The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1910-07-31

for he had failed to register his claip
to II, and some newcomer had taken
advantage of this laXity and turned
him adrift.
Kentucky did nobly by the old from.
tiersrnan. Not only We're some of his
lands restored 20 him, but his condi
ton and his services were brought toll
the attention of Congress. a pension
was granted to him at once. Never
again was the old pathfinder permitted
TO want. And never again did the
coarse wits of Frankfort forget Simon
Kenton. When 1t became known how
they had treated the old man the town
became rather warm for them.
Boone was a leader. Kenton was
not, but to some Ksntuckians Kenton.
on account of his surprising expert
ences. was the greatest character. Pos
sibly If Lord Byron had picked upon
Kenton instead OF Boone to laud in
poem the world would have known
more of Kenton to-day. But Byron
did not blunder much. for by no meas
Kenton be compared with the great
Daniel.
A Fugitive.
A love affair drove Kenton to the
frontier. He was born in Fauquier
S''aAts' ilS31idp III When ne
was sixteen he fought with a lad
named Lei,chmann, who was his rival
for the smiles of a girl. kenton
thought he had killed Leitchmann.
and fed for the Alleghanies. He
changed his name to Butler, and for
several wears was a wanderer in what
then was the wilderness of Kentucky,
fearful Of returning to civilization.
There were other fugitives from Jus
tice in the borderland, too, They were
desperadoes mostly. kenton was not of
their kind. He was a great. tall.
loosely jointed man, fair barred and
powerful of men. and was unusually
heet of foot. Slow to anger, he was
furious fighter once he started. AS
a marksman he had few superiors, and
he became one of the most skilled OF
men In woodcraft.
For years he wandered over Ken
lucky. hunting and searching for an
Ell Dorado he had heard about. AT
times he travelled alone. At other
times he had companions. Frequently
he had encounters with Indians once
panion had disappeared, Some miles
away there was smoke. When he
stealthily reconnoitred the disappear
ance of his companion was explained
He was being burned at the stake
In the Lord Dunmore War kenton
acted as a spy A few years later the
War of the Revolution began Ihere
was no lack of action on the iIoi.t's e..
| in those days. Twice he asslstsu ~
the defense of Boonesboro, Che =!
those sieges was the lonsest ever
rnaintained by indians, and also the
| most sanguinary. considering the
/, forces engaged. 1t was after one OF
4 these sleges and after he had saved
| Roones life by killing an lndian VINO
vas about to tomahawk tne srsat
hnnter that Kenton entered upon the
/ experiences that made MN one q '"e
great figures Of his time. o,,.
with two companions named Sls'. y
ana Montgomery, he had been sent as
soout to make observations near an
qnSian town on the Little Miami in
i 49, AGAINST which Colonel Bowman
\ riarned to lead an expedition from
pnoneshoro. The three scouts, not con-
i FAINT with getting all tho information
nacsssary for Bownlan's purpose. were
tan,,ted to an exploit that brought dis
aster In the Indian village was a corr
i val and in the corral We're 100 horses
! The scouts determined to steal the l6C
/ horses and fee with them to Kentucky
/ THEY We're getting the horses out wher
| the indian village awoke. Then. In
i stead of seeking safety In flight, Ken
/ ton and his companions stuck to the
4 horses until all We're In motion The
| night was dark, and the three white
men had great difficulty in keeping the
herd together. Once they got caugh
in O swamp and had q hard time extrl
eating themselves. All night and al
the next day and all the next nigh
they rode. The following day the!
reached the Ohio.
i Captured.
Once across the river they would b
lgate, but it,.,was storming turiously