Year: 1875

Lutte M'Cabe's Fight.


The New York Sun has the following
from Fort Griffin, Texas, under date of
February 5:


Lutte McCabe lives about fifteen miles
above here at the F'Stone Rancho on the
Clear Fork of the Brazos River Yester-
day afternoon he was out as usual Ground
ing up the cattle. and was riding leisure
ly along little dreaming that a band of
blood-thirsty and savage Indians were
concealed in a cluster of bushes just before
him, eagerly awaiting his approach. They
were seven in number, three mounted
and four on foot. Awaiting until he had
come within twenty or thirty PAGES of
them, Lutte was startled by the sudden
discharge of their guns, the whistling OF
balls and their demoniac war-whoop.
The splinters torn from the breech Of his
carbine flew up into his face, his horse, Ut
tering loud gfoan, sprang up high IN the
air, and then wheeling, ran while Lutte
himself was fortunate enough to escape
with only a flesh wound in the leg. With
that swift instinct which a sudden danger
often inspires, Lutte i'll an instant had his
pistol drawn, and half turning in his sad
die, began emptying its contents at his
pursuers. The mounted Indians were
dashing after him at full speed, and firing
their revolvers as they came. The other
four had ascended small eminence, and
were firing with their rifles. A ball from
one Of the former scraped Lute's head and
carried off his hat Lutte says he at first
thought the top of his skull had been torn
open, but was satisfied on that point when
"a bo tai iloI to Il 4
them.


In the meantime his Own firing had not
been without effect. He first shot down
two of the horses the Indians were riding,
then as he fired again he saw the belt
around the third mounted Indian fall from
his body, and Immediately after the Indian
fell himself The other two Indians ran
| to his assistance. while one OF those tur-
| ther behind caught his horse. During
| this time, as was afterward ascertained,
| he had run about three hundred yards, had
emptied his pistol, returned it to the hol-
ster, and had just drawn his Winchester
carbine, when a shot from one of the In
dians on the eminence went through his
horses loips and brought him down. Lutte
| lost no time in seeking a shelter in an eX-
cavaton among the rocks


His dog during his flight had kept close
to his horses heels, and now followed him
to the edge OF his place of shelter, where
he took up his position and began to flu
riously bay at the Indians No amount o1
persuasion could induce this faithful ami
NAL to come down and share his masters
shelter; but he kept at his post, exposed
to a constant fire, until shot from one o1
the Indians ended his guard duty forever


Four of the Indians, having secured
places of shelter within about one hundred
yards of him, kept up a pretty constant
fire, which was returned by Lutte for ar
hour or more, until the approach of night
when the Indians disappeared, and Lutte
cautiously creeping from his hiding place
made his way home. The splinters ofrocl
torn up by the balls striking near his heat
considerably iacerated his face.


The next morning an examination o
the ground was made by several parties
The three dead horses were found the
trappings on one Of them had been disturb
ed, showing that the Indians must have
left hurriedly, as it is their custom to Sc.
cure these things whenever possible. The
belt mentioned above, with pistol holster
attached, was also found where Lutte haG
reported he had seen it fall In front i
was but narrow strip of leather, an(
bore the mark of the pistol ball which hao
rent it in twain. Under the river bank {
bloody blanket was found, on which the
wounded Indian had evidently been lying
also several cloths and bandages saturated
IN blood. From all these signs there car
be but little doubt that the Indian recev
ed mortal wound, and died under tn,
bank while Lutte was being held in hi
hiding place to prevent his going home
and giving the alarm From the empty
cartridge hulls found on the ground,.it i
evident that the Indians Were supplied
with needle guns and Smith Il Wessol
pistols