The Roswell daily record. [volume] (Roswell, N.M.) 1903-current, 1907-04-23

Milwaukee, Wis, April 23.-Work-
ing as a laborer in a Milwaukee lum-
Der yard, Jesse Alberto Roai Forbes,
ex-Indian fighter, ex-bad man, ex-
scout, ex soldier of fortune in many
lands, is today celebrating his forty
fourth birthday as a man Of peace.
His long flowing hair and piercing
black eyes smack of the wild adventur
er he once was; otherwise, mis- appear
ance suggests naught but the laborer,
one of millions who work with their
hands at manual toll for their daily
bread. Prematurely aged, his slim
figure slightly bowed, his hair streak
ed with gray, and partially deaf, with
few to care whether he lives or dies.
this man once did so mIcn to add to
the mortality rate among redskins
has fallen upon evil times.
Forbes was born on a ranch near
Ell Paso, Texas. April %, 1868. A
year later his parents who we're Span
1ards. were murdered by the Indians.
who burned the ranch buildings and
drove off with the cattle, leaving little
Jesse Alberto Roal behind. The in
FAINT was later discovered by cattlemen
and was adopted by a Scotchman nan
Gu FOTDeS. he was sent 10 SCnOOl IL
st. Louis when about 13 years of age.
but the strict discipline of the insti-
tuition palled upon the little plains
man. AS a babe he had received his
baptism of blood and he thirsted for
the gore of redskins responsible for
the death of his parents. His uncouth
attire made him the butt of his com
p%a1ions. Forbes stood their badinage
with ~equanimity for a time. but at
last he turned. Attacked by a boy
twice his size, he drew a bowie knife
and lashed mis- tormentor. Forbes
made his escape on a Mississippi
steamboat.
At 16 the young adventurer enter
ed the service of the government as
a scout, a job much to his liking,
since it enabled him to add an occas-
iona1 niche to his rifle, signifying the
demise of ONE Indian brave. He
continued as a scout for ten years.
When he tool up the occupation of
mule puncher. Many trips he made
as a freighter. driving one wagon
train from Leavenworth to the Pacific
coast. Other trips he made through
the Dakotas and Wyoming, where the
Sioux were on the war path and were
bhirsting for pale face blood. AS a
result of these trips, many braves
to the happy hunting grounds.
Upon one occasion, this time in Ari-
zona, Forbes was made a captive by
h Apaches and came near figuring
rs a burnt offering to the Indian God
of war. He a been tied to a sap
ling and a heap of brushwood lighted
when mis- companions came to the res
cue just is he vas getting uncomfor-
tably hot.
II 1885, seeming further opportu-
nifty for further adventures, Forbes
sailed for Brazil, where for a time he
was actively engaged in a revolution.
He left that country with a bullet il
his arm and a decidedly poor opinion
of the Brazilians. Returning to Tex
as he again became a col Two or
three years later, finding that the In
dians of the Southwest were effectu-
ally subdued and that no opportunity
for further adventure existed in that
country, he came to Wisconsin and
settled down. His days of quiet lasted
until the outbreak of the Spanish-Am-
er1can war, when he went to Porto Ri
CO with the Second regiment of Wis
consin volunteers. No opportunity
offered there to win fame and glory,
and when the wal was over he came
back to Milwaukee and has been liv-
ing in this city since.
Although inclined to be reticent re-
49, ALo PASh SAPAO4Nog OAoS III
tell many interesting tales of mis- ex-
p~erie1ces when so inclined. The notch
es in his gun do not stand alone for
redskins. One of them was cut when
Red Bill Griffith, n of the most no.
torious bad man and blackguards that
ever afflicted the West, passed il his
checks. Red Bill made his final exit
it Omaha, when that town was some
what wilder n woolier than at pre-
Forbes was the man mat turned
the trick. 1t vas his first visit to
the Nebraska metropolis, and he nat
urally gravitated to a saloon to be
come acquainted with the boys"
There he was informally introduced
to Red Bill, who was a big Stalwart
rufial for whom Texas Jack would
b e but a light repast. Red
Bill wanted a drink, and he took the
liberty of ordering the bartender to
subtract the price from a five case
note proffered by Forbes. The little
scout disliked this arrangement and
S expressed himself, wnen Red Bill
toward him with a knife, an
.noulcing the intention of performing
a surgical operation which would re-
ieve Forbes of his heart. Considering
that organ was necessary to mis- exis-
tence, Texas Jack drew his revolver
when the smoke had cleared away
Red Bill had casned in. Forbes was
but after being complimented
his craftsmanship by the magis-
trate, vas Immediately released