The Western news. [volume] (Libby, Mont.) 1933-current, 1935-09-05

IKE MS cantors he was ght-haIred IN .eotton
heaa they e'iifed him back In his native Ten
hessee), frecklefaced almost boylshIv slender
Tor all OF his thlrtysix years His old flannel
shirt was open ut the throat. his ragged trousers
were tucked Into worn boots and In his hand he
carried battered, faded old black hat.
Beside him walked tall black robed SPANISH
priest who held crucx In front Of tho nttla
piende mans face But 1t is doubtful If his cold
gray eyes saw 1t. They were looking away across
the fringe oil the tropical Jungle to the black and
purpleshhdowed mountains which the ravs Of
the morning sun were beginning to mint with
gold
mat Inc line OF marching men stopped,
pu' 'hiy tie niue man In the center obeyed the
command with true military precision. Another
sharp command and the slouchlnp rife. hearers
formed a ragged line along the beach An Off.
Ger came forward with n handkerchief tna5his
hand, but the little man waved him aside Az
ne looked Into the black mouths of the rInes
pointed ut his heart, he spoke slowly gently.
"'fhe which | made upon Won was wrone
and want to avail myself of this last onnor
tunity to beg your forgiveness That done die
resigned. would like to think that my life and
my death Will have been for the good OF society,"
Fire" AS the little man sagged down to the
ground another volley of bullets raInea npon his
crumned form. Then single soldier walked
forward. placed the muzze Of his gun close 10
the little mans head and fired
Thus died William Walker the gray.evea man
Of destiny THE nlneteenfhcentury Cortez. s.fhe
Napoleon Of Central America" He was MI Of
these and much more. for this tow headed soldier
OF fortune was one Of the most remarkable char
acters IN American history. There was q time
Nieh MS deiHgs were matter Of International
concern, When ne was figure In the slavery dis
pufe which led to the Civil war and when .he
occupied more columns OF news and editorials
IN American and British journals than Presidents
Fierce anu Buchanan or Queen Victoria No man
ever so dazzled the American mind and heart MS
TINS quiet little man. He was the beginning of
that peculiar madness which affects New York
city whenever hero visits there"
There was nothing in Walkers early career
unless II was the versatility Of the man. to nd
cate the important role he was destined to nlay
on the stage of world affairs The son of
Scotch Presbyterian banker In Nashville Tenn.
walker was precocous child who was gradu-
ated from the University Of Nashville of the are
Oh seventeen. His father wanted him to he q
minister out his inclination was to medicine
studying for two years In the medical school
d the University Of Pennsylvania, he then went
abroad to complete his education at Edinburgh
and Paris. AT the age OF twenty-one he was
back In Nashville 1.-THE most accomplished sur.
seon that ever visited the CITY,"
But he soon tired OF medicine and next took
lp the study OF law. AS soon as he was reodv
. practice, he moved to New Orleans but be-
ause OF his retiring disposition, which resulted
n lack OF clients, he gave up the law for Jour
lalsm In 1S48 he became one OF the editors
nu proprletors or the Crescent which soon be-
np1n on fnlp,.
hat time New Orleans was the outftting place
or many flbustering expeditions In Latin Amer
,an waters and countries. Considering Walkers
lter career 1t seems strange that his editorial
ollcy concerning such expeditions was an ex-
remedy conservative one. Bur twas and that
ad something to do with the failure OF his
aper
However an unfortunate love affair was the
rincpal reason for his leaving New Orleans and
aeking his fortune In the California gold fields
e soon drifted into journalism again, this time
! editor Of the San Francisco Daily Herald
AT this time down In Central America Near
qua was undergoing one of Its periodical reyolu-
ons, war In which the Democrats and Legiti-
lists were struggling for control. Walker wrote
General Castelon. head Of the Democrats Of
ring the service Of 800 American colonjsts
liable TO military service If they would agree
provide land for them" Castelon was de-
'hted to have such allies and readily signed the
reement SO In May 1855, Walker at the head
Do adventures sailed from San Francisco
oard the s. s. Vesta which had been secretly
AIDED with arms and ammunition Arriving in
.aeJo, the American leader fastened to Leon
G Democrats base, where he was warmly vel
med by Castelon, who made him colonel and
lced MIN In command Of the american Pha-
1x"
Supported by force OF several hundred Dem
rat soldiers, Walker, acting under orders from
steon, marched to the attack OF Rlvas one
the leading cities Of Nicaragua which wa.
tended by some 600 Legitimist troops. But
ring the march Walkers Ncaraguan allies be-
. DESERVING and by the time he reached tho
y they had dWlndled to 100, all Of whom ned
the nrst hre OF the Legitmsts Despite this
ectlon, Walker led his 30 Americans on 10
capture OF the city, losing 6 dead and ~
unded.
Unable to hold the city with his tiny force.
lKer retreated to Leon. where he threatened
leave Castelon's service and enlist Under the
ner of the president of Honduras But their
lcultles were patched up and Walker went on
N victory TO victory, the climax coming In
capture OF Granada, the principal city of
aragua, by surprise attack made from
inner on Lake Nicaragua. Scon afterwards he
led peace agreement with General Corral,
Ter OF the Legtimlsts, by which Don PatrIcio