The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-06-30
THE WILD WEST.
TEXAS DESPERApoEs.

OF RoBBERs-LYNcH LAW APPLIED TO CUT
THRoATs. .
A correspondent of the st. Louis Republi-
can, from Comanches, Texas, under date of
the sth inst, says: The people of Western
Texas, wearied at length OF being domi-
neered over by the thieves and murderers,
who had so long exercised their pro-
pensity for plumber and blood, at length
rose in their anger and dealt summarily
with a whole batch of rascals. You have
doubtless already received intelligence OF
| the events which have recently concluded
the career of no less than twelve rascals in
| this place and at Bolton. Last Monday
evening, week ago, a difficulty arose here
between John Wesley Hardin and Mr.
Charles Webb, of Brown county. In this
difficulty Webb met with instant death.
having received three shots, one through
| the body, one through the jaw, and
one through the head. The shooting was
done by John Wesley Hardin, James Taylor,
and Bud Dickson. This Hardin is the head
| of a clan, and had band of about twenty
men always at his command. Several per-
sons were arrested as accomplices and clans
men of John Wesley Hardin. Among those
thus arrested were Joseph q. Hardin,
W. A. Dixon, and Thomas X. Dixon.
The suspected persons were Immediately
placed in duress and strong guard placed
about the place of imprisonment. On the
| night Of Sunday, the 23d ultimo, body OF
| armed men rode into town, overpowered the
guard, placed them under arrest, took the
/ prisoners, Joseph G.. Hardin, William A.
| and Thomas X. Dixon, and departed. The
few men who had been guarding the &C
cused parties were closely guarded by the
disguised men detailed from the band which
had taken the prisoners away. 1t was just
after nightfall when the silent calvacade
| moved westward out OF town, carrying
along with them
THE THREE DOOMED VICTIMS
of an aroused populaee. Two miles out.
The stars looked down from clear sky and
the night bird sang its Sabbath evening, lay.
There is a grove about that distance away
from town. 1t was enveloped IN the shad-
ows of night and reposed in a solemn 81
Hence. only broken by the lonely plant OF
the whippoorwill. The armed horsemen
paused there in the somber shadows.
The hour of doom had arrived with
Joe Hardin, Bill and Tom Dixon. There
was no pitv in the eyes of the stern men
by whom they were surrounded. There was
no tenderness in their hearts-mercy had
taken it's flight from their hearts. The
stern lex retalionis was their watchword.
He that killeth shall be killed, their final
decree. The desperadoes had small space
allotted for penitence and PRAYER, nor did
thew ask it. They were men of iron and
died as they had lived, without a
single manifestation of fear. The prepar-
| atoms were rev anu IudO0 III Sl1cnCc,
and the three trees bore CHASTITY fruit
with the blood of many victims.
and Joe Hardin and the Dixon brothers
were freed from human vengeance forever.
When their victims were dead, the armed
men rode away as silently as they came;
rode out through the darkness, leaving the
dead men suspended to the trees, where they
were found the next morning. Thus per-
ished three men, who, though not the chief
of the desperadoes. had epcrimsoned
their hands, if report be true,
The name of John Wesley Hardin. alias
Wesley Clements, who has become familiar
to the people of Gonzales, Comanche, Brown,
Hamilton and half dozen oJher counties in
this portion of Texas, is perhaps one of the
most desperate characters who has ever found
men to murder and property to steal IN TINS
state, which has been a refuge place for SO
many desperadoes in the past. Joe @. Har-
din. of this place, who was hung by the
masqUeraders few Sunday nights ago
was a brother of john Wesley, the ring
leader of all the desperadoes. This man has
been credited with the commissi on of nC
less than sixteen cold blooded murders. In
Bell and Gonzales counties particularly
. this man has inspired the people with the
utmost fear of
HIS DARING AND PROVES.
have heard many stories of this famou:
outlaw, for that Is his present character, not
withstanding he is the possessor of extern
sive ranches and numerous herds of cattle
and might have lived at ease for all the
remainder of his days. 1t is said he came
from the southern part of Kentucky; thai
during the war he was partisan, and thai
as captain of band he committed many
horrible deeds. But the most prob
able account is that he was born IL
Kentucky, grew TO manhood in that state
and became involved in difficulty in conse
ouence of liason formed with a youg mar
/ -sa1x ho hri6 Of nTlQ n frIandG
1t is said that he seduced this young and
handsome woman from the path of virtue
then, because her husband, who was devoted
ly attached to her, demonstrated, he killed
him and fled the country. The wo
man followed him, and for tim'
the two lived together, when he abandoned
her and left her to go down the way to ruiz
in a strange city. He came to Texas year
ago, and entered upon a career which has a
last sent him wandering fugitive, pursued
mnions of the law. He has not only beer
guilty OF murder, but has entered the domes
tic circle and poisoned the joys and de
n stroyes the peace or families wherever ht
he has gone. 1t is reported of him that M
less than three beautiful women, who's
prospects were as bright, and whose hope
for happiness had as firm basis as any in th
Lone Star State, have been betrayed ,dishon
ored. aud set adrift to travel down the road
to perdition by the arts of this bold, hat
man. / need not catalogue all his crimes
need not recount all the tragedie
in which he has played conspicuous par
during the past six or seven years. III
seems to have been actuated by a satani
spirit, and to-day hundreds, yes thousand
of people in Texas anxiously hope tina
Lieutenant Millican, with the rangers, no'
in pursuit of the desperate. may succeed i
capturing him. For him capture mean
death. He cannot live If caught.
THE AMERICAN vOTARIES.