The Detroit times., 1913-06-04
KIT CARSON'SPAL
TELLS OF DAYS
OF OLD SCOUT
Captain Simpson, in Eighties
Now Living in Historic New
Mexico Town
TELLS HOW HE WORKED
WHILE ON WAR TRAIL
Much of His Success Came From
Ability to Get Right Men
For Jobs

TAOS, n. Mn this historic town,
for years headquarters OF Kit Carson
and his trapping band in frontier days,
Captain J. A. Simpson, or Cap" Is
regarded as the only living man who
can furnish an accurate knowledge OF
the stirring life OF which Carson was
the center In the eventful days or
frontier history.
There are plenty OF men living VINO
knew the Carson OF later years, after
the trail-maker had risen to frame and
had been given a commission In the
army, but Cap" Simpson Is looked
upon as the only one who can speak
authoritatively OF the Carson trap
ping days.
"One man has even published 1t
broadcast in the newspapers" said
Captain Simpson the other day, that
he was the adopted son OF Kit Car
son. Now knew Kit Carson from his
earliest manhood right down to his
death, and | never heard Of his having
an adopted son.
Captain Simpson Is in his eighties,
but his mind Is clear, and. physically
as we'll as mentally. he seems like
man Of sixty. He was related to Car
son by marriage, and his home Is not
far from the old adobe house In which
Kit lived
ut was General Fremont who made
Kit Carson a national figure" said
Captain Simpson. I'm his reports he
spoke Of Carson as my favorite man.
and this attracted public attention TO
the scout. | believe much OF CarsOn's
fame on the trail came from his clev-
erness in hiring subordinates. The
Mexicans were the greatest people
for trail work In early days. They
had knowledge of Indians and their
ways that the white men couldn't
seem to grasp. 1t seemed uncanny.
Carson was friendly with the Next
cans. In fact, you know he married
a Mexican woman. He always had a
Mexican cook. or some other Next
can employee with him on his trips.
What Carson didn't know the Next
can did, and vice versa. Understand,
am not belittling Carson's fame in
the least, but he was man who was
always willing to acknowledge merit
I'm others, and the fact that he de-
pended so much on the Mexicans when
on the trail showed his shrewdness.
Captain Simpson considers Cerean
st. Vrain to be among the greatest
figures In early western history. ST..
Vrain was one Of the Taos colony OF
pioneers. He established some OF the
earliest trading ports in Colorado and
New Mexico. He Is buried at an OBJ
scure little Mexican hamlet forty or
fifty miles from Taos.
''St. Vrain was attended to the last
by a bodyguard, French Canadian
named Joe Ruell." said Captain Simp-
son. This man saved st. Vrain's life
on more than one occasion, once nurs-
ing him through siege OF smallpox
which he contracted In an Indian
camp. St Vrain bore the smallpox
scars for the rest Of his life.
About the last one OF the old
trapping guard to go was Tom Tobin,
who died at Fort Garland, Col, eight
or ten years ago. Tobin was true
representative Of the trapper type.
HE was one OF the most rugged
men that ever lived. He had survived
terrible wounds that would have
killed other men. He had wander
ed all over the Rocky Mountains.
trapping. and knew every hole and
corner In the hills. Tobin was the
Mexican bandits who terorized Colo
RADIO number OF years ago.
THE troops were fooled by the ban
dts, and finally old Tom Tobin took
his single-shot rife and started out
with the declaration that he would
get the Espinosas.
For a few days Tobin lay around
in the high mountains Of western
Colorado, where the Espinosas had
last been seen. He made no fires
himself. but kept his eyes out for
smoke One day he saw thin
stream Of smoke above the tree tops.