Newspapers / Gastonia Daily Gazette (Gastonia, … / April 14, 1903, edition 1 / Page 1
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THE GASTONIA ____=========^==____ Rubllahed Twice a Week-Tuesday* W. F. MAESHAH, Editor mod PfgrUtT. ' DEVOTED TO THE HQTECT10N OF HOME AND THE VOL. XXIV. GASTONIA, N. C., TUESDAY, APRIL 14, 1003. BAD MElf-BY JACK CBAWTOHD And Brava Mas. Tea, Who Died With Their Boats oo. N«w York Sub. Col. Jack Crawford has been writing fuf the Chicago Iuter Ocean his recollection of some of the brave meu aud "bad ' meu of the plain* a generation ago. He's a rich man now out in Oregon and a good story teller, as his uarrtive proves: The notorious "bad man" of the western frontier is becoming a rarity. Along with the scout, the cowboy, the stage driver and the pony express rider, the old time brigands aud desperadoes have almost disappeared. Scores were killed in bloody battles with frontiersmen, many died In terrible feuds, others have been captured aud tamed by the stern lesaous of stone walls and iron bars. • The passing of the "bad men” meant much to those of u* who blazed the trails from the Mis souri river to the Pacihc ocean, and all the early forers in the wild west had their hardships, and hair raising experiences. All the meu of those days of neces sity were rugged, keen, fearless men, forit took a steadfast heart to push forward in the face of the dangers and a fearletss one to meet and put down the the relentless foe, both red and white, that the trail-breakers met. One of the bravest aud cooletf men 1 ever knew was the famous "Wild Bill” whose name in the family Bible is written William Haycock. It is not Hickock as often seen spelled. I knew "Wild -Bill” as well as I ever knew any one. We were togeth er a great deal. He was a pow erfully built man, his eye was like an eagle’s and he was abso lutely fearless of danger while performing his duties as United States marshal in the days of the Kansas Jsyhawkers, and later in dealing with the Indians and bad meil on the frontier. "W^ld Mill" was daring to an extreme. He thought only of his duty and he fulfilled it al ways. He was honest and ten der hearted and I have teen him give up his lost five dollar bill to aid tome poor immigrant who was starving. By this action he often changed places wjtb the sufferers. One time "Wild BUI" and my self were riding along the trail from Sidney to Deadwood through, the buffalo swales. It was infested by a motley gang of cut throats snd sll ronnd baa men. We rode on until we came to a little dugout where a man named Reddy Kelly kept a sa . loon. It wasn't a pretentious place. The roof was supported by a post in the middle of the room; a simple rough plank served as a bar. A bucket of water and oue demijohn of whisky composed the entire stock in hand* Kelly himself was a picturesque char acter, a man of brawn. He wore a fiery beard and a sleeveless red flannel abirt. We all knew him ycty well and when "Wild Bill" ana I rode up we tied our horses to a small fir tree outside and went in to get a drink. I stepped in first and walked to the opposite side of the post supporting the roof. "Wild Bill" stepped up to the bar, leaned on his elbow, and began talking to Reddy Kelly, All of a sudden, as if be had leaped through the floor a man jumped before "Wild Bill" with out any warning. In each hand he held a revolver. He got Bill and ntytelf in line and neither of us dared move. "Hold up your hand*,” tbe fellow shouted to Hill with a string of oaths, which formed the dialect of the bad men of those days. "I atn going to kill you Bill.” Bill without a move, quietly looked'at the intruder, and then ssid to him: "Why, ray man, you do not want to kill me in cold blood. Have you thought about this matter? (I don't know yon nor your reasons for wanting to get me ont of the way.’ "Wall." said the stranger. "I'm going to kill you because you’ve strung up too many of our fellows, nnd now it’s your time BIH." The threat didn’t fease the cool-headed marshal. He gaaed steadfastly into the' other mao’s face sad then ssid: "That is too bad. I never thongbt of that before, but I suppose it it a necessary thing. And now yon want to put me out of the way." "Yes, and I’m a-goin’ to do it rhrht,” growled the stranger. The monies of both revolvers were not eighteen inches from Bill’s fece, but be never flinched I dared not move or tbe fellow would have killed BUI before I coold Jump aside and shoot. I saw the muscles of Bill’s neck grow taut, tbc cords stood out in nis neck and his feet seemed to sink into the rough