The National tribune., 1901-05-02
ROUGH RIDING.
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NOOOIl NlDlLNO.
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tents to be mostly gold and about equal
in amount to the bankers pile, at the
same time drawing his shooter and hold
ing it in his hand, merely to insure fair
play" rs he said. Then speaking to the
banker he simply said:
Now. deal"
The banker shuffied his cards, passed
them to Hart to cut, and began dealing.
The card upon which the handkerchief
rested won. Keeping his eyes on the
banker, Hart said:
Back out-don't even touch your pis-
tol; I'll return it to you after I've raked
in the pot"
The banker did as ordered, and Hart
sat down to the table, and, still holding
his shooter in one hand, with the other
arm reached around the bankers pile and
swept it across the table to him. He then
sorted out all the large pieces-twenties,
tens, fives, -halfs-and put them
into his handkerchief. There was still
lot of one-dollar gold pieces and small sill
yer on the board, nearly double handful.
These he scooped up in his hands, and re-
marking. Il don't carry such stuff as
this" tossed it up in the air and let the
crowd scramble for it.
He t!.en. with a polite bow. after gath
ering up his handkerchief, returned the
recent banker his siX-shoter. Mt the same
=
ing, Heres n little stake for you. pare" !"
L have been particular TO describe this
man Hart, and this incident because
am credibly informed that Charley Hart,
the gambler, afterwards became famous
rs Quantrell, the rebel guerrilla chief, dur
ing the late war of the rebellion.
After the Mormon expedition he went
TO Lawrence, Kansas Territory, where he
taught school a while, and was there
known as Charles Hart.
JIM BRIDGER.
Another one of the celebrities of this
country is Jim Bridger, the recent owner
of Fort Bridger. As trader, trapper. hun
ter. guide, scout and Indian fighter. he has
gained n wide notoriety on the frontier.
He seems never better pleased than when
sitting around the campfire telling yarns
to credulous "tenderfcet." One day when
asked. "Mr. Bridger. how long have you
been in this country" he replied. pointing
to one of the highest peaks of the noun
tains, ''Do you see that knoll off thereT
"Yes." ''Well when | come to this cOun-
try that was a hole in the ground. You
can count the time for yourself. Figgers
aint my best holt"
He is thoroughly acquainted with every
foot of the country for hundreds of miles
around, and as n gGide, interpreter and
trailer on Indian scouts his services are
always in demand. Such men usually get
\ lTOm sSD 10 Hc per "util III the tlh-
ploy of the Government.
The attached picture, clipped from n
Century Magazine, is q correct likeness
OF old Jim as I saw him at Fort Bridger,
Utah, during the Summer of 'JS.
Another of the notables here is jim
Baker, a long, lean, lank, tough-looking
specimen of the frOntlerSman who Is sell
dom seen without his rifle in hand on the
stock of which | counted 13 cut Botches.
which is said to represent the lives of as
many MormOns taken 10y him in revenge
for the death of brother who was cruelty
murdered by some of Brigham'S disciples
some time ago.
A powerfully-built young man. of de-
cidedly Scandinavian features. was point
ed out to me as Big Phil or Phil the
Cannibal." as he il sometimes called.
1t is told of him that he WAS employed
some time ago by Gen. Harvey to carry
some important papers in dead of Win
ter from Fort LeayenwOrth to one of the
remote northern posts. Phil and an In
dian companion undertook the trip on
foot. The weather was very stormy; they
ran out Of provisions, and were on the
point of starvation. when the fortunate
query occurred to Phifs mind, II wonder
how Indian meat would taste"
He soon decided the question. for when
they made their camp that night Phil
killed the Indian and rioted on Indian
steak for supper and breakfast. He then
cut up as much of the meat as he could
well carry, and finished the trip alone;
had plenty of meat to do him the rest of
the way, and steak or two left when he
got through.
AS it is hardly considered misdemean-
or even, in this country, to kill an Indian,
Phil had no delicacy in telling how he
subsisted and why the Indian died.
One of Pills old chums. telling me of
this, said he didn't believe the Indians
was the only human flesh Phil had eaten;
thought he had a natural appetite for it.
"Once," he remarked, "when Phil and
I were out on a tramp together we ran
out of grub, and from that time till the
end of the trip | made him walk in tie
lead. / wouldn't trust him behind me
when grub was short"
Bridger Gen. Johnston's little army Of
In three days after our arrival at Fort
about 5000 men started for Salt Lake
City.
In about eight days after Gen. John
ston's command left us we received the
news that he had entered and taken pos
session of Salt Lake City, without oppo-
sition the Mormons sullenly giving way.
A provisional government is established
in the Territory by Uncle Sam, backed
by his troops. A large military post is
to be established near the city. called
of War; and this post is to be garrisoned
bv a sufficient number of soldiers to main
tain order and enforce the laws.
Fort Bridger is located in n we'll
watered valley on Blacks Fork of Green
River. The creek here branches out in
several small streams, scattered over the
valley, all uniting again just below the
most. Mountains are in sight all around,
and away to the south many miles are
seen the snow-cOvered tops of the Uiutah
Range. Maj. Hoffman, 9th Inf, who
commanded our outfit from Leavenworth
to Bridger is left to command the post.
CTo be continued1
EDITORIAL NoTE.--An adventure with a
rartv of Ute hnrse-thieYes adds vartetY TO