Year: 1870

20.


Missed His Mark.-A True story Of Ken


tucky In the Olden Time.


correspon dencc of the Louisville Courier Journal


BowLISc GREEN, Ky, May "a.
A few days ago, in the Office of an at
torney here, heard witness asked
"What is your age, and what hos beer
your occupation for the past forty-fve
years ~ And the answer to this elected
incidentally, narrative Of one of the
most interesting adventures and hair
breadth escapes characteristic of the first
part of the present century in this section
Of the commonwealth. The question was
asked by Judge Dulaney and Robert Da-
Wis, the witness, answered that his age
was seventy-two years and, for the pur-
pose of answering the balance of the
question, turned to an old acquaintance in
the room, and asked him, "What year was
it that fellow shot at me near the Dripping
Springs? for that was my first years ex-
perience in the tobacco trade" When
the witness had been released from his ex-
animation, we desired to know the partic-
ulars of the incident referred to, and he
favored us with the following:


In the year lS- l was agent in the
Green River country for large tobacco
house in New Orleans. There we're no
express companies through this country
then, and l had just returned from New
Orleans, bringing with me large amount
of money for the purpose Of paying for
the tobacco Ihad purchased and shipped,
and to make further purchases fer the
same house. l stopped one night at the
Dripping Springs, about fifteen miles
north of Bowling Green, on the Louisville
& Nashville turnpike. This was the stop
ping-place then for travellers going over to
the Mammoth Cave. From this point
was desirous Of reaching farmers, WHO
resided not far from the cave, and accord
ingly, after settling my bill with the hotel.
keeper at the Springs, left early the n, xt
morning for that point. In those days. a,
almost every hotel in this section of the
country, there was certain to be found
one of Gloss Of men peculiar to those
times and this part Of the ccuntry-mcn
of good address and manly appearance,
and who, without labor of any kind, lived
upon the fat of the land, as found at the
old stage stands and country taverns, but
of whose previous history nothing could
ever be learned, and who yet seemed nes-
er to be withholding any secret from their
associates ard even casual aequaintances.
Such was man by the name of Potter,
then living at Dripping Springs. After
leaving there rode on over the ragged
and almost mountainous road leading frcm
the Springs to the cave, until l reached
the branch that crosses the road, abou.
two miles beyond the Springs. 1t was ii
warm, sultry day, and l stopped here, as l
had been suffering from headache, to
Dati.o my i,oad tu --ti.v -ct.vu,n.I- I-aie-
mounted from my horse, and held the bri-
die while knelt down on a rock; and at
the very instantI stopped over l heard
the sharp crack of rifle, and, in looking
up, saw Potter coming almost in run
from out of the bushes toward me; and
afterwards RENE mbered the exceedingly
perplexed look of surprise upon his coun-
tenarce when l asked "what he was
shooting at?'' He said ga turkey" and
commenced to load his gun again. |
mounted my horse and rode of, not doubt
ing his word. A few yards from this
point the road turned, and, on my looking
around from here, saw that he was load
ing very excitedly, and there was pecu
liar something in the manner in which he
turned up his charger to pour in the
powder that caused my first suspicion Of
the truth. 1t has been upward of forty
five years, but there is no memory more
distinct in my mind than the strange, un-
accountable look of that man as he az
peared at that moment. then remem-
bered that he had seen me open my pock-
et-book to settle with the landlord at the
Springs that morning +; and, scarcely had
l thought of this, when my horse stag
gered and fell in the road. On examin-
ing him found his whole breast covered
with blood that was oozing out of small
bullet-hole in his shoulder. My suspic
ions were then proven, and, getting him
up again, hurried on to the Mammoth
Cave as fast as his condition would allow.
There had been big field muster there
that day, and, on hearing my story, the
colonel in command (Mr. Elijah Clay.
pcol started with six men back to the
spot. Potter had some friends present,
and particularly DR.. Stone, who were in
clined to ridicule my story a. to the inten-
ton Of Potter, even if was correct about
his being the man. On arriving at the
branch, no trace of Potter could be found,
nor could we for some time find any
marks or circumstances tending in any
way to confirm my report. Finally, how
ever, Col. Claypool found, on little hill
and behind a large tree, the imprint of a
rifle stock and also of mans knee on
the ground. The colonel then placed me
where stood when heard the shot, and
with his own gun he took aim at me from