floor. Bill gazed into the man's eyes fur a minute and then gave a ter rible war-whoop, throwing the man’s attention from his aim for an instant. He ducked his head a foot and like a flash of light ning whipped out two great re volvers. As they came up the bullets were flying, and every one of the twelve leaden pellets pierced the uiau's body, literally cutting him in two. When Bill gave his unearthly yell the in truder fired one shot, but it went far above the mark. I:i a minute the smoke blew away and the man lay dead ou the floor. Bill turned to Reddy Kelly and said: "Remove this carrion. Red, and give us another drink." We took another drink walked to our horses and struck out along the trail to Deadwood. i never heard Bill say a word about the aflray and I sa*id nothing. We were not in the habit of re membering such things. "Next to "Wild Bill" the bravest man and one of tbe most desperate I ever saw was uu out and-out brigand. His uainc was Jack Bnrke, and he was the boldest man in the notorious "Billy the Kid’s" gang of des peradoes. 1 first ran across Durke in K1 Paso, Tex., after I had been (or some time in Mexico. I knew the habits of tbe banditti, I had fought tad rode among had men throughout the frontier states, but I had never found a braver man than Bnrke. My meeting with him was extraordinary, and uot accompanied by tbe most comforting circumstances. .In B1 Paso I ran across an old friend, Red Hart. He told me that he was going to open a new bcilding that night and wanted me to help him by .seeing that no desperadoes entered the place. I told him I would aid him and I remained in tbe building until late. There was a varied throng, men of all classes and descrip tions, most of them rough-and ready fellows. About 2 o’clock in the morning, when all the early comers were gone, I walked down the back stairs, which ter minated in an alley. At the bot tom of the stairway was a hooded door, behind which burned a flickering smoky oil lamp. The shadows wavered and rather blinded one. When I reached the bottom of the stairs and opened the door into the alley I was confronted by four men. Each man held a gun at my head, ordered me to throw np my hands, and deliver what cash I had. To me this was rather aston ishing, for I have always been a peaceful man. I did not see my way clear to accede to the de mand. I quietly pulled ont my revolver—a beautiful barker that shot a ball as big as a walnut— and simply stated that I did not intend to be robbed. The larg est of the four men—a handsome broad-shouldered, but desperate looking fellow, again ordered me to give up my money. "You ar* four to otae,” I said. "Four cowards to one man, and I am a brave man, understand that. You can kill me, I know, but I can sboot quicker than you and before I go down I will send two of yon to tbe happy hunting grounds. Turn loose, if you want to, and 1*11 give you more than a fair show, but 111 get two of you." The tall man lowered hit re volver and atepped forward. You don’t kill a brave man like thia fellow, boya," be aald, "and I’m on his aide. I fight with him." . I told him to get back with his gang, that I wasn't afraid of the four. The big fellow ordered the men to put up their weapons, aayiug: "It ain't a square deal to get a live one cooped np this w*y- Tha treats are on aa stranger, if you'll come around the comer.* I want, but told them they must pay for the treat, and that nothing leas than a five-dollar gold piece wonldnqnare matters. They opened a bottle of cham pagne. We draftk up and then the four left. I never aald a word to any one about the ex perience, bnt I found thereafter that every man In "Billy the Kid’s" gang was my friend. I met them time and again in the Sevan Rivers district, along the Rio Grande, and all through No Man’s Land, and they never once stopped or offered to harm me. Several mouths after lire little episode at Bl Paso I had to go to the Apache reservation as a government engineer to run aome lines bearing on tha local coal . land* along .the Seven Wwi. I know I was in tha bad territory, but tha man saver mistrusted me. I met a time or f two the big fellow who held me up. and I came to know him as Jack Burke. One day I came near to Burkc’a cabin, a four-room building with an L aud a log porch or primitive style. I saw Bnrke sitting on the porch cleau •ng his Winchester rifle. 