Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1902-03-19
William Tate's Career.

William Tate'S Career.
One of the most remarkable charac-
ters in the whole southwest recently sp-
piled to Clerk Brsska for a license to
wed. The record shows: civilian
Tate, of Henrietta, Texas, "A; Eliza G..
Ellis, of Chicago, 49,"
The groom formerly resided in Della
ware county, Iowa, as did the bride, but
they did not care to be married in that
community because of the remarks that
were liable to be passed concerning the
disparity in their ages. So they went
to Marion, told no one except the off,
cial authorized to tie the knot, and then
started south to Texas, where they will
make their future home.
William Tate is a Scotchman, tall,
hale, hearty and active. His step is as
firm and his eye as clear as when he
was 60. He located in Texas number
of years ago, when each man was law
unto himself and the pistol the peace
officer. Mr.. Tate located on large
ranch, stocked 1t and started in to &C.
quire fortune in the comparatively
easy manner that fortunes were made
In those days. All was not smooth
sailing, however, for the cattle men
whose plans he had interfered with by
cutting into the range became ugly and
menanced him repeatedly.
A Frontier Tragedy.
One day the climax was reached. In
trying to defend their property against
the attack of band of murderous out
laws and cowboys Tate and his son, a
young man inheriting his fathers stat.
ure and courage, were engaged in
pitched battle. When the smoke cleared
away Tate was in undisputed possession
of the ground, but close by lay the body
of his son, pierced with the bullet of an
assassin.
The father knew who had fired the
shot. He made VOW before heaven
that he would revenge his sons death
if 1t took lifetime. The simple funer-
al obsequies over, the grief-racked par
ent took the trail. Day after day pass
ed. At times there seemed to be no
hope that he would overtake the murd-
erer. Ten, twenty, thirty days rolled
away, but they found the old man still
on the trail, bis eyes strained in the d.
recti0n that he knew the outlaw had
taken. On the thirty-second day there
was meeting. All had been planned
during those long hours on the hot,
dusty trail, and the attack was made
and conducted exactly as the ranchman
had hoped. BY quick manipulation
of the lasso the moose was sent whirling
over the murderer's head. AS the we'll
trained horse settled back on his
launches, the moose lessened in size,
and when 1t settled swiftly over the
shoulders of the doomed man it requir-
ed but slight touch to bring it tight
Bound hand and foot, the murderer
was placed on his horse and started for
the Tate ranch. What transpired and
what was said on that long trip no one
but the old man Tate will ever know.
Itis known, however, that at the end
of the journey, almost on the spot
where the killing of young Tate had
taken place, there was another death,
and old man Tate erected the gal
lows and acted as executioner. He had
no one to assist him, and no one dared
offer any interference. He was meet
ing out the penalty of the law. Not
even stick marks the spot where the
body lies buried.
The years have sped by. The cour
ageous old frontiersman has prospered
but he was lonely. On horse selling
trip to Iowa he met the woman who
now bears his name, and few months
later he returned to claim her as his
bride. Law and order now reign ir
Texas. Nothing will probably ever oc-
cur to mar the happiness Of this singu-
lsrly mated couple in their comfortable
home, for those who have met William
Tate say that they would not care t.
engage in duel with him even at hi
advanced years. Cedar Rapids Gaz-
cite.