uch characters have always commanded. Fear he did not
know, or at least no test arising in his somewhat varied life ever
caused him to show fear. He passed through life as a wild animal,
ungoverned by the law, rejoicing in blood; yet withal he was held as a
faithful friend and a good companion. To this day many men repel the
accusation that he was bad, and maintain that each of his twenty
killings was done in self-defense. The brutal phase of his nature was no
doubt dominant, even although it was not always in evidence. He was
usually spoken of as a "good fellow," and those who palliate or deny
most of his wild deeds declare that local history has never been as fair
to him as he deserved.

Thompson's first killing was while he was a young man at New Orleans,
and according to the story, arose out of his notions of chivalry. He was
passing down the street in a public conveyance, in company of several
young Creoles, who were going home from a dance in a somewhat
exhilarated condition. One or two of the strangers made remarks to an
unescorted girl, which Thompson construed to be offensive, and he took
it upon himself to avenge the insult to womanhood. In the affray that
followed he killed one of the young men. For this he was obliged to flee
to old Mexico, taking one of the boats down the river. He returned
presently to Galveston, where he set up as a gambler, and began to
extend his reputation as a fighting man. Most of his encounters were
over cards or drink or women, the history of many or most of the border
killings.

Thompson's list grew steadily, and by the time he was forty years of age
he had a reputation far wider than his state. In all the main cities of
Texas he was a figure more or less familiar, and always dreaded. His
skill with his favorite weapon was a proverb in a state full of men
skilled with weapons. Moreover, his disposition now began to grow more
ugly, sullen and bloodthirsty. He needed small pretext to kill a man if,
for the slightest cause, he took a dislike to him. To illustrate the
ferocity of the man, and his readiness to provoke a quarrel, the
following story is told of him:

A gambler by the name of Jim Burdette was badly whipped by the
proprietor of a variety show, Mark Wilson, who, after the fight, told
Burdette that he had enough of men like him, who only came to his
theater to raise trouble and interfere with his business, and that if
either he or any of his gang ever again attempted to d