The Cairo bulletin., 1908-08-11
RACE AGAINST TIME
TROOPER Lest OPPORTUNITY BY
NARROW MARGIN.
William Kerr One II the British Sol
diers Who Reached Fatal Spot
Just Too Lake to Save
Prince imperial.

Digging in mine In Joplin Is VII
liam Kerr. who Dlrrowly escaped be.
coming famous. He ran race against
time and failed. says the Kansas City
Journal
For years Kerr was 4 resident OF
Kansas City. but 1t was not until a
short time ago. Just when he was on
the point of taking his de- arturo for
the zinc fields, that he diyulged his
history Day after day, seven years.
for one plumbing firm alone, h. had
dug Neither did that concern care to
part with his services for Kerr. more
generally known as "Scotty," was
valuable man in his way.
New pointers In the art OF digei
trenches came to Kansas City W
Kerr His was none of the slow sh
cling which usually obtains. When
went into trench the dirt few IN
constant stream He had a pecul
manner of handling the shovel VIII
brought three times as much work
day as the average digger could De
liver. OF course. this ability brought
his extra wages but even at that he
was a valuable man No doubt he will
make good in the mines
But this story Is to tell OF the race
made by Kerr as British trooper on
his good mount. the goal being fame
The opponent was Father Time boast
ing Of no other conveyance than an
hour glass and scythe. Yet Kerr and
the horse lost.
France was not safe for Bona
parte after the Prusslan invasiofs and
the commune. Napoleon Ill., dying
heart-broken In 1873, left little but
his son. a delicate youth of II, In
England this lad attended Woolwich,
the famous military school, fitting him.
self out to become. when times should
be better, a reigning Louis Napoleon.
School life and inaction palled when
in 1879 came the chance which he had
hoped for. England was at war with
the Zulus. Grudgng permission was
granted the young prince to go to the
front, but not as a combatant. He
was to be treated more as an observer
and as guest of the English nation
SO read the instructions to Gen. New
dlgate. commanding a column.
When there was chance TO do some
scouting with a small party the prince
imperial, as he Is known 10 history,
went along Apparently the venture
was destined to be harmless. In fact.
the party had dismounted forts rest
when band of savage Zulus rushed
upon the soldiers
Those who managed to reach their
horses In safety escaped The prince
might have escaped also had not his
horse became manageable He was
thrown and was killed by the Zuus.
The troopers as they fed were joined
by the riderless horse. Shortly too,
as they fed they were met by a re.
lief party sent as soon as the princes
absence was discovered These troop,
ers OF the relief spurred back to the
place where the fight had occurred. In
this party was Kerr. Spur as they
would, death outstripped them. When
they came upon the scene OF the con.
fiict the last Of the Napoleons was
past aid. Kerr himself tells how an
hour or two might have altered every.
thing
An examination OF the place Of am.
bush revealed the body OF him who by
the imperialists of France was termed
Napoleon ~, The Zulus had stripped
1t OF everything save the famous anu.
let OF Charlemagne suspended by
chain around his throat.
So the thanks of France were not
for William Kerr, once trooper for her
majesty. The man whom fame passed
by is digging zinc ore in Joplin.