s head made slash at his
], aliuost severing the head from
hoay. AZ the head rolled over In
PrfSvis