The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-06-02

say fellows, exclaimed Todd Benton,
one Of the bunch of five K. K. cow
punchers who were returning from a trip
to Bluestream ranch last Sunday, the
boss of Bluestream ranch is a mighty
hne feller, but how the deuce SIGH a
mild talkin', quiet chap as he seems ter
DE kin keep that tough crowd from rals-
in thunder now N then gifts me. Why,
ne looks more Ike a mi amy S nlay
school boss'n manager of the toughest
gang in this section of Texas"
Sunday school teacher!-looks like a
trainer of kids! Wei, Todd, 1 did think
you was better judge of character than
that. George Fontaine, or, Capt Fon-
tame, as they call him, is one of the
most determined men in the state He's
not only fearless, but when he makes up
his m nd nothing on earth W II stop him.
Fontaine is really a q let mild appear
ing man ordinarily, but IL you once saw
MIN In deadly earnest you'd change your
mind mighty quick. Why, that man
once carried out a deeI of revenge which
excited and interested the whole state Of
Texas ana half the country, when single
handed and alone he wiced f4om the
lace of the earth one of the worst
bands Of robbers and scoundrels that
cursed the border thirty years ago and
he was only about twenty y ars old at
the time, a green Kentucky boy on his
way to this country when the affair
happened,' said Joe Baker, the Oldest
man in the group, a grizzled ex-vetecan
OF the rangers.
= have heard paris of the story" sad
Maj Lewis boss of the outfit, 'but
never got its details. Suppose you give
# to us, joe when we get into camp.
That evening by the side of the camp
fire Old Joe Baker told the following story
of the desperate revenge of young
George Fontaine for the murder OF his
brother and friend:
Thirty years ago George and Randall
Fontaine, with an Old schOolmate and
friend, William Kenton eft Kentucky
to make start on the frontier of Texas.
Young kenton was about twenty-siX
years Old about the same age as I an
dali Fontaine, while George was fully
five years younger. All of you who are
old enough will remember that directly
after the war almost eY ~ outlaw in
the country, North ami South, made his
way to the frontiers. thousands of them
finding hiding places and headquarters
along TIE borders Of Texas and the In
dian Territory
One evening the two Fontaines and
young Kenton pulled up at a twe-st0ry
icS tavern near Walnut bayou The
tavern keeper was an i'll favored German,
who looked as though ne would cut a
throat for a five dollar BILL but as he
seemed viii ng to accommodate them the
ped. About midnight the Fontaines, who
roomed together in the upper story,
heard a confused noise from below bat
naturally, supposing that other travel
ers had arrived, they thought but little
about it until about an hour later when
cautious tap on their door aroused
them. When George unfaStened it tins
door was fastened by a common wooden
button-younS Kenton stole in in his
stocking feet, and with his pistol in his
hand
"Sh! Keep quietr' he whispered
"Boys, we are in terrible danger
There's eight of the worst looking scoun-
drels down below ! ever saw. There is
a crack in the floor of my room, which
IS over the bar or office, and when I
heard the crowd coming in I somehow
suspected that they might be soma of
the robbers we had been warned to look
out for, and so got out of bed as quiet
ly as possible and got down and looked
through the crack. I could see every
man in the crowd as they stood up to the
bar drinking and talking, and I never
saw as Inurderous a looking gang.
could near all they said. for, although
they tried to talk in a low tone of voice
the sound reached me as plainly as if
had been in their midst l heard the
landlord tell them that the young fel-
lows We're tr bed upstairs and that they
AtOhcN as IL lilGy lldNl plenty Oh money,
and heard one of the band, a big tall
black Whiskered giant say: Wen so up
and fix EN- after they get sound asleep.
Where cid you put em, Jake?". In the
two front. rooms, Cap'n,' replied the land
lord
g All right, said the big ruffian.' And
now said kenton, They'll be up here
fl less than an hour. Can't we get out:'
mo" said Randall. IF you look out
fyrO
shed. in front, but I believe We mad bet
ter chance rooms. Suppose we steal ont
of this into one of the back rooms At
all events We'll not be taken by surprise
thero and perhaps we may be able to
get out On that side of the house"
All 'hrce agreed to RandalFs plan, and
as quickly rs possible they stole out,
closing the door after them. The door
OF one Of the back rooms was opened,
and into it they went, with their boots in
their hands Then they fastened the
door rs lest they could, and, ut Randalls
suggestion, they quickly piled the two
chairs an old washstand and the bed
against it; not that the stuff would keel
the robbers out, for it was a rickety lot,
but that It might confuse and detain the
outlaws while the young men would
have a chance to pick some of them off
After al this was arranged they raised
the window at the back, through which
to retreat at the last extremity, and
with tfeir pistols ready, waited, for they
knew that it was now too late to at
tempt to set away on foot, which they
would have to 90 if they jumped out of
the back window.
They Gld not have to wait long for the
robbers. emboldened Ky the whisky they
had heen drinking were so n arj com
Ing up the stairs, at tire upper Ia di #
which they separated. and the yoIrg men
heard them trying the dcCrs of tie rooms
they had vacated only few minu.es be-
fore There was a minutes silsnce fol-
bowed by a roar of r5ge and cIIsirgs,
when the thieves found that their o
posed victims were net in the looms.
Then back, at the command o thoi- adj
er, they came Ready, boys" sid Ran
dali Fontaine, quietly stand back OFT
of ranse and don't fire until you a. my
first shot; then shoot to kill"
A minutes hesitation with the crowd
outside followed, then crash G me the
door and in poured the gang. tumal ng
over each other as they strcck the m ISIS
Of piled I'D furniture. Crack vert Ran
dalrs pistol, followed by the crack, crack
Kent0n into the crowd Che Of tn ROB
bers fell dead. and Randall was about t.
shoot again, when the black whiskeied
leader of the band. who was OUTSIDE of
the door. shot him through tie h art.
YounG Kenton was shot ana killed a
second later, and George Fontaine, PEI
ceiving his opportunity in the sE-oke
which filed the room. spr2ny from he
window and made his escare Int the
woods on foot; but George AT mt oir e
didn't GUn away because he feared de tn