New-York tribune., 1908-04-18

the aGNtEAANAous SUI VA NVuAAis
a.--xuan The family resources were not equal
,sci-r him in the army, and the restless
- sfter some experiences at sea. came to
Here in 1852 he tried farming
- the kindly people OF Western Virginia.
xo,nd some stirring accomplishments TO
81 Iife in hunting. But shooting bear. deer
- u-;5d turkey was not sufficiently exciting: he
.-,ad for the Far West and the incidents OF
- .-ontier. He sold his farm, and. making his
- kansas found himself plunged into the
= Aoe-t OF the Free Soil struggle He cast
"a. lot with the South and became mounted
80 otherwise a Border Ruffian.' From
-. -oint the book becomes red with tales OF
,.,sse slaughter and dark with deviltry. How
- &c actual happening, how much effective
- ne do not attempt TO decide. While the
thor Is sometimes mistaken in historical state
r,s narrative Of personal adventure is
rrobable enough.
fEyr--o- life was cheaply held in that time
-1oos and there are sickenng records here
=, murders Of unofending men. Williams
-. that in respect OF numbering and
'.,,,ac c,ipe,' there was little TO choose be-
- she Free Staters and the pro-slavery
.ss lieutenant OF Rangers on scouting duty
IS s,,pposed 10 burn and destroy the homes
= r-ee staters and kill or capture the owners
III he ADDS, he avoided whenever he could
e--s-;r1es he was able 10 save both property
- ard 70 one good deed of this kind per-
.,--oe6 for q Free Slater named Cody, he soon
s.s-rerd owed his own life. With one or his
-, he jncautiously went to spend an evening
=.b : friendly family on a distant ranch
s-.vn pa-ticularly by the bright eyes OF Mar
-, 9 rirl visitor He was warned that
so-e Of Lanes scouts were in the nelghhorhooo'
- ~ women Of the family begged him to go
ln-rc -ba5 az
.ss. - danger. and all were merrily talking
5th fear forgotten when-a pistol was clapped
- ys-5riar,s-s head and he was called on TO sur
der We've been after you for a long time.
s.is the sergeant in command Of his eight cap
,ors Vow we've got you at last, we'll hang
you pretty quickly"
II was no good TO plead for mere "a ! knew; new m9 To9
,7-7psny. some OF its members, haa ooHe 80 80
r-e-+ -.tlrless deeds FOR which. no doubt had
rs rs is ySal silent the three ladies' and espe-
caly Margaret who knew kgeTaTa ban9 aIl9 for nv
lie but. il seemed TO me, made no impression oh
o ne ;ook Us out to an oak tree close by, and
81 re- u The ropes, fastening them 70 an oFeI
ssrriaE branch The END seemed very near 1
go Stunned and stupeded and said no woro;
rrTv tie tears and ertreatles OF me hlI!u oIi01
folks sounded in my ears, as thongh heaiU III :"
T6ea some one touched me or the shoulder, the ne
ropes ready ano our GSai'.ors ,-ssS nc
core E--h the hanging. That touch rolsea S ny
s8sf ! hsd 6one for him only few days ago.
spoke e. last and told EVerard Ire stc-3 -. 9IeS
~ = ri5e over 10 Cody's (t was only TWO HlIlts
oF and ne would learn that / was not IAe iU4-
Ys-gsref asT1eTred that my story was true and
nat had saved Cody and others OF JhelI I5
:, hs- -s1 he would DO this little thing. for thelr
sskes II I al last Everard consented tlousn W. W.
q 6ad Erace. and rode of leaving Smlth ahG , ny ~
ssf safely guarded under that oak tree Win Hs
FS 80 = b0T1- We stood there with seven men
-ol-nd Us read TO shoot us down il We tried 10
Would Cody come and would he be true enough enough
n speak in my favor II he did hope aa usa az
sSs9tea 4ar n san, T such an hour the
res seemed hours and the hour dragged i'Seli
Vow nv straining ears caught the distant s4mnd 5
- FsIlopinr hoofs. Was 1t one horse. or TWO /:
FoF intenfIv ! listened 10 the dull thud on the
81 tlTt! nearer came the sound: there were
W fersen1en sure enough Cody had come ana
=. b+sTness o. b oeta heard Fve-ards story he had
..sssss Sis horse. ans there he was. shaking my
hand most warmly and assuring me was S1'e'
-sz1ass violence did not cease with the con-
r,~s,an II this Kansas war: claim making ana
sors-+a- rights provided episodes when IoSe
-o-lirp in wiIlans's recital He assures those
-bo -7,av think his picture OF Kansas IN rat'1
5sr i o--e-coIored that Il he had told OF an the
ss.-,s-s-a 7e47s within his knowledge it would
- 7rr-5 indeed Il is quite luTld hoUs" -
sa-ise, the most ezacting seeker Of thrills
was cattle rancfzing in Texas With the pro"'S
n a-,=a- a-7-ar7,r-Iees he bought fine property
or The F-io near the Mexican border-a property
-l,s- rr--- drawback was that its situation IN
esro-i+@ Comanche country involved almost con
slant 7gf ling with some Of the widest anu
c-geree- savages on the continent Iheh caiiie
-ra ~5--v va Williams sets down his beleI
thar nobody in the South except perhaps some
n -hl leaders really expected war me liia-
so--v q the Southern states. no doubt meant 10
maintain -tefr great institution and TO stand
frm for the principle OF state rights; but 'hey
thought the North would give way as it had be-
fore" When the struggle opened the young
=nez evidently became violent sfcessioiiiS'-
He 7-rs-77-e4-ei as z Texas Ranger, and saw
good deal Of service within the state. A large
III ~ this service continued TO be Indian hghi-
hr for with the withdrawal Of the FEDERAL
suops from the frontier the Comanches began 10
mr. the outlying ranches. Effective ihdlafl
tgh-ing in those days meant not only energy
snd daring but brains, and We read between the
Ines that The author possessed the necessary
Qualifications. The is OF that hghIhg'
ssrgufrarv IS they are. make pleasanter read
ns than do the accompanying stories OF me
Rangers dealing with the people they suspected
q Northern sympathies.
The better sort of young Texans had Joined th=
Confederate army and had gone to fight else
where. too many Of those who were left TO MAKE
U The Psrtizau companies were scoundrels heh'
~ tHieving on wreaking private grudges and on
ndulging crazy lust for blood The list OF inno-
csnI uen deliberately hung merely 10 safe thef
cspto-s' pleasure IS a hideous one one o1 the
lesGers II the work. one who earned the author
sbho7-ence mas sancttmonious old Wretch VINO
prayed and preached with q rope pFePaFeo io4
helpless victims coned within his tall hat IL we
nay believe tie Englishman he himself eFaoeo
uurderous duty as much possible, and ne
NED "a e,r+s-gs his most for one with the Con-