1 spoke to him sud went through to the rear to speak to an old woman who kept the cabin. While talking to her I heard a rifle shot aud. hurrying around to the porch, 1 found Burke bad been sliot b a number of hi-« own gang. The wontui was a fright ful ouc. The hail had ripped open his abdomen. I got a sheet and tied it around his waist and he crawled iuto the house. "Get ine to the window. Jack," be said "and tell the old woman to keep out of the way. There’s going to be hell to pay here for a little while. Give me my gun aud put a mattress up under the window. There I will die, but I’ll take a few along with me wheu 1 go. This is not vour fight. Jack Crawford. 1 have not long to live. Keep out of the way until I call you.” Burke raised his rifle, stuck it out of the window and wailed. 1 did not think he could live five ntmutes, so I took the old woman and got her out of harm’s way. In another tniuute the Winchester begau spitting fire. For twenty minutes the battle kept up furiously. A great many shots were fired from places of hiding outside, and Jack watched the little puffs of smoke and then sent a bullet straight to the mark. At last his firing cessed for a moment, and I thought it was all over with him. Then I saw him slowly lay his ebeek against his rifle stock, as slowly close one eye. and as slowly pull the trigger. His aim was directed at a small knot hole in a saw mill 200 yards away. The bullet went straight to the poiot, as T learned afterward. When Jack fired bit last shot—it was what we call the dead mac's shot, aud is always true—lie called me. I ran to biin and he said: ’’Stretch me out, old man, and pull off my boots. I am going to die. My real uatne is not Jack Burke. No one ever shall know Who I am. My fathet is a wealthy New York state man and my family kgpws nothing of me. 1 do not want them to know." The fellosTthen let hia hands (all, hia head dropped to one side and lie was dead. He had been game to the finish. When all was quiet I walked about the region to take a look at the battle ground. Jack had killed five meu. The last one (ell at the "dead man's shot." The first shot fired at Jack cauie from the knot hole in the saw* mill and from there came all the time the fiercest fire. Jack missed aim at the place several times, but that last shot went to the target, and there, inside the mill, I found a desperado with his.whole head blown off I saw Jack Burke decently buried. 1 Have never said a word abottt the battle and the only message that ever went out was a small dispatch to the newspapers, which- read, "Jack B?rke, the greatest desperado with ‘Billy the Kid,' has been killed In a brawl with other members of the brigand gang.” I was a witness also of the other members ol "Billy the Kid’s” gang. One evening in the spring of 1881 I rode into B1 Fnso from Los Tancos and Paso del Norte. It was 9 o’clock when I reached B! Paso and 1 was travel worn and started at once for my living place. On the way I met Dal las Studemire, the marshal of B1 Paso. He was bora a Texan, was a man of rare ability, fall of resolution, and faithful to bis dnty. The hills not far away were infested at that tima with a pert of notorious gang of desperadoes, every men of thein a desperate highwayman. When I met Stndemire he stopped me and as^ed; "Wliat are von going to do to night, John?” "1>V* i”** ridden in from Del Norte,”! said, "and, I am tired and am going home.” "OJ* y™ gun with you?” asked Dal. I told him I bad it. "Come quickly with me, then," ■aid the marshal, "I’m going to capture Campbell and Stern, two of the Kid’s gang. Thev’rs desperate lads, and 1 hear they are In the upper end of the town now. I wish you srould guard oty rear so that I am not attacked. I'll do the shooting. It’s not your job, hot I don‘t want to be shot in the back. Will you go?" I went, and we sailed up the middle of the street, Del with his pair of 41a and I with my revolver. "Old Betsy." We walked rapidly, and 1 had to ad mire the cool courage, not to say dare-deviltry, of the young marshal. He seemed perfectly confident of getting his man, and he went along the street in full view of the crowd, both hands at his revolver belt. We had walked scarcely a distauce ol two blocks when the ball opened. The two despera does jumped from behind the old Grand Central hotel, then au _ adobe house, nud brought their Winchester down npon Dal. Both weapons spoke, but the halls went'Sbovc the target. Without flinching or batliug an eye or showing the least fear on earth, Dal whipped out both revolvers. They spoke almost simultaneously. Campbell lurched forward with n greut ugly bole directly between bis eyes. Before he had struck the gTouud Stern was sinking into a heap, shot through the head. Dsl rushed up to the tneu and found them both dead. It