The St. Louis Republic., 1900-09-02

great state OF MISSOURI was John Smith
| T., a man of great personal bravery and
prowess. His was a most interesting char
| acter, and 80 great was his fame that the
mention Of his name is greeted with remi-
niscent smiles among those who have heard
their fathers tell Of him.
He was a fighter fierce and dreaded; q
patriot trusted by all. even his enemies. and
q wealthy mine owner. Breckenridge has
xiven this account of him; He was a small
man of a delicate frame. even somewhat
efYeminate In his appearance. mild blue eyes,
fair hair, fair complexion. his face smooth
and youthful. although he was not less than
10 years Of age. His manners in his family
were mild and gentle: kindness and benev-
olence appeared to be the natural growth
Of his heart" While Breckenridge was with
him that mild-mannered gentlemen invaded
q bears den in q cave in the rocks; crawl
ing in on his stomach. torch in hand. he
shot the beast lying down so that It would
rush over his body. and then coming out
cooIly as II he had Done nothing extraor-
dinary. Breckenridge also tells this story
of him:
"One Of the disgerS at the mines. man
Of ferocious character and herculean frame.
resolved to assasMnate the Colonel. Taking
his rife. for he was great shot, he went
to the house OF Colonel Smith and chal-
lenged him to o trial Of skill at a mark
the head OF O nail-the best In three. dis
tance OF sixty yards. The challenge was
accepted. and they proceeded some distance
from the house when the rufI1an seized the
f,rst opportunity to turn the muzzle Of his
rife on his unsuspecting companion. but in
y a. ho~ xba hal ~aod thrauoh ha Coll
oners left shoulder. without infiicting q
mortal wound He fell. The assailant
rushed upon him and fell with him to tie
ground; while the Colonel. whose presence
Of mind never forsook him. drew his dirk
but missed his aim and drove It into his own
thigh. He drew It out. struck the assassin
on the ribs; the weapon bent. and as last
desperate effort he drew 1t across the
stomach Of the ruffian. innicting a mortal
wound.
''The assassin. who had been endeavoring
to seize the Colonel by the throat, now re-
leased his hold and they both lay for some
time bathed in blood. The slaves coming
up carried them both into the house. And
here It may be mentioned az q proof Of the
msgnanimity Of the Colonel. that by bis
orders every attention was paid TO his
wounds"
John Smith T. was born in Georgia. and
when a young man removed to Tennessee
and settled in the neighborhood Of Nash
vile. There were SO many John Smiths
that he determined TO add the capital let
ter at the end of his name. not only to
distinguish him from the other John Smiths.
but also to indicate that he was John
Smith Of Tennessee" for which the letter
stood. He became distinguished for his
great expertness in the use Of firearms.
the duels he had fought and the number Of
men he had killed. 1t was said he had
killed fifteen men. mostly In duels. where
his own life was In danger.
Colonel Smith, after moving from Ten
nessee. settled in Kentucky on the Ohio
River, near the mouth Of the Cumberland.
and from him the place took It's name.
"smithland." writes John F. Darby in his
recollecticns Colonel Smith left Smithisnd
and came to Upper Louisiana and settled
In what was then known as Ste. Gene
We've County. about the time the country
was transferred to the United States. He
built houses and improved q farm. aud
carried on mining operations at a place
called 6htbboleth. where he lived for
number Of years. He was q man Of wealth.
He owned q claim to land in Alabama
called The Yasoo claim. for which 1t was
said the Government offered him 100000.
This Re afterwards lost In lawsuit which
was decided against him.
When he settled in Ste. Genevieve Coun- |
ty, Colonel Smith was appointed a Judge
In the Court Of Common Pleas. At his own
expense he went to Washington to lay be-
fore the authorities at Washington the
grievances of the Inhabitants.
Colonel Smith always went armed. He
had two pistols under his coat In a belt |
around his body. generally two pocket pis- |
tolls in his side coat pocket. and q dirk in |
his bosom. He had a negro man. q slave. |
named Dave. who was an excellent gun
smith and a fine mechanic. He had a gun
smith shop near the house. built expressly |
for Dave to work in and keep his rifles, |
guns and pistols in order.
About the time of Aaron Burr's expedi-
ton down the Mississippi. Colonel John |
T. Smith was Judge of the Court Of Com
mon Pleas. and Henry Dodge. afterwards |
Senator from Wisconsin. was Sheriff of
the district OF Ste. Genevieve. Smith and |
Dodge were then good friends. although |
they became enemies afterwards Having
heard that Burr was going down the Mis- |
sissippi to 60 over and whip Mexico, then |
a Spanish Province. these gentlemen said |
that II there was any fighting they must |
take q hand in II. They started down the
river In canoes to Join Burr. When they
New Madrid they found President /
Jefferson's proclamation denouncing Burr
and his whole enterprise a. unlawful. Much
they returned to Ste. Genevieve,
smith going to his farm in the country.
When Dodge got to town he found great
excitement; the Grand Jury was in ses-
sion and had indicted him and Smith for
treason. Dodge surrendered himself and
gave bail for his appearance. After doing
his. considering himself greatly outraged
BY the action Of the Grand Jury. he pulled
,ff his coat. rolled up his sleeves and
whipped nine of the Grand Jurors He
would have whipped the others IL they had
lot run away. Dodge was a tall man, Dos
'essed Of great strength, and as straight
Is an Indian.
In the meantime John Smith T. heard |
What had been done. One day he ordered
ne of his negro men to bring out his sad
lie horse and hitch 1t at the gate. Looking
at of the window, he saw Otto Schrader,
he Coroner, riding up Colonel Smith called
ut to him from the door:
II know what you have come for: yon
ave writ and will try to arrest me, II
GU attempt It you are a dead man. I Will
ot be arrested"
After some conversation he said: TT was
I