Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1877-07-12


WaJ -MOw AN Outlaw Kept ais
word aud Died dame.
Chicago Tribune.
EUFAULA, 1T, June 22.-"Killed
while resisting arrest" is the return
to be made by -thar-peo, of Ute
chee Town, Captain Of the Greek
Light Horse, in the chase of Bill
Posey, one of the most notorious
and reckless dare devils Of the gang
of Texas, Indian Territory and
Kansas desperadoes, horse and cat
tie thieves, that have infested this
country for years. Death to all who
stood in their way, and robbing
from all but their friends, has been
their motto. With headquarters in
Kansas and Texas, their trail has
led through the Indian Territory
from Coffeeville south through the
wilderness Of the Usage Reserva-
ton, crossing the Arkansas river
near Childer's ferry, through the
Greek and Chickasaw nations to
Denison or Fort Worth, Texas.
Tens OF thousands of dollars worth
of stock have been stolen from
Texas, driven north through the
Territory, always in charge of some
outlaw along the route, driven by
hidden and unused trails through
country so sparSely settled that
often days would elapse without a
human being in sight to identify
either the stock or thieves. Pick
ing up cattle feeding on the range
belonging to Indians, their droves
were always increasing, till the loss
to the citizens of the Greek nation
became unbearable. Among this
band Bill Posey, an escaped convict
from the Texas penitentiary, was a
skilled, daring and influential
leader. A Spanish Mexican, with
claim to Indian blood in his veins,
Posey has made his headquarters on
Cane creek, Polecat and Arkansas
rivers, drifting back and forth as
occasion required, always armed to
the teeth. With a long Spanish
knife and three siX-shooting reyol-
verS in his belt and u double-bar-
relied Henry rifle loaded with buck
shot, and a disposition to use them
at every opportunity, he was an un.
pleasant person to meet, and the
terror OF the road. For several
years he had been a member of the
gang in Texas. No less than twen-
ty-nine criminal indictments had
been found against him in various
counties in Texas, the charges
ranging from petit larceny to high
way robbery, and from assault and
battery to the hanging of his
brother-in-law in the front yard of
his residence, in the presence of his
agonized family. Bill Posey had
wealthy and influential relatives
living in Limestone and other
counties in that State who had
managed to screen him until about
four years ago, when he was ar
rested, tried and sentenced to five
years in the penitentiary. He had
served out twenty months OF his
sentence, but so turbulent had he
beed that he inspired a feeling of
terror even among the prison Off
cials. Bucking and gagging, fog
ging, or showering failed to subdue
him, and he was put on the chain
gang and set to work on the streets
in charge OF guards. While work
ing one day with q tEelye.pound
ball attached to his leg he watched
his chance, struck down one of his
guards with q stone, snatched his
gun, and "stood off" four Of the
guard.
He called on the prison authors
ties with oathS to come out and re-
arrest him and he would kill them
all for their cruel treatment. Hold
ing all the doughty officers at bay
he slowly retreated toward some
horses feeding near. Getting the
horse between himself and the
guard, he coolly ypieked up the ball,
slung it over the horse, mounted,
and rode oil in safety to his fathers
house, where he secured his own