The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1872-10-31

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During the war hundreds Of scoundrcls
took advantage Of The situation to plum
der the defenseless In the districts over
run ana laid waste BY the armies, They
robbed and murdered without hesitation
or regard to sentiment Their handswere
sgainst every man, and every mans hand
was against Them, One Of the most. Zero
rcioua and horrible creatures Of this class
was known 70 livsssin NE Ozark Noun
tains, near the Arkansas and Missouri line,
and in very short time he was, spQken
Of and feared in that region, both by citi-
seas and sOldieTy. The name Of The ruf-
nan robbef and rcd-handed murderer was
Frank Burton, and be was originally a
horse thief in Arkansas, but WAS 90 close
~ pursued into Texas, by crowd bent on
lynching him, that he had concluded to
seek pastures new, and found them on the
Ozark Mountains. Forsyth, Missouri, and
Carrelton, Arkansas, ere about forty miles
apart, and at the side Of the road between
them Burton selected his place Of abode.
He built 4 half Int at the mouth ola nat
| ural cave in the side of the mountain,
about 400 feet above the road. and there
lived alone. Few people saw him and
lived to relate il afterward. He always
carried . long ride and heavy side arms,
and would shoot down and rob any one
unfortunate enough 70 come within range
!. Of his gun After his deeds begun to be
known, o detachmento Of Federal soldiers
was sent after him at hAlfadozcn differ
cnt times but always returned one, two, OF
perhaps . half dozen men short. Burton
wore q butternut snit, much the color ;,ei
the trees and rocks ON the mountain side,
and was an adept at hiding himself, and
slipping from bush to bush without being
seen. On, one occasion a. company OF
twenty Or thirty men hunted him for a
Heek, and q last got him on > mountain,
which they surrounded. They then start
ed mp the slope, but had proceeded but a
few PAGES when q puff of smoke issued
from behind q rock couple Of hundred
yards away, and the foremost man fell
with 4 basil through his chest. Before the
others had recovered from their surprise,
smother puff Of smoke was seen aud an.
other man Cell. The survivors made a
rush f0s the rock, firing as they ran, but
ere they had reached II another shot from
the deadly rifle Of the robber brought
down The third man.. The party at last
reached The reek only 70 ind thess the ~
sassin hsl AisapPsared without leaving a
trace. WhAe'looking for his track they
again heard the crack OF his rife and, an
other Of their number dropped dead. This
was continued until terror took possession
Of the party and they beat hasty retreat
nearly one half Of those remaining being
convinced that the object Of their search
was something more than mortal The
General in command of that district at
last offered 4 large reward for the head OF
the scoundreI, and the reward was increas.
ed when Il was found that he continued to
rob and kill unmolested. Five thousand
dollars was at last offered for him dead or
alive, and description Of him was print.
ed and circulated among the troops. He
was described ~ short and heavy SET, with
immense muscular hands and arms. His
hair and rough unkempt beard we're black
as the plumage Of a crow, and he was ut
terly disgusting in appearance, rs he
sometimes did not wash his face and hands
for weeks. The neighbors living too near
hmm he killed or drove away, and, IL is
said, and probably with truth, that he
murdered no less than one hundred and
eighty persons while in that region One
family living within few miles of his
residence h+ spared for his own convent.
ence. The family consisted Of the father,
r~ay shalfwitted creature. tho WIFI and
one child. . boy 10 or ~ years old Bur
ton, when In the ncigl,borhood occasion
ally visited the house, and forced them 10
furnish him with provisions. He threat
ened them with death IL they ever admit
ted they knew him. or that be came to the
the house, and N they knew that lie would
keep his word, they answered all his in.
quiries by denying that they had ever
seen him. The hut In which the family
lived WAS near the base Of the mountain.
and stood in the center OF cleared slope,
about three hundred yards ac ross. Bur
ton, when coming to the house, he would
stop n the edge Of the clearing and care.
fully inspect the premises " satisfy him.
Finding that all was secure, he would
then hail the family, and order the man
and boy to leave, which they never failed
10 do. With his rifle on his arm he
would then advance to the cabin and d.
rect the woman to prepare his dinner or
breakfast as the case might be. The wo-.
man feared and loathed him, but was
afraid TO refuse, knowing tia; he would
shoot her down at the first word of remon-
STRANGE
Two Federal soldiers, in camp seven
miles from the spot, concluded to attempt
his capture, and obtaining leave Of alb
scnce, started for the house. Before lcav-
ing camp they dressed themselves in dirty
ia tered linen clothing. although the
month was November, and the weather
was bitter cold. Ono Of them was Zaclla-
riah Thomas, OF Company A, First Iowa
Cavalry, and the other was member OF
the Tenth Illinois Cavalry, whose name
was forgotten. On approaching the house,
they concealed their pistols 10 the woods
and without arms Of any kind entered the
clearing and hailed the woman. il was
then about twilight, and both were SILVER
ing with cold and fear, and Thomas after.
ward said he would have given anything
he possessed TO have been out Of the
scrape. The woman answered the call,
and they told her they wanted TO see Bur
ton. She said he was not there. but they
insisted that they must see him and would
remain until he came. The woman find
ing that they were obstinate, at last con
ntQN IN lat them, rnsy, N a; rlt and