The Washington times., 1908-06-03
LONE STAR STATE
IN EARLY DAYS
When Fierce Conanche
Roamed the Texan Plains
Life Was Strenuous.

The visit Of William Kooslel. with re-
latives in this county recall, frontier
days in Texas ia the early seventies.
The history of the Rooster family reads
ike a romance. In the spring OF 1870
John Koosier emigrated with his family
70 northwest Texas. at that time on the
extreme frontier. the only settlements
consisting OF scattering COW ranches,
with here and there a garrison of Fed
eral troops for the protection OF the set
tiers against the bands of marauding
COmanches. who at intervals raided
that country. He finally settled in Clay
county. eighteen miles south CT Indian
Territory. on the site OF what IS now
the town Of Henrietta. says the In
dianapoIs News.
BY the thrift Inherited from his Dutch
ancestry, he soon built UP q prosperous
trade with the Indians, exchanging
beads and other trinkets fer buffalo ana
beaver skins. All went well until the
autumn Of 1872, when one evening Just
as the sun was sinking a band Of some
thirty braves headed BY the notorious
Comanche chief, Big Tree. all IN fun
war paint. rode up 10 BOOSTERS cabin.
Although suspecung trouble Rooster
| bOlo.v walked out, extending his hand
/ in welcome to Big Tree who. spurnlng
/ his outstretched hand with a savage
/ grunt. whipped out his six-shooter and
shot Rooster. springlng from his horse
he quickly scalPed his dying victim ana
dangled the bloody trophy before the
| eyes Of the Mortified wife as she ran
| screaming from the house. After footing
| the house Of all its valuabIes the In
dams set fire TO II, and. hastily mount
ing the mother and three small children
/ on bronchos. they set out for Red
| river.
Witness Of Tragedy.
The tragedy had been witnessed by
the child. WILL a lad OF fifteen. who
had been gathering nuts in e thicket
nearby. AZ the cavaIcade departed they
| passed 50 near his hiding place that
he could hear the children crying Wait
| ing until the savages were out or sight.
young VIII set out for the nearest hab-
itation. Ikhard's COW ranch. nine miles
away. on the Little Wichita. arriving
/ there an hour after dark.
Captain lizard and his Cow punChers'
! listened 70 the story Of the haIf-crazed
boy. A hasty council was held. and f.
was decided 10 follow the renegades AT
| once. Not a moment was lost Bronchos
were hastily saddIed, and Captain Ikard
| was soon gauOping over the prairie. fol-
! lowed by twenty cowboys. A pale moon
was shining, and they struck the trail
some ten miles distant. following it 70
Red River. Crossing the river into the
Territory, 1t was impossible 10 follow
the trail further. because of the timber.
I 70
night, when "Comanche Jack" a half
breed, declared that he smeIled smoke
| The psrtv pushed on 10 the brow Of 2
slight eminence. where. looking down
into a glade, a haIf-miie distant they
saw a bright camp FIRE
Decided to Attack
Il was decided TO send Commando
Jack" forward 10 recOunOiter. The half
breed discovered that the Indians were
camped I'm the open. and was about TO
turn back. when he noticed a small, dry
/ creek leading toward the camp. He
gained the bed Of the creek, and in a
erouching position. approached tbs
lcampfre. He saw that By craving Oh
"aII-foursr IL would be possible TO come
within 80 yards Of the camp. Retracing
lhis steps ne reported TO the captain.
and it was decided 10 attack at once
The men safely gained the bed Of the
ICTeek. and. crawling on hands and knees,
gained the position OF vantage
| There were TWO camp6res which
brought out in silhouette the Indians as
they were busuy engaged I'm devourinz
the carcass Of a beef. which they had
mot taken the formaIity to cook The
captives were some little distance from
1.-THE fire. and the buTly brave was enter
tanning the audience" by running a
ramrod down the throat Of little Dan
ten years old. while another vas play
fully winding the beets entfalis 9Eo1n1
the neck of the youngest child Meme.
while the mother was begging plet3uS-E
that her children be not molested-
Pumped Lead Into Reds.
= At a given signal the cowpunchers
rose 70 their feet and began TO pump
Ieaden hail from their Wholesalers into
the Comcnches. who quickly became
panic-stricKen. and fed in every difec-
ton. one brave even plunEinE headlonE
into the ranks Of the attacking party.
where he was Drained with a Winches-
= ter in the hand of a cowboy After the
first voIley the men dropped their rifles.
and, drawing their sixshOoters. spraHg
1
ter was given.
Whenever a wounded COmanohe was
found he was shot at once, and after
the smoke cleared away twenty-three
Indians were found dead on the field.
| all Of whom Comanche Jack sCalped-
| Owing to the complete surprise, there
was only one casualty among the Tex
! ans, Nike Heating receiving a flesh
wound in the shoulder from the pistol
of a young brave. who, as he lay
wounded, fred at him at close range.
| Mrs. Rooster. who mad borne up
| bravely during the fight. became pros
| trated on learning that she was indeed
/ rescued, and It was with difficulty thai
| she was revived. The party was soon
II the saddle and headed for Texas. and
| at the first faint streaks of dawn ar
| rived at the smolderiug ruins Of the
| Rooster home. The remains of john
Rooster. which had been partly de
, : xo1Tqad cpVofeg during the night