Mower County transcript. [volume] (Lansing, Minn.) 1868-1915, 1876-06-29
A TEXAS STORY.

A TEXAS STORY.
Settling Accounts with Gang Of Despera-
st. Louis Republican.
A gentleman who has lately returned
from visit to Dallas, Tex, tells
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.
81 could tell you 4 good many queer
stories, stranger" said the old fellow,
in conversation with the St. Louis
man, ''but don't know of any that
nd be more likely to kind O strike
you than an experience of Sam Longs,
in Harrison county. years ago. Texas
wuz a tough place then; You ken bet
on that -
And then the old fellow told the
story, which can scarcely be rs graphic
in print as in his terse idiom:
Years ago Harrison county. in Texas.
was the haunt of about rs desperate
gang of ruttians as ever infested any
district west Of the Mississippi. Their
number was 50 great and their organ
ization 80 complete that they set the
but half administered law ut detinance
! carrying on career of daring crime
| with imp,,nity, and making the region
an undesirable place of abode for all
Lo~oSk ~ nS&onoi11v 1,,,,,fo ORC
or hOrse-traders, the desperadOes made
stOck-stealing their chief occupation,
never hesitating to commit Il murder
when necessary for their safety, or the
execution of any of their r;ascally
plans.
The controlling spirit in this desper-
ate organization was giant named
Dick Retldett, 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 i'll what was
at that time considered the chief &C.
complishment of Western man. 1t
was a fayorite practice with the band
to congregate at some one of the few
small stores scattered through the
country and there engage III shooting.
matches, and it was upon one of these
occasions that Sam Long, the hunter
already mentioned, CHANGED to be pres
ent. Long was quiet, modest fellow
who lived with his wife and child in 4
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-natch.
es, it was demanded that he should
take part in the sport. The hunter
hesitated at first, but finally, not wish
ing to incur the ill-will of the rutfians,
consented. His skill with the rifle 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.
eryb0dy, Long gained the day. The
rage of the leader of the rutlians 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 60 to
an adjacent spring and bring some wa
ter, request which he promptly com.
Piled with, leaving the gun in the
house, a somewhat unusual course
with him. lie had reached the
spring and was just STOPPING to fill the
pail lie 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 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 ruffians had gratifiied his rage,
others of the band continued the
punishment. But one man among the
number showed any mercy, and his az.
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
reach the cabin, which he did with
difficulty, and then nursed him faith.
fully to recovery. 1t was weeks before
he was we'll enough to move about.
Scarcely had Long recovered from
his wounds when his cabin was found
deserted, and members of the Reddett
band, thinking that he had fled the
country, boosted openly of what they
had done. At the same time, they be-
came holder than ever in the com.
mission Of crime, always hunting or
travelling together in company of be.
tween twenty and thirty, and defying
attack from any quarter. One day, as
l %1>npr