Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-05-01
TRAGEDY.
BIckerstah, the Partner of CnI,
lem Baker, "sent Up"
The Deed is Done by "Ex-
RebrEs.o
The Lest Of the Arkansas and
Texas DeSDeradOes.

Some few months ago we gave an &C.
count OF the hunting down and shooting
OF the notorious Cullen Baker, the des,
perado, who, with his c0nfederstes, 60
long held Southern Arkansas and North.
eastern Texas ia terror, and levied tax
red handed upon the people of both
States. We mentioned at the time that
bat two more of the gang remained
Ben Bickerstaf and Thompson,
We have now the details cf the tragic
n OF these tive smen, with whom per-
ish the last vestige of the Once powerful
band Of Cullen Baker. Wetake them
from an extra y issued by the Waxa-
hatchie (Pexss) argus of April 9th.
They are as follows:
Ben Biekerstatf, universally known in
Northern Texas as the master associate
Of the late Cullen u. Baker, and Thomp,
son, IstteIIy the most active, energetic
n fearful accOmplice OF the former, met
with q horrible and unexpected death at
AIvaradO, johnson county, on yestsr-
day evening 18Th inst.) at about sunset
The particulars OF the tragic occurrence
were ~reeOunted to US this morning bv
Mr.. a. G. Barnes, in the presence of
Messrs. David and John Myers, all of
whom are citizans Of AIvarado, and were
participants in the terrible affair.
BlckeTstef Sud Thompson had been
residing for some months near AIvarado,
Aad 1t was their custom 90 visit the place
ISts ia theeyeniug, snd during the night
to institute 8 carnival OF robbery and
other crime. B.ckeTstsR had assumed
the name OF ~ThOmp5on, and was known
to the mass of the Community by that
name. But it appears thst 2 few indi-
yidusls knew his real lame Time
passed, and the criminals became holder
and their outrageous Gets grew to be more
unbeerSble. Consequently, on the fatal
evening mentioned, the good citizens OF
the village prep .red themselves with
shooting apparatus for the purpose of
Kidding their community of these, the
greatest pests they had ever known.
the hour at which the desperRdoes
usually visited them, approached, and
with Il came the parties fer whom they
so snxiousIy looked. A feeling net IN
mixed with anxiety and pain was depic-
tsd.up0n every face. The men rode U 0 TO
the horse rack and dismauutsd, and IS
soOa as they had alighted q shower of
death dealing lesden balls was directed
at them. Thompson was killed instant.
ly, and Bickers5aff was struck ia three
places. Notwithstanding his ffightfuI
and mortal wounds, one Of which either
burst the ball of his right eye, or so con-
fused iC as TO render it entirely sightless,
ne fired two well aimed shots at his adj
versar.es, one ball passing through the
clothes Of n Of his antagonists, and a |
shot striking 8 gun in the hands Of an
other. He then fred several shots at
random, showing, while even in tbs
of death, the desperate and IN.
CoDqueTablesp spirit that hsd attended him
eli along through bis career of crime.
When he was Frustrated upon the
ground, and his adversaries we're gath
cred around, he exclaimed, "You have
killed as brave a man as there is in the
He was disposed to be commu-
NEGATIVE, bot he failed to get any inter-
ested or attentive auditors.
Thus passed from earth a ma who
had, doubtless, stepped himself in crimes
hein0Us and foul as srs known in the
annals OF this country, and the instances
of bis laTlessness are, perhaps, only
in number to those OF his former
chief and master spirit, Cullen NJ Baker;
and that merely by reason hat the latter
more inveierate in the business.
Thompson bad been q citizen of Alvs-
rado-having lived there, we believe, as
: respected citizen for about two wears.
lie was seduced into the vicious
career, upon which he had entered, by
.ickerstsf, a man vino was then already
veil advanced or the highway of crime.
We learn that some arrests Of ci jzens
If AIvsrado have been made, it being
iuepseted bhat they were accessories of
8ickerstaf and Thompson. We forbear
% mention names, IS the parties have
>een highly respected, and as there is
lot yet proof positive Of their connection
With the deceased.