Eaton weekly Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1866-1875, 1872-10-24
THE OUTLAW OF THE OZARK.

THE OUTLAW OF THE OZARK.
During the war hundreds of scoun-
drels took advantage of the situation to
plunder the defenseless in the districts
overrun and laid waste by armies They
robbed and murdered without hesita-
ton or regard to sentiment. Their
hands were against every man and every
mans hand was against them. One of
the most ferocious and horrible crea-
lures of this c'ass was known to live in
the Ozark Mountains, near the Arkan.
sas and Missouri State line, and in
very short time he was spoken of and
feared in that region, both by citizens
and soldiery. The name of the ruffian,
robber and red-handed murderer was
Frank Burton, and he was originally
horse-thief in Arkansas, but was so close
ly pursued into Texas, by crowd bent
on lynching him, that he concluded to
seek pastures new, and found them on
the Ozark Mountains. Forsyth, Mis-
souri,, and Carrolton, Arkansas, are
about forty miles apart, and at the side
of the road between them Burton Sc
lected his place of abode. He built
half hut at the mouth of natural 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 it afterward. He always car
ried long rifle and heavy side-arms,
and would shoot down and rob any one
unfortunate enough to come within
range of his gun. After his deeds be-
gan to be known, a detachment of Fed
eral soldiers was sent after him at
halfa-dozen different times, but always
returned one, two, or perhaps half a
dozen men short. Burton wore an old
butternut 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 q company of
twenty or thirty men hunted him for a
week, and at last got him on a noun
tain, which they surrounded. They
then started up the slope, but had pro-
ceeded but few PAGES, when a puff of
smoke issued from behind a rock a cou-
pie of hundred yards away, and the
foremost man fell with bullet hole
through his chest. Before the others
had recovered from their surprise, an
other puff of smoke was seen and an
other man fell. The survivors made a
rush for the rock, firing as they ran, but
ere they reached it another shot from
the deadly rifle of the robber brought
down a third man. The party at last
reached the rock only to find that the
assassin had disappeared without 1eav-
ing 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 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 COM
mand of that district at last offered q
large reward for the head of the scoun-
drel, and the reward was increased when
it 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
printed and circulated among the
troops. He was described as short and
heavy set, with immense muscular
hands and arms. His hair and rough
unkempt beard were black as the plu-
mage of a crow, and he was utterly filthy
and disgusting in appearance, as he
sometimes did notwash his face or hands
for weeks. The eighborsE Eliving too near
him he killed or drove away, and, it 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 cave he spared for his own con
venience. The family consisted of the
father, half-witted, puny creature, the
wife and one child, boy 10 or IL years
old. Burton, when in the neighborhood,
occasionally visited the house and forced
them to furnish him with provisions.
He threatened them with death if they
ever admitted that they knew him. or
that he came to the house, and as they
knew that he would keep his word, they
answered all inquiries by denying that
they knew or had ever seen him. The
hut in which the family lived was near
the base Of the mountain, and stood in
the center of a cleared slope, about three
hundred yards across. Burton, when
coming to the house, would stop at the
edge of the clearing and carefully in
spect the premises to satisfy himself that
no enemies were concealed there. Find
ing that all was secure, he would then
hail the family and order the ran ard
boy TO leave, which they never failed to
do. With his rifle on his arm he would
then advance to the cabin and direct
the woman to prepare his dinner or
breakfast, as the case might be. The
woman feared and loathed him, but was
afraid to refuse, knowing that he would
shoot her down at the first word of re-
monstrance.
Two Federal soldiers, in camp seven
miles from the spot, concluded to at
tempt his capture, and, obtaining leave
of absence, started for the house. Before
leaving camp, they dressed themselves
in dirty, tattered linen clothing, al
though the month was November, and
the weather was bitterly cold. One O
them was Zachariah Thomas, of Com