Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1910-07-30

get simon Kenton. When It 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 Kentuckians Ken
ton, on account OF his surprising ex-
periences, was the greater character.
Possibly II Lord Byron had picked
upon Kenton instead Of Boone to
laud i'm a poem the world would have
known more OF Kenton today But
Byron did not blunder much. for by
no measure. except that Of adventure,
can Kenton be compared with the
great Daniel.
A FUGITIVE.
A love AFFAIR drove Kenton TO the
frontier He was born. in Fauquier
was rs he fought with lad NAM
ed Leitchmann. who was his rival
for the smiles OF a girl. Kenton
thought ne had killed Leitchmann
and fed for the Alleghanies. He
changed his name 10 Butler. and for
then was the wilderness of Kentucky.
fearful OF returning TO civilization.
There were other fugttives from jus
tice in the borderland, too. They
were desperados mostly. Kenton was
not Of their kind. He was great,
wild-eyed He was one Of the most
powerful OF men and was unusually
fleet Of foot. SLOW 20 anger, he was
a furious fighter once he started As
a marksman he had few superiors
and he became one or the most SKILL
ed Of men in woodcraft.
For years he wandered over Ken
lucky. hunting and searching for an FL
Dorado he had heard about. At times
he Travelled alone. At other times he
had companions. Frequently he had
encounters with Indians. once when
he returned to camp his companion had
disappeared. Some miles away there
was smoke. When he stealthily recon-
noitered the disappearance OF his com
panion 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. There
was no lack Of action on the frontier
IN those days Twice he assisted in
the defense OF Boonesboro. one Of those
sieges was the longest ever maintained
by Indians and also the most sanguir-
airy. considering the forces engaged. II
was after one OF these sieges and after
lie had saved Boone's life by killing an
Indian who was about 20 tomahawk the
great hunter that Kenton entered upon
the experiences that made him one of
inc great UkuTtS OF MS llIufs
with two companions named Clark
and Montgomery he had been sent as
scout 10 make observations near an
Indian town on the Little Miami. In
Ohio. against which Col. Bowman
planned to le an expedition from
Boonesboro. The three scouts, not con-
tent with getting all the information
necessary for Bowman's purpose. were
tempted TO an exploit that brought dis
aster. In the Indian village was a cor
raj, and In the corral were 100 horses
The scouts determined 10 steal the 100
horses and fee with them TO Ken
lucky They were getting the horyes
out when the Indian village awoke
Then. instead OF seeking safety in
nisht Kenton and his companions,
stuck to the horses until all were IN
motion. The night was dark and the
three white men had great difficulty IN
keeping the herd together. once they
got caught in swamp and had
hard time eXtricating themselves Al
night and all the next day and all the
next night they rode The following
day they reached the Ohio.
CAPTURED.
once across the river they would he
safe. but II was storming furlously.
They tried to cross. but the horses
turned back. Again and again they
tried To force the horses 10 swim, but IL
was no use. Then Kenton and his
companions did the most foolish thing
imaginable. Instead OF moving either
up or down the river. and keeping
that much ahead Of pursuers. they re-
NAMED at the same place. and made no
move until the Indians. who were trail
ing them. arrived. Then they tried 20
escape. Clark succeeded but Mont
gomery was killed and scalped. and
Kenton was overpowered and made
prisoner. The Indians, after binding
Kenton's arms and legs mounted him
on an unbroke colt and started back
through the woods. Where the woods
were particularly thick the Indians
would lash the pony so that Kenton
got the toughest OF riding and missed
few oyerhanging boughs or brambles.