Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1909-06-24
STORIES OF STEWART 5 .||:||
Former Nevada Senator's Excit'
ing Adventure With Indians.

ing Adventure With Indians.
HOW HE AWED A BAD MAN.
| Experience In a Courtroom With Ne
vada's Champion Dsspsrado-Ex.
ampIss Of His Remarkable Absent
mindedness.
United States Senator William M.
Stewart, who recently died In Wash
ington. distinguished himself for his
interest in the Indian question, as all
the country knows. Among other
things he induced the government to
establish an Indian school at Carson.
II the senator was like ordinary men,
he would have rejoiced in the ,oblitera-
ton Of the redskins, for 1t is owing
only to his own nerve, mules and the
nterposition of heaven that he es-
capped alive some years ago.
In 1860 Stewart was driving his own
wagon, hea ped with his law library,
from Bonneville to Carson. -Four
mules were drawing him at the rate
of eight miles an hour, and as he sped
through the sagebrush and sunshine
he dreamed of fees. The future SEN
ator ratified down through the Henness
pass, crossed the Truckee at Hunters,
few miles west of Reno, and was
rolling along toward Steamboat
Springs when he noticed an Indian
armed with rifle in the road ahead Of
him., .5Sa44%@" r.
News got over the ground slowly in
those days. and Stewart had not heard
of the uprising of the reds or received
tidings of the Ormsby defeat, In which
nearly hundred whites had fallen.
So when the Piute in his path raised
his hand Stewart pulled up his mules
and readily consented to give the saw
age ride on the seat beside him. The
Indian held his rife upright before him
and talked cheerfully. vsS s5@$$s .
The conversation. was progressing
amicably when another Indian came
into view. He was on, top of big
rock 200 yards ahead, and he also held
rifle. The two red men exchanged
signals, and there was something in
their manner Of doing 1t that awoke
a, feeling Of suspicion and uneasiness
In Mr.. Stewart. There were more sig-
mails, and q look at the face Of the
>Piute beside him froze the lawyers
blood, for he saw exultant murder
there. The situation broke upon him.
The mules were rapidly bringing him
near the Indian on the rock, who was
evidently getting ready to fire. s
Something must be done, and that
mighty quick too. Stewart did It. He
dropped the reins, In fash had his
arms around his Pluto passenger and
gave a yell that scared the mules into
mad gaflop. Then he held bis wrig-,
Cling prisoner between himself and tho
enemy on the rock, maintaining that
advantage until the mules had run
three miles. Again In safety, tho
problem Of what to do with his Indian
pressed for solution. A common man
would have killed him. But Stewart
was an uncommon man and an un-
naturally forgiving one. This Is what
he did: He wrested the rifle away
from the savage, smashed its lock on
the wheel and tossed it into the sage
brush. Then the big, six foot lawyer
took good. square look at the perndi-
ous Piute, hauled: of and hit him be-
tween the eyes. As Stewart gathered
up the reins and checked the mules
that Indian lay dat ON his back in the
road insensible, with his nose smashed
flat.
II have never yet seen a desperate
or man killer who, II he thought an an
tagonist were ready for him with
weapons equal to his own, would not
back out Of a. fight" remarked SEN
ator Stewart some years ago.
There was Sam Brown. the cham
pion bad man Of Nevada In the old
days. He was a giant, six feet four
riches high and weighed $50 pounds.
and as ferocious looking man al ever
mortal eye beheld. killing was his
trade, and one winter in Virginia City
he slew sixteen men.
81 had been retained by client
whose interests were opposed to the
desperado, and l thought it best on
the day of the trial to put couple
Of old fashioned Derringers in my over
coat pockets. When + saw him enter
the idea came into my mind that hs
had come to make me his latest VIC
tim. His favorite weapon was biga
bowie knife, and the knowledge that
the villain meant to stab me to death
made me feel exceedingly uncomfoFt
able. But ! knew It would never do to1
show the creature that >he had NJ
scared. and, looking him sQuarely ~
the eye, brought the pockets OF my
overcoat around to where be would
zee the full shape Of both my Defs
ringers. Ny hands were graaping tAs1
hanflaa ard r waas !raadv n ah<snk on