The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1875-08-27
HuN.iNG DOWN OUTLAWS.
A Thrilling Story of BlOOdShed from
the Plains.
From the Chicago Times.

Leighton, while Wilder lives, weak and
wounded, in the prison from which he
and they made their escape. The pnr
suit was not so prompt but that the two
had time to transform themselves into
walking arsenals BY boldly seizing such
arms as came in their way, and within
twenty -four hours after leaving the Jail
they had eighty-two shots in their ar
mory without reloading. With this ter
rible provision for defense, and a perfect
| familiarity with the use of arms, COM
bined with their well-known and we'll
earned reputation as desperate men, who
had everything to gain and nothing to
lose BY selling their lives as dealy as
possible, there was not much seduction
in the S1,700 reward offered for their
capture. The only indncement lay in
the words "dead or alive" used in CON
nection with the reward, and it was well
understood that at least two of them
were found brave enough 10 make the
attempt.
The pursuit was well organized, and
continued until Friday last. The fugi
tives did not attempt to leave the coun-
try, but skulked in the heavy timber
and rocky canons of the divide south of
Denver, and never more than sixty or
seventy miles from town. In spite Of
the sleepless vigilance of the Sheriff.
posse, Hall and Wilder were in constant
communication with their friends in the
pineries, receiving provisions every
night, and only waiting an opportunity
to get horses before attempting to leave
the country. Their hiding places were
so numerous and secret that direct search
for them was useless, and it was resolved
to draw them out by subterfuge. A
ranchman who was in their confidence.
but not an ally, was deputed to offer
them the chance of getting possession OF
their horses by going at certain hour
of the night to corral near Blakesley e
mill, on Cherry Creek. Leighton was
suspicious and declined to go. 1t is
said that he had a premonition of evil,
and on the way to the fatal spot he
trembled with fear till the cold sweat
stood in beads over his shaggy brows
Hall, however, was absolutely insensible
to fear, and laughed at Leighton's weak
ness, telling him that they would soon
be out of the country and beyond the
reach of their pursuers-as indeed they
were before the dawn of day. Wilder
was serenely indifferent, sharing neither
in Leighton's fears nor in Halls higl
hopes, but it was Wilder who insisted
that the ranchman should accompany
them to the corral. To this demand the
farmer yielded with extreme reluctance
hnt finally consented, meantime inform
ing the detectives that he would ride il
front of the desperadoes until they
) reached the lane leading to the corral
when he would turn his horse suddenly
and leave them, taking the chances o
their putting two or three bullets thro
him in his fight.
The programme was carried out sue
cessfully. The Sheriff's posse hid neal
the corral, and at about eleven O'Clock
the party approached. Their guide turn
ed at the entrance of the lane. WildS
stood moment, but Hall and Leighton
stepped forward and he followed them
Suddenly the roar of sixteen guns brok'
upon the silent night, and their fitfn
flashes lit up the darkness long enough
to show Hall and Leighton prone upol
the ground, and Wilder flying over th,
: prairie like a deer. A moment late
Hall sprang to his feet and darted ava.
into the darkness, but his pursuers soor
came upon him where he had stumbled
and fallen, faint from pain and loss o
blood, but bold and resolnte as a lion a
bay. Powerless with more effectiv
weapons, he heaped curses and maledic
tions on his captors for hunting hin
dowr like a dog or wolf, and during tn
four or five hours through which he lin
gered before death put an end to hi
sufferings, no word of repentance or sig
: of softening escaped him. Leighton wa
e hit harder, ard died within the houl
E He began to recount his crimes, but ha
only recounted the murder of his wifi
$ and three or four men when death scale
his lips, and the world may never kno'
4 how great a.villain then ended his ca
: reer.
: The pursuit of Wilder was continue
: without success during the right, -bu
:, the next day he surrendered and wa
: brought in badly wounded. The bodie
n of Hall and Leighton were bundled i
t their blankets, thrown into a wagon, an
4 brought to Denver, where their arriva
b occasioned the widest excitement
e horrible sight was revealed when tn
wagon, with its CHASTITY freight, DIRE
d up at the undertaker's door, and til
sheet was lifted from the black and dii
4 torted features of the dead. Both face
n wore a scowl, and there was somethin
ia devilish in the hard, murdierous ha
e smile that crossed the lines of reveng
m and hatred in Halls swarthy feature
He was powerful man, with a hea
le and neck like an OK, and his coarse, Gu
e ly, tangled hair hung low over villain
Ie GUS forehead. Nor was Leighton a low
lie lier corpse, though his style was diffe
ent. He was slight, and almost shapel
"a in outline, with sort of feline grace
person, but with the eyes and nose of
=. hawk-cold, cruel, bloody, relentles
1t was not hard to believe that he ha
a left corpses in his track, and his sev'
- gaping wounds might have stood for Il
number Of murders he had himself cor
mitted.
Leighton, whose real name was
1h rome Berry, was born in Greencastl
sr, ILL.,, where he was sent to Joliet for mu
es, der in 1859 or 1860. His sentence W
It; twenty one years, but he escaped aft
L