Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1875-10-29
A TEXAS HUNTERS VENGEANCE.

come domesticated and was iounging
| about one of the Dallas hotels.
-" could tell you good many queer
stories, stranger" said the old fellow, in
conversation with the gentleman, "but l
don't know of any that 'ud be more likely
! to strike you than an experience of Sam
LCng's, in Harrison County, years ago.
Texas wuz rough place then; you kin
bet on thatl"
And then the old fellow told the story
which can scarcely be as graphic in print
as in his terse idiom.
Years ago Harrison County, in Texas,
was the haunt of about as desperate
gang of Tuffians as ever infested any dis
trict west of the Mississippi. Their mum.
Der was so great and their organization so
| complete that they set the but half-admin-
istered law at defiance, carrying on a ca
reer of daring crime with impunity, and
making the region an undesirable place of
| abode for all honest citizens. Ostensibly
hunters or hOrse-traders, the desperadoes
made stockstealing their chief occupa-
ton, never hesitating to commit murder
when necessary for their safety or for the
execution of any of their rascally plans.
The controlling spirit in this desperate
| organization was giant named Dick Red
dett, who, from his exceptional ferocity
and daring, exercised almost despotic CON
troll over his followers. A special pride of
this man was in his extraordinary skill in
the use of the rifle, no one of the band
being able TO compete with him in what
was at that time considered the chief ac-
complishment of a Western man.
1t was favorite practice with the band
to congregate at some one of the few
small stores scattered through the coun-
try and there engage in shooting
nj fNxvac Of
Sam Long, the hunter already mentioned,
happened to be present Long was quiet,
modest fellow, who lived with his wife
and child in a small cabin in their neigh
borhood and who made hunting his con-
slant occupation. He never appeared at
the store save to exchange skins and was
tavorably known for his sobriety and hon
esty. Upon the occasion just referred to,
when Sam Long chanced to come while
the desperadoes were engaged in one of
their shooting matches, they wished him |
to take part in the sport. He hesitated |
at first, but finally, not wishing to incur
the i'll will of the ruffians, consented. His !
skill with the ifle was known to be |
something remarkable, and the despera-
does were not greatly surprised when he |
defeated them all save the Captain of the |
sport but When Long had San9uished ali I
Others he came forward with the assur-
ance Of an easy victory. The shots were
made, and, to the surprise of all, Long /
gained the day.
The rage OF the leader of the ruffians
knew no bounds at thus being defeated in
the presence of his followers, and, al
though refrainlng from any violence on
the spot, he intimated darkly to the hunter
that he would "yet get even with him."
Long paid little attention to the threat,
and soon afterward returned to his cabin.
AT just dusk, some days later, Sam was
lying on the floor of his cabin playing
with his child while his wife was getting
supper. The wife, busy with her cook
ing, asked Long to go to an adjacent
spring and bring some water a request
which he promptly complied with, leav
ing his gun in the house, a somewhat un-
usual course with him. He reached the
spring and was just STOPPING to fill the
pail which he carried, when he was borne
down by sudden attack from behind,
bound securely, and dragged some yards
into the woods When he recognized his
assailants he knew what to expect. He
had fallen into the hands of the Reddett
gang, and the leader was about to get |
even with him.
Long was stripped and bound to a tree |
by order of the Captain. A supply of !
hickory switches was obtained, and then |
the Captain took one of them and began
the whipping, announcing with an cath |
that no man could beat him or his men at |
shooting and stay in the country The |
suffering of the victim was terrible. The |
hesh was cut from his back in strips by |
the blows, and when the leader of the ruf. |
fans had gratified his rage others of the |
band continued the punishment. But one |
mo fhn nun laR hon
mercy, and his assertion that Long had |
been punished enough was received with
derision.
Finally the hunter tainted under the
pain, and the rutlians, having satisfied
their grudge, departed, leaving the object
OF their spite still bound to the tree.
In this position he was found by his
wife, who had become alarmed for his |
safety, and who, searching for him, had
been attracted to the spot by faint moan
ing. She assisted him to reach the cabin, !
which he did with difficulty, and then |
nursed him faithfully to recovery. 1t was
weeks before he was well enough to move |
about.
Scarcely had Long recovered front his |
wounds when his cabin was found de- |
serted, and members of the Reddett band, |
thinking he had fled from the country, |
boasted openly of what they had done. |
AT the same time they became bolder than |
ever in the commission of crime, always |
hunting or travelling together in a com |
pany between twenty and thirty and defy |
ing attack from any quarter.
One day as they were engaged on a |
hunt a member of the band became sepa- |
rated from the rest in the excitement of |
the chase. He was found, lying dead, |
shot in the left eye. A few days later one |
of the rutfians, riding alone, was killed |
Again the bullet was found to have en-
tered the left eye, but no trace of the slay- !
er could be discovered. A week or two |
passed and another of the desperadoes was |
shot, the same terrible accuracy being eX-
hibited in a shot in the left eye, proving
all the shots to be from the same source.
The robbers became alarmed and kept
always together In their raids, but there
was no escaping the death which seemed
always to be lurking near them. One after
another fell, until ten men had died, each
one pierced in the eye. The woods were
secured by the terrified men in vain. On
one occasion, when member of the band
was killed, the shot had been heard, and
once gaunt fellow was seen running
through the woods, but pursuit failed to
overtake him. Accustomed 10 face dan
ger as the desperadOes were, and pos
sessed as they were Of brutal courage,
they trembled before this mysterious dan
ger. Ii could not be faced and it could
not be averted
The result wasthat some of the band
deserted and fled the region. There re-
mained only the captain and four of the
more resolute ofhis followers. These five
hunted and made their raids together for
some time without harm. Among the five
was the man who had endeayOred TO save