Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1862-10-26
ENTRAPPING A mUHDERER

- -NNN- tHeA HoiAA ~ hVb'
ENTHAPPING A MURDERER.
spEoULAToR'B STORY.
In the year 1888 | went to the Red river
country with view of speculatipg in horses,
lands, or anything that might give promise Of
profitable return for cash Investment. OF
course carried good deal of money with me,
but knowing | was going into q wild, laWless
class, OF every grade and color, among half.
civilized Indians, negroes, gamblers, thieyes,
robbers, murderers and aesassinR-With perhaps
few settlers of some claim to honor
and honesty, II they could be sifted out from
the mass-l thought IL the safest plan not to
seem we'll of In the worlds goods. Accord
ingly secured my money In belt around my
BODY, put on very coarse, rough dress, which,
by international carelessness, soon had very
mean, slovenly appearance, and allowed nv
hair and beard to manage matters their own
way, without any troublesome Interference OF
razor or comb. Thus prepared, and armed with
two revolvers and a bowie-k knife, passed over
some dangerous territory In comparative safe.
ty, and fattered myself that no one guessed my
riches through my apparent poverty.
In fact, on two occasions, began to think n
might have been to my advantage to have look.
ed little more respectable. The first oi
these was when travelling through the Choctaw
nation, found drove of horses that pleased
me very much, and was told by the owner, in
reply to my question as to what he would take
ahead for the entire lot, that he was not 10 thu
habit OF naming bis price to every wanderinl
beggar shat chose to satisfy an idle curiosity
l was disposed ct first to put on some dignity
| and Oak INDIGNANT. hnk 0nnoI,dad
ful lsurvey Of my person, that the man had
good cause for speaking as be did, and 80 mere
ly assured him that knew an individual VIII,
wished to buy horses, If he could get them at ,
fair price. The horse.owner, however, was no
disposed to believe my statement, and 80
passed him by, wish resolve that, IL nothinG
better turned up, would give him another cal
under more advantageous appearance. A
the second instance alluded to was similar 4
the first, 1t may be passed over without furthe
notice.
h But out of this same cause grew q very re
markable adventure which IL is my present pur
pose to relate.
While passing between two settlements, owe
o very lonely, gloomy horse path, LEADING
through Q dark, hemlock wood, and while Ii
the most solitary part, there suddenly cam
before me, leaping over the thicket On th
right, human figure of most startling ap
pearance. Ii was man of medium height
but Of stout, powerful frame, all covere
with dirty tatters, that he appeared to hav
worn and wallowed in for years. He had n
covering for his head or feet, and his skin wa
30 coated with CRIME that 1t was difficult at
first look to tell whether be belonged to Oh
white race or not His face, high upon hi
cheeks, was covered with dirty brown beard
and his matted hair hung In wild confusion al
around his head, except little space befor
his swollen bloodshot eyes, and altogether
looked like madman or human devil Hi
hand held and swung formidable club, m
his attitude, az he leaped into the road befor
me, was one Of fierce menace and defiance.
stopped In alarm, and, while fixing my ey,
sharply upon his, quietly slId my hand into
convenient pocket and grasped the butt of OF
of my reyolvers, firmly determined TO keep hi
ats short distance that divided us, or kill hi
If he advanced ''" ..-t I 3.
For perhaps halt minute We stood silent
Regarding and surveying each other, and the
resting one end of his club on the ground, an
partly leaning forward on the other, he sal
In coarse, gruf tone, with kind of chuc
ling laugh: -f-3 ''-
"Well-me! I's in hopes I'd q prize at las
show IL, by ---! Stranger, who are 20,
and whar you front"
"Well," returned l, feeling highly comp
mented, OF course, that resembled such O "
demonstrating object as himself, "some pc
pie call me beggar, and know don't pa
for gentleman" r,.-.-.
"lll sw'ar to that-haw! hsw! hsww v
the ohuckling response. "The world hal
made much of you, mor'nt has of me. I Q
r steal in your face as plain as daylight So
= what jail or penitentiary lost you last7"
"Never mind that" said !, "probably Meth
OF us have got our deserts"
swell, If you had been decent dresse
looked like you have five dollars about you,
have knocked your brains outw pursued Il
@ villain with broad grin. "As Il is, you O
Of pasE.-for can sw'ar you haint got red!"
" Much obliged for your csndor any how
lrejoined /.
}. he stood before me locking straight into !
eye, and now seemed to be pondering some n
Q, idea. Presently he muttered, as If to himse
:. al think he might do" Then q nome
n after, he said tome, 60 ] say, old fellow, hoV
IS you like to make raiser"
Q /" How would like to eat when hungry ~
= 7 answered, thinking it not unlikely that I
Is scoundrel had some project in view, which
., seeming TO chime in with him might discov
"a "Weil, I've got q plsn,'' said he, throwi
h. his club down, as If to assure me Of his paoi
ct Intention toward myself, and quietly adval
q ing to my eide-"I've got plan that will B
~ ~ us both q heap of money, and it'll take two
Of carry 1t out. I've been wanting pal, and
ng you'll join in I'll 60 your halves"
y elf there's any chance to turn penny,
~ ~. your man.' said l. h,
cd "Good" returned he; "you look like
ed trump, and I'll bet high on you. Idon't knov
Oh he added, cycling me sharply, .but ] may
% deceived-but think I'll risk it. II you
for to play any game on me, you'd better Ia
a out for yourself, that's ALL"
"Do look like such scamp as that?"
ars turned I, In an indignant tone. .'aA ,tsH Z
N"Well, let's take seat and talk IL over =
LIS. We found an old log and sat down. and q
!. some preliminary conversation, my new and
. teresting acquaintance unfolded 10 mela N
Idamnable scheme, the substance of which
as follows: h'.., A1A
- He knew the country we'll for miles arou
- and the exact position and condition of ev
settler. One man, living In o rather lor
quarter, about Eve miles distant, was o sp,
lator in horses and cattle, which he sometil
bought up and drove to q distant market.
had q good deal Of money, which It was,
40 lposed &c kept aecreted In his dwelling; Rl'
70 lget possession sof this money was, Of cCu
nolfhe object In view. The trouble was, that