The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1876-06-30
a TEXAS STORY .
Settling Accounts with a Gang of Desper
does.

! ST Louis Republican.
4 gentleman who has lately returned
from visit to Dallas, Tex. tells a
story which is rather dramatic and
may be true. The story was told to
him by an old hunter, who had be-
come domesticated and was lounging
about one of the Dallas hotels.
Il could tell you good many queer
stories, stranger said the old fellow,
| in conversation with the st. Louis
man. "but | don't know of any that
'ud be more likely to kind o strike
you than an experience Of Sam Longs,
in Harrison county. years ago. " Texas
WIZ a tough place then 4; you ken bet
on that =
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 a
gang of rutfians as ever infested any
district west Of the Mississippi. Their
number was SO great and their organ
iZation so complete that they set the
but half administered law at definance
| carrying on career 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
! stock-stealing their chief occupation,
never hesitating to commit murder
when necessary for their safety, or the
execution Of any of their rascally
plans.
The controlling spirit in this desper-
ate organization was giant named
! Dick Reddett, who, from his exception
al ferocity and daring, exercised al
most despotic control over his follow
ers. 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 Western man. 1t
was fayOrite practice with the band
to cOngregate at some one OF the few
small stores scattered through the
| country and there engage in shooting
matches, and it was upon one of these
occasions that Sam Long, the hunter
already mentioned, CHANGED to be pres
| ent. Long was a quiet, modest fellow
! W IO lINtu Will HIS hIIt anu CIIIlU III IL
small cabin in the neighborhOOd and
who made hunting his constant occup-
! alton.
He never came to the store save to
exchange skins and furS for provisions
and ammunition, and was widely and
! faVOrably known for his SObriety and
honesty. Upon the occasion just re-
ferred to, when Sam Long CHANGED to
come while the desperadoes were en-
! gagged in one of their ShOoting-match-
es, it was demanded that he should
take q part in the sport. The hunter
hesitated at first, but finally, not wish
ing to incur the ill-will of the ruffians,
consented. His skill with the rife was
known to be very remarkable, and
the desperadoes were not greatly sur
prised when he defeated them all save
| the Captain of the band.
This man had not engaged in the
! sport, but when Long had vanquished
all the others, came forward with the
assurance of an easy victory. The shots
were made, and, to the surprise of ev-
erybody, Long gained the day. The
rage of the leader of the ruffians knew
no bounds at being thus defeated in
presence of his followers, and, al
! though refraining from any violence
on the spot, he intimated darkly to the
| hunter that he would ''get even with
him. Long paid little attention to
the threat, and soon afterwards return
ed to his cabin.
At just dusk, some days later, Sam
Long having come in from a long hunt,
was lying on the floor Of his cabin and
| playing with the child, while his wife
was getting supper. The wife, busy
with her cooking, asked Long to go to
an adjacent spring and bring some wa
ter, a request which he promptly COM
piled with, leaving the gun in the
| house, somewhat unusual course
with him. He had reached the
spring and was just STOPPING to fill the
pail he carried, when he was borne
| down by an attack from behind, bound
securely, and dragged some yards into
the woods.
When he recognized his assailantS
he knew what to expect. He had fall
en- into the hands of the Reddet gang.
and the leader was about to get
even" Long was stripped by order of
! the captain and bound to a tree. A
supply of hickory switches was obtain
ed, and then the captain took one of
them up and began the whipping. an
nOuncing with an oath that no man
could beat him or his men at shooting
and stay in the country. The suffer
| ing of the victim was terrible,
The flesh was cut from his back in
/ strips by the blows, and when the lead
er Of ruftians had gratifiied his rage,
| others Of the band continued the
punishment. But one man among the
number showed any mercy, and his as
sertions that Long had been punished
| enough were received with deriSion.
Finally the hunter tainted under the
pain. and the ruffians, having satisfied
their grudge departed, leaving the OBJ
ject 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 a
faint moaning. She assisted him to
I II, l.; IL l.. : l.