was the quickest work I ever saw. But how it was the men fired high I never could understand. Both were dead shots. GASTONIA IS THE MACE. Another Reason si iUmiift ts Witaesssa and Jurors. T» Um Bditnr «l tke Ouatta: There are many reasons I could give why the court house should be moved to Gastonia. But I will now mention only one. * If I should be a witness or a juryman and should have tu ait a week on the jury or stand- up a week off of it, I would be en titled to prove my ticket and draw pay. Now suppose, as often hap pens. I should not l>e able to get lnv money from the Treasurer, or should bavc to leave town and go home before drawing tuy pay. I would then have to make another special trip to Dallas to tret my money or wait until business called me there again or sell my ticket at a discount. As I seldom have any bnsinei at Dallas, I would be put to con siderable inconvenience in get ting my money, II the court house were in Gastonia, I could get my money any time. 1 could also take a load of wood or chickens, eggs, and butter every day in tbe week daring court and attend court too. Isn’t that so? So I say, vote for the new court bouse to be built in Gasto nia- S. N. N. 2MM Chickens. SutcavlUa Landmark. Six cars loaded with chickens came down the Western road Monday and were taken to the Northern markets. Bach car contained 4,000 chickens, a total of about 24,000 aboard. A Rebuke to loioton and ‘ Blusterers. ItlHtton Bua. " Boasting and blustering,” said President Roosevelt is one of his fpeeches in the West* last week, "axe aa objectionable among nations aa amoog in dividuals, and the public men of a great nation owe it to their sense of national self respect to speak courteously of foreign Powers, jost as a brave and self-respecting man treats all around him courteously.” That is an excellent sentiment. For many years it baa bean tha habit of some of our statesmen to boast publicly that Uncle Sam "can Hole anything ia creation.” Such bumptiousness ia impolitic and in bad taste. A nation which is eagerly seeking a trade In all parts of tbe/eorid will not gain trade by adopting «n atti tude of "bounce and bluster.” In soma quartern it ia intimated that President Roosevelt's ob servation was intended ts an in formal rebuke of a distinguished naval officer The cap fits the heads of many men who are not in the n«vy. There ore Jingoes in Congress who were blustering long before army and navy on cers began to speak their minds too freely. At Loarndesville, 8. C., on Thursday of last weak James Latimer, 17 yean old, a nephew of U S. Senator Latimer, shot and kilted hi* teacher, Mr. J. R. Harper. Harper bad warned bis pupil* not to plav truant on All Fools day, but the instruction* were disregarded and the shoot iny was the rAalt of bis punlsh meat for the offence. Harper'* wounds are not considered dan gerous. Latimer fled. Fommas-' Gentlemen, we wtn proc—d to nousidar tha cam u ioco as f can ret this cow out. Don’t yon think Gaston county needs a new court bouse t* JuavNsx (iachorus)—'We do! Wa do! And let’s build It lu Gastonia.” Ou> II«y—"Yes. more It- r cun pay tha tan.” * tATCTT 4 4 ' JOTv>< SSMHggfe Oar millinery department la ehu«e oT Xlu Parte to «r P+mlng itself this season ii *t7U’ S?’ *xti*do >>•• It In WiihM edlto'it win Might you. Cum to DRESS GOO 08. These we have is the new est wesves-VoiiyHKffifcl nail Crepe elects. GRENADINES. „ Don’t fail to see oar Hae. -Llsct Grenadines—Mack, white, sad colors. at 50c. Qreaadh Mack and white,! g MTr«i 38-inch.TaSeUa from 75c. to to 75c. HOmtST. Complete Has. 1 indies* and Miases* lace stripe, 55c. to $1 fed |*NI|f '^ TILLMAN BAKES \ CJBAKLEST0N1ANS. They Save Him • Bnagnat li Nia Haaar mi Ka Taok Occanl— (a Tall Them Vhat HaTbaaffct at Than. CtulMlM.lC, Di-TMtC*. 4tb. "Ovations are too cheap in Charleston to be valuable," was the sneering comment o! Sena tor Titlman when tremendous dous applause greeted faiut as be rose to deliver an address at a banquet in this city last night at which he was the gnest of honor. The occasion was meant to be a public expression of the appreciation of tail community far work he bad done in the Sen ate ta promote enterprises affect ing the commercial welfare of Charleston. This city Mu al ways been hostile to Tillman and Tillmanitm. But when he rendered valuable assistance to Charleston in the effort to secure a navy yard here and labored so hard to prevent the appointment of Dr. W. D. Cram as collector of customs it was deemed proper to show him some evidence of appreciation. A banquet was decided upon and ISO of the rep