Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1872-11-28
The Outlaw of the Ozark
From the St. Louis Democrat

During the war hundreds of
scoundrels took advantage of the
situation to plumber the defenselesl
in the district overrun and laiC
waste by armies. They robbed
md murdered without hesitation
or regard to sentiment. Theil
hands were against every man
and every mans hand was against
them. One of the most ierocious
and horrible creatures of this class
was known to live in the Ozark
Mountains, near the Arkansas
aud Missouri Sta line, and in Il
very short time he was spoken of
and feared in that region, both by
citizens aud soldiery. The name
of the ruffian, robber and red hand
ed murderer was Frank Burton,
and he was originally a horse thief
IN Arkansas, but he was SO closely
pursued into Texas, by a crowd
bent on lynching him, that be
concluded TO seek pastures new,
and found them on the Ozark
Mountains. Forsyth, Missouri,
and Carrolton, Arkansas, are q.
bout forty miles apart, and at the
side of the road between them
Burton selected his place of abode.
He built q halt hut at the mouth
of a natural cave in the side of
the mountain, about 400 feet a.
bove the road, and there lived q
lone. Few people saw him and
lived to relate it afterward. He
always carried long rife and
heavy side.arns, aud would shoot
down and rob any one uniortu-
nate enough to come in range of
his gun. After his deeds began
to be known. a detachment Of
Federal soldiers was sent after
him at half a dozen different
times, but always returned one,
two, or perhaps half dozen men
shot. Burton wore ali old butter
nut suit much the color Of 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 company Of TWEEN
ty or thirty men hunted him for a
week. and at last got him on a
mountain, which they surrounded
They then started up the slope.
but had not proceeded but a few
PAGES, when a puff of smoke is.
sned from behind q rock a couple
Of hundred yards away, aud the
foremost man fell with a bullet
hole through his chest. Before
the others had recovered from their
surprise, another puff of smoke
was seen and another man fell.
The survivors made a rush for
tho rock, firing as they ran, but
ere they reached it another shot
from the deadly rife of the rob.
Der brought down third man
The party at last reached the
rock only to find that the assassin
had disappeared without leaving a
trace. While looking for his
track they again heard the crack
of his rife and another Of their
number dropped dead. This was
continued until terror took posses
sion of the party and they beat a
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 a large re.
ward for the head of the scoun-
drel, and the reward was increased
when it was found that he con-
tinued to rob and kill unmolested.
Five thousand dollars was at last
offered for him dead or alive, and
a description of him was printed
and circulated among the troops.
He was described as short and
heavy set, with immense muscu-
lar hands and arms. His hair
and rough unkempt beard were
black as the plumage OF u crow,
and he was utterly filthy and dis
gustiug in appearance, as he some
times did not wash his face or.
hands for weeks. The neighbors
living too near him he killed or
drove away, and, it is said, and
probably with tiuth, that he mur.
dered no less than one hundred
and eighty persons while in that
region One family living within
Il few miles of bis cave he spared
for his own convenience. The
family consisted of the father, a
half-witted, puny creature, the
wife and one child, boy 10 or
l2 years old. Burton, when in.
the ue'ghbOrhood occasionally Wis
tied the house and forced them to.
furnish him with provisions. He
threatened them with death il
they ever admitted that they knew
him. or that be came to the house,