The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-08-02

{lfff &fEHT fHIK<A AD' Treasurer of Alabama. The home of Judge Crawford was in the suburb of Rodney. Here he lived with his wife and their daughter. the fair Caroline whose memory he has immortalized. He sent, It is said to Italy for the marble obelisk which marks her grave ana upon which is carved the record of her virtues. The shaft of Italian marble in those days of difficult transportation is said to have cost 5000. The daughter was married to Samuel Thompson Brown. and his grief at her death with that of the father is carved on the marble.
 Judge Crawford was an innocent psrtic- ipant in a tragedy which deeply stirred the pioneer town, an account of which Is given in one of the letters of General SiIas Dinsmore. Judge Crawford was shot from ambush and seriously wounded by young lawyer of absolute habits, R. H. Gilmer. Gilmer had some months previously come to St. stephens. when he was licensed to practice law. In some way Judge Crawford gained his Fl will
 The young lawyer concealed himself be- hind house and as Judge Crawford passed fired at him with a loaded shot gun, Judge Crawford fell to the ground severely hurt but not fatally wounded
 Gilmer attempted to escape. He fled to the hills west of the town but finding his pursuers close upon him he stopped. Be- fore they could seize him he slash ed open the arteries of his arms. He bled slowly to death as his captors stood about him. With death close upon him Gilmer said: T can die with the satisfaction of know ing that have sent a scoundrel before me into the other world"
 xa~s. t><xAx t%,rNs AA rt frnp the other dead of St. Stephens and to this day the mound that marks this grave of the suicide is pointed out to the occasional visitor to the dead town.
 A magnificent painting of Judge Craw- ford and his wife by Sully. the famous artist, form part of the historic ard. ar tistic treasures of the State Department of Archives and History.
 Destruction of State Funds. Major Jack Ferrill Ross. the States first Treasurer, was one of the unique and interesting figures of Alabama's early history. He was an officer of the United States Army, serving throughout the War of 1872 with Great Britain. Shortly after its close, in 1877, while stationed at Mobile, he resigned his commission, re- cognizing the great future that lay before the new Territory. He moved to St. Ste- phens where he opened remarkably successful mercantile business. In ap' pearance he was stalwart and handsome. He was of a genial nature and his splen- did hospitality is recorded in the contem- porary writings of the old town. He was made Territorial Treasurer in ISIS shortly after the Territory of Ala bama was created He had the misfor- tune to lose his home, his store and their contents, together with what territorial funds he had on hand. by fire in 1SlS. Alabama was not wealthy at that time, as Is shown by the fact that the total of the funds in the hands of the Treas urer amounted to only $606.
 Major Ross moved from St. Stephens to Mobile, its more promising rival, in 1924. He was a wealthy merchant of that town for many years, dying there of yell low fever in 1887.
 In the heyday of St. Stephenss pros- perity. Gen. Sam Dale, the picturesque pioneer whose deeds have endured for nearly a century. was frequent visitor, Dale was the hero of hundred fist fights, a fist fight in those days being the most common test of manhood. He was fa- nous Indian fighter. man of great per- sonal prowess, and a man greatly esteem- ed by the early settlers of Alabama. He was a member of the Territorial and State Legislatures of Alabama, and he was named on the special commission appoint ed to select a seat for the State Govern ment when it was decided to remove the Capitol from St. Stephens.
 Here lived Jeremiah Austill and not far off resided James Smith. the com panions of Sam Dale In the famous strug- gle on hetAlabama River known as the Canoe Fight a struggle that has im- mortalized the names of the white partic- lpants.
 The Famous Canoe Fight.
 This frontier incident is worthy of the time and talents Of the most gifted writ CT and perhaps some future writer may vividly portray 1t for the coming genera tions. The three white men, Smith. Aus till and Dale met in combat nine Indian warriors on the waters of the Alabama river. They went to the fight deliberately. 'rhe three knew nothing of fear and each was a man of great physical strength.
 The canoe filled with the nine Indians was met in mid-stream by the white mans canoe padded by a negro named Casoe. As the canoes swung together, acting upon the white mems instruction. Casoe. crouching low. seized the boat of the Indians and with the canoes thus locked together the fight was fought out.
 An Indian warrior in paint and feathers stood erect in his boat and cried exult- antly, Sam Thlucca (Big Sam) we've got you at last.
 White men and Indians met with club bed guns. Quarters were too close for open firing. The Indians filled The boat so that they hampered each other S movements. The white men had room for the play of arms and swing of mus kets. One went down from a 3low orI the head but a companion stood )vef him with outSpread legs and beat back the assailapts until the fallen one coIld rise. Blood flowed into the bottom of the In- dian's canoe until 1t stool in deep pools. One by one the Indians were beaten down until the bottom of the canoe was filled with the bodies of the red warriors.
 The last to fall was a young Indian brave who before the uprising had been a devoted friend of DAle's. In after years Dale could not recall the death of this Indian youth, for Dale himself st@uck the last fatal blow, without tears.
 When Caesar released the blood-drench- ed canoe, there was not sign of life in 1t.
 In the peaceful walks of life thcre were many whose names yet live, names which have been carved for many years upon the messy tombs in the forest. There were David H. Mayhcw. the Northern school master who founded the St. Steph- ems Academy: pr Mitchell Dougherty. the skilled physicians and the others of his calling. Drs. Thomas peInt. George Bueh- anan and others.
 John B Hazard. the cashier ot the Tombigbee Bank. sleeps near the center of new St Stephens three miles away. In the law there were the gifted Ptolemy Harris and the able Judge Crawford.
 The two sessions of the Legislature held there in ISIS drew to St, Stephens the