resentative business men of Charleston cordially greeted him at the festive board last night. "1 have not forgotten some things,” said the Senator, "and I intend to cut your hide with a few reminiscences.” He then recalled the treatment be bad received from Charleston throughout his political career and said: "1 accept at their face value your present protestations of friendship.” He ridiculed the city and declared it was afflicted with "dry rot," He declared that its citisens were so crazy over their ancestors and the biatory they made that they had dropped out of the proceseiou of progress. When he beca.ue a candidate for the Senate, he said, Charleston scowled on him and dubbed him an "onconth farmer,” bat he showed the peo ple he bad some "gray matter behind hi* one eye,” The speech was one of the most extraordinary of the aenaa tional addresses the SenatoT baa delivered in the course of his career. The banqueters were so astonished at having their hospitality spurned la this re markable manner that they almost forgot to be indignaut. It is safa to predict that the Senator will never be wined and dined in Charleston again. Tito Sheep BfvMed. liiMvUk larfaMk. Meaara. Samuel Archer. W. H. Adderholdt ud W. B. Gib aon. who went into the aheep bnaineaa in this county more than a year ago and ore encour aged with their proape eta of aucceaa. have divided their flock. The aheep have been kept alternately on the forma of Meaara. Adderholdt, in Betheny townahip, and Glbaon, at Fancy Hill, In charge of Mr. Archer. Thr latter baa recently married and be will take hia part of the, aheep to hia new home near Mt. Ulla, in Kowau county, Mr. Archer will poet through town today with hia flock en route to Rowan. He la thoroughly fa miliar with the abeep bnaineaa and ia aa enthuaieat on the aubfect. “If I bad my way,” acid a shopkeeper to-day. "I woald banish every telephone from the face of the earth/’ "What's the matter?" asked the news man; "thing oat of or der—won’t work?" "Not that so much ; the trouble with me is, it’s in too good order. Here's tli« way it is and 1 am re ladng actual occurrence*: The other morning before 7 o'clock a customer living just exactly a mile from my place called ok up and ask me to send him an article that cost exactly five cents. He’s a regular patron of mine and of coarse I couldn’t get oat of it. Inside of ten minutes after this another party living almost aa far, asked toe to send a bar of cheap soap odt to his house, unis is sn every day business. I have frequently seat n boy oat with a small bandit and by the time be would get back to the •tore the same party be had list visited/phoned after something else. Talk about a man making a living. I’ll be dry if the whole coontry don’t get into bankrupt cy if the practice is kept op. And he was no doabt telling the troth about the use of the phone. It's use is becoming aa abase sad an imposition. ’Arne is only one way oat of it and that ia to charge extra for the deliv ery of such trifling purchases, but in troth people should have some consideration, some re apect for the Justice of each re quests. A merchant wants to be obliging If be.is a man who .de sires to conduct bis business property, bat he should not be imposed oa._ Nat KUU. Thera are murmurs over rail roading the Rockingham negro murderer to the gallows aadper «Ktteg postponements in the trial of taeu of prominence who have staked their hands with Mood. It does not look right uod it is not right. 'Labor disturbances are agitat ing the old world aa well as the new. Rome la guarded by troop* to prevent outrages by striking workingmen. There is a gen eral strike in Holland ahd labor riots in Russia have resulted in the death of manv persons and the injury of many others. NOVELTIES. Oar line of Belts. Bolt Mas. Shirt-waist Sets, Wrist Be££ Brooches. Coartis, ate.. caa not be surpassed. LACES, APPITO, ETC. Oar lias sarpaasrs any ever shown on this market. Grim rietdgns vary popular. W* have just received a lot ol wash Appliaaes. 'They an b»«i£^d^ -rtfSbrtS J. F. Yeager. LADIES* FURNISHINGS A, D. CLARK. obocebT" This E the place to |tC your groceries cheap. Let us quota you some prices: teat Patented Capitols Floor . . . H Patent Flow at . *L 10 per sack. Pare loaf Laid at . . U*cptrjb. Oraaalated Boyar, Mika. lor .».«*. Boasted Catee .... toe potto. 3 lb. cas Tomatoes.Mb Cora.. per bo.
Gastonia Daily Gazette (Gastonia, N.C.)
Standardized title groups preceding, succeeding, and alternate titles together.
April 14, 1903, edition 1
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