Year: 1871

| n


From the Memphis Avalanche.


In the telegraphic dispatches few


days ago an account was given of Depu
| ty United States Marshal Joe Peavy, OF
Fort Smith, Ark, having brought into
that place seven white men who had
| been fighting with some of the Usage
Indians. The fact of one man bringing
| in seven prisoners may excite surprise
in the minds of some of our readers, but
after reading the following incident


they will be inclined to believe it.


Joe Peavy, as he is Familiarity called,


is man thirty-fve years of age, about


five feet ten inches in height, slim built,
not weighing over 135 pounds, dark


brown hair, thin mustache, steel gray
colored eyes, and thin visaged coun-
tenance, with determination written Ii
every lineament. OF all the Deputy
Marshals, of which there is a large mum
Der in that district, Joe is perhaps the


most daring, and the best acquainted In


the Indian Nation, through which they


ride. In his rides through the Nation,


Joe invariably goes alone, thinking he


can keep his business and actions closer


this way than with partner. Armed


at all times with two, and sometimes


four large-sized navy SKIES and knife


that somewhat resembles a scythe, he


often makes excursions out into the
Sioux and Kiowa's country, back of


Fort Sill, and distant over two hundred
miles from civilization. o.. rki.rf 80


About three years ago q noted war
chief of the Kiowas, known as the


Leaping Panther" scalped and burn
ed alive a white man and his family
who imprudently ventured too far
within his domains. When the news
reached Fort Smith, a number of Depu-
ty Marshals and detachment of United
States troops were sent to capture the
red skinned assassin. After spending
about two weeks securing the. country,
the men were forced to return to Fort


Smith without single prisoner. At the
time they started out Joe Peavy was in
the Nation, from which he returned
about the same time as the party.
"Leaping Panther" was well known to
Joe, who had frequently visited him, as
well as others of the wild chiefs, and
when he learned the result of the expe-
.dition, he volunteered to go out and
bring them in. -. .. f--.


Knowing that it was almost certain
death for one man to venture within
the clutches of the Leaping Panther"
the United States Marshal insisted that
Joe should take some men with him.
Declining all company, he one evening
mounted his horse and crossing the
river he rode in the direction of the
Kiowa country. Nothing was seen or
heard of him for a month, and many of
of his friends, who were aware of the
nature of his ride, were fearful that doc
had at last been overcome. Those who
knew him best held out that he would
turn up all right, and offered bets that
he brought the chief in with him. -.


The latter were right, for just twenty
eight days after he was last seen enter
ing the woods, he rode into the town
with the " Leaping Panther bound
hand and foot, on a pony in front of
him, while two squaws, who proved to
be the favorites of that worthy, were on
ponies behind Joe. The latter person.
age rode quietly through town to the
jail, where turned his prisoner over to
the authorities. Upon being questioned
as to how he effected the capture, Joe
stated that he made a circle around the
Kiowa country and entered it from the
west. Knowing every foot of the
ground, he had no difficulty in finding
the village of the K1owas and his man.
The latter at first regarded Joe with
suspicion, but the judicious use of a
bottle of whisky and some tobacco, to-
gether with any amount of unadulter-
ated ies-in pure Kiowan-as to where
he was from finally caused the chief to
think it was all right. .ezt


Joe stayed around the camp for over
a week before he could induce "Leap-
ing Panther" to make visit with him
to some ghboring Indians, when he
finally consented to go with him, and he
concluded to take two of his wives with
him. This did not suit Joe, but fearing
to arouse the chiefs suspicious he made
no objections, and the whole party
moved off in the direction of the other
Indians whom Joe wished to visit. By
a liberal use of his tongue Joe induced
the chief to make detour from their
direct course so as to bring them near
Fort Sill. While riding along one day,
and when well out of the Kiowa coun-
try, Joe suddenly brought one of his re-
volvers to cover the chief, while with
the other he halted his wives. Telling
the chief that if he moved he would kill
him, Joe, under threat of instant
death, compelled one of the squaws to
remove all her husbands arms, and
then securely tie him with thong of
buckskin. The whole transaction did
not detain the party over half an hour,
after which the horses heads were
turned in the direction of Fort Smith.
At night Joe would tie the squaws to
separate trees, after which he would tie
the chief to himself, and in this way
would pass the night. From the time
he was placed under arrest the chief,
Indian-like, preserved stolid silence,
never opening his lips except at times
to order one of his squaws to perform
some service.


In this manner Joe travelled over 200
miles, partly through a wild Indian
country, and all through a country in
which a white face could not probably
be found.


This is but one of the many instances
of Joe's daring, and of which large
volume could be written. Throughout
all that country, where all go armed
from their earliest years, Joe is recog-
nized as a superb shot with the revolver,
the favorite weapon. Some feats which
he has performed with this weapon
smack of the marvellous, such as snuff
fng the candle. driving nails, etc.
Horse thieves are Joe's especial pets, he
invariably bringing back the animals
stolen, while the thief is never after
heard from. Joe says they always get
away. 1t is supposed they do-with
about half ounce of lead lodged in


their brain. Never engaging in quar-
rel unless forced upon them, Joe is