The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1871-10-27

The Prairie Police.
Cooperative with the regular soldiery
Of the frontier forts IN the West and
Southwest, for the pursuit and capture
of Indian depreda.0gs, hal.-breed out
laws, white horae-thieyes, and other
criminals OF the plains. are "a class Of
civil officers known as Deputy Marshals
Of the United States. whose skin and
daring in the arrest Of desperate saVages,
the recovery Of stolen stock, or the slay-
ing Of defiant desperadoes, are often
worthy of the most heroic song Of a
joaquin Miller. Not long ago one Of
these emiSsarieS of justice, familiarly
known as Joe Peayy, was glorihed IN
telegram 90 the press for having cap
tured. single-handed, and brought into
Fort Smith. Arkansas, no less then seven
hwless white adventures, who had been
guilty of slaughtering and plundering
the friendly OsagcS. That was deemed
brilliant exploit but the Memphis
Appea! thinks ii hardly equal to the same
officers less published prowress with
the Indians in times not long past. Once,
when a noted chief of the fierce kiowas,
stalwaIt and bloodthirsty aboriginal
called Leaping Panther" had brutally
murdered and scalped q whole family of
n settler on Canadian River, a strong
military force from Fort Smith secured
the country for miles around in futile
search for the assassin, and il WAS re-
solved 10 try what the individual track.
ing skill of a deputy marshal could ac-
complish. Peayy, who knew Leaping
Panther" and was familiar with every
rod of the Indian country, volunteered
10 work the case up; with the stipulation,
however, that he should be allowed to
prosecute the adventure alone The
projected feat was full Of mortal peril
the red slayer was with his warriors in
the heart of country murderously hos
tile 20 the pale-faees, and the idea Of at
tempting 10 capture him single-handed
seemed sheer madness but the indomi-
table prairie policeman confidently un-
dertoOk the achievement, despite the
misgiyings OF his own usually danntless
professional brethren. Armed with two
" navy skies and a well-worn bowie.
clad in a fox-skin cap, hickory shirt, and
buckskin pantaloons, and mounted ON a
tough little mustang, Deputy United
States Marshal Joe Peayy started forth
upon his deed of high surprise, ms sure
OF his fOeman as any knlghtly Orlando
of the olden times. Entering the Indian
nation on its northern verge, he made a
circle of the hiowa country. SO as to en-
ter il from the extreme west, and come
into "IIeaping Panther's F" woodland en-
campment as a WAY worn refugee from
-. Il - 80
looked on him with suspicion a. first,
bat hy a skilliul use Of his whiskey-
flask, tobacco pouch, aneAthe gutieral
Kiowa tongue, the more astute intruder
quickly lulled the warriors distrust,
aud even persuaded him into conh-
denco not often exacted from red men.
After some days Of tactical tarrying in
camp the tanned Panther consented 10
accompany his white guest on a visit 10
a neighboring tribe. with no more Of
train than twofayorite squaws who clam
ored for the privilege. The possibility
Of this feminine complication did not
enter the calculations Of the willy prairie
detective, vet he accepted IL stoically
and was even able 30 turn il 90 emit
nent advantage. In his curious fatuity
the chief allowed himself to be led by
detour out uf his own kiowa country
into the neighborhood Of Fort Sill,
where, without a moments warning,
he found himself halted in mid-road by
one Of the pistols of his treacherous
guest, while another revolver held
the astonished squaws AZ command.
Thus at the merry Of their suddenly
unmasking enemy the terrified wives of
the Panther we're mtbles,ly compelled
10 take from the eutmppcd chieftain his
now useless arms. bind his hands behind
MS back with buckskin thong aud
place him n helpless prisoner upon one
of their own ponies. This accomplished,
the marshal turned the horses heads.
and drove his captiyss toward the
east. The journey Of captivity extended
over 200 miles through the heart Of "A
wild and hostile Indian country, and
lasted nearly two weeks. From the mo
ment OF his arrest the Eiowa preserved
a aillen silence. At night, when they
rested in the woods, the captor tied the
squaws TO separate trees and bound the
fettered chiefs right arm 20 his own
left Every hours march or halt was at
peril of discovery by rowing Indians and
the exemplary dispatch OF the prairie Po-
liceman: but on the twenty-eighth day AZ.
ter his departure from Fort Smith the
deputy marshal reappeared there, bring
ing Leaping Panther" bound hand
and foot, to expiate the fearful crime
with which he stood charged. He had
practised for his purpose craft which
had seemed both cowardly and cruel.
but for the consideration that il was his
only resource as one man against ma
ton OF foemen.