Democratic messenger., 1902-11-15


needs. may be seen every day. Time
was when he was engaged in taking
mems lives at the risk of his own in
stead OF preparing families for emer-
gencies when the grim visitor calls
head of home. Probably i'll all
New York. in the very heart OF the
conglomerate assemblage of men OF
action from every part and section OF
the globe. there is no other single in
dividual who has slain more human
creatures with his own hands than
has the now peaceful insurance man.
The old Colonel" he is spoken Of
by the male members of his Office
STAFF: col. b" he is to a half
score of young women who fill the OF
fees with the click and rattle of as
many typewTiting machines; and PLAN
Colonel" he is addressed by the
stock brokers and Wall street men
who call upon the interesting veteran
of Indian fights and outlaw skirmish-
es to chat and to leave their business
with him. Snow-white is the hair
that escapes from under the broad
hrim of the campaign hat on the ven
cradle head and snow-white are the
dropping mnstaches. one of which oi-
sects an APPARENT saber cut on the left
cheek. the like of which mark is borne
probably by no other living man. for
il is where an Indian arrow slit open
his face more than so years ago. Yet.
there are other wounds healed, most OF
them hidden. though one is worthy OF
especial mention. This is a furrow,
iengthwise across the scalp, where
bullet ploughed a cash deep enough
TO hide a lead pencil to this day. the
result # a chase OF desperate horse
thief who turned in his saddle, AMI
with a Colts six-shooter came with
in an ace of making good his escape
for as a commander of the Texas
Rangers the colonel gained his title.
Tell you about the most desperate
experience | ever had2" repeated the
old fighter. laying aside his CORE
spondence An yielding to the tempta-
tion TO rehearse the old days with the
visitor-"why. that question l have
been asked and have not been able 70
answer a hundred times. When a man
takes his life in his hand and no
matter what the motive, whether for
pure excitement or for a pobler pur-
pose-and when he scouts the plains
of cutlawry teeming with lawbreakers
and trouble makers, he is apt to find
all the excitement he wants, and is
likely to find numbers of experiences
equally satisfactory without being able
to make n choice. But I'll tell you my
pet experience.
Il was young man then, just en-
listed in the famous Capt. Jack Hayes
company of Rangers. which was fight
ing the Mexicans in those days, and at
the same time had their hands full
with the Comanches. This was about
the time of the invention of the Colt 5
revolver. A man travelling in New
York was presented with pair of six
shooters by Col. Colt himself. and ne
in turn gave them to Capt. Hayes. who
was so pleased with them that he new
er rested until every man in the COM
pany was in possession of at least one
of the weapons. Then followed prac-
tice almost night and day. until there
was net a man in the company that
was not good for dropping an Indian
at 125 yards in a single shot.
About that time the captain with
fifteen men was out just above San
Antonio doubling about the country
for sign of Indians and spelling for
2 chance 10 try his new reyolvers on
them. We had not long to wait No
sooner we found sign than we cut
their trail several times and con-
cluded that they were following us
even as We were hunting for them
That simplified matters and the red
ones soon appeared-75 of them.
Fellows, they're preparing to
charge us. stand ready to give them
- he said. and that meant a win.
for not in the history of that leader
did he ever conduct a losing fight.
That vas the first time Hayes did not
choose to attack. In former fights it
was his maxim that God was with the
attacking party. In this he figured On
from the bcIis of standing horses, not
to mention the surprise CT the Indians
at the vclleys that would be poured
into them from the new weapon. So
we waited while the red men on their
war ponies drew up in a long line
and at a signal came upon us like n
whirlwind. lying close to their horses
and saving hail of arrows until with
in range. Not a shot was fired until
the enemy was within 125 yards of us
and then the volley broke loose. a
flaming, banging front. turned against
the oncomers and with the first shot
both horses and men began to drop.
wind at the time we finally had to
crouch to get under the smoke of the
powder. II didn't take the Indians long
to see they were up against some new
devils invention. and they broke
ranks and fed terror stricken, while
we dashed after them and killed and
slaughtered everything within range.
so of the rs Indians were killed out
right and ten more of them remained
behind, too desperately wounded to
escape. And that same was the first
Of weary siege of peace we had for
some time after. for the revolver ha i
struck new and unknown terrors into
the hearts of the savages.
But just about then there came
other fish to fry. Trade with Mexico
had sprung up and bandits began to
waylay the traders and got pretty bad