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Show FAMOUS OLD SCOUT TAKES HIS OWN LIFE George Van Buf eh, Picturesque Character Char-acter of the Strenuous Days in the West. MISSOULA, Mont.. Jan. 21.-G. Van Buren, noted scout, soldier and author of three deendes, and a direct descendant of President Martin Vah Buren, committed com-mitted suicide at his ranch home In Rattlesnake Rat-tlesnake valley, 'seven miles from Missoula, Mis-soula, Monday night by shooting himself him-self through" the heart with a rifle that had brought him fame. Always a picturesque pic-turesque character, the end was in keeping keep-ing with strenuous scenes his days had witnessed. , ' ' A native of Kentucky, Van Buren came West with Indian-fighting troops at the close of the Civil war,' In which he participated par-ticipated with Union Soldiers. Under the nom de plume of "Kit, the Trapper he furnished many stdrlea that brought him prominence among the early writers of W"Mern Hfe. . Van Buren Was attached to Gen. Miles' troops as scojit during the disastrous Custer Cus-ter campaign in Little Big Horn country; He arrived at the Scene of that massacre after its occurrence in the caparlty of a scout bearing important dlspatohes from Miles to Custer. What net his view became be-came world-famous by the dispatches he hurried via Helena, a miles distant, to the Eastern press, being the first Information Informa-tion the World had of the engagement. For twenty years Van Buren has lived a recluse life with his family near here. Recently he drank heavily and waa greatly great-ly despondent over ill-health. He Was "0 years old. |