The crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1877-1878, 1877-09-06
A TEXAS OUTLAW IN JAIL.
The Alleged Murderer Of fTwcnty-Seven Mci
---How He was Captured.


following particulars of the arrest of
John Wesley Hardin, who is said to be
known throughout the Long Star State
as one of the most desperate and dan
gerous men in the whole Southwest.
About three years ago Hardin killed
Sheriff Webb, of Comanche County, and
made good his escape. He hadprevious-
ly killed, according to report, 26 men at
different places and under various cir
cumstances. and managed to elude the
vigilance of detectives and officers, ex-
cept in two instances, and in those two
he was rescued from the officers of the
law by armed and disguised friends and
confederates. There are 13indictments
against him for murder, and other
charges for lesser crimes. After the
killing of Sheriff Webb and the escape
of Hardin, the Legislature of Texas
authorized the Governor to offer a re-
ward of $4,000 for the arrest OF the
fugitive, the usual amount being not
more than $500. This law was passed
about year ago. and the detectives
then commenced operations, some
securing the country, and Others i'll less
demonstrative ways. A detective hired
himself as farm laborer to the father
or father.in-law of Hardin, and by his
innocence and guilelessness and other
arts peculiar to the profession managed
to learn something of the whereabouts
of an absent "triend," whose wayward
course and sclf-imposed banishment was
causing the old folks at home much grief
and constant uneasiness. With this
much to work upon, Lieut.. Armstrong
and his subordinate the farm laborcr
hired themselves in Alabama.
This absent friend was called by his
friends at home by the name of Swaync,
and for Swaync the search was instituted
Posting themselves fully on the geogra'
ply of Alabama, and becoming acquaint-
ed with the dark places and by-ways
which fugitive would probably seek,
they finally concluded to settle down at
Pensacola Junction for Il short siege.
Learning incidentally OF person who
answered Swayne's description, they
proceeded to Pensacola. There they
spotted man ordinarily clothed, wear
ing straw hat and coatlcss, and "shod-
owed" him throughout the day. He
was accompanied by three companions,
and ordinarily would have been I'M
noticed. Their movements and con-
versation indicated that they expected
to proceed northward on the afternoon
train Armstrong and his assistant then
revealed their secret to the Sheriff OF
Escambia, who with two or three Depu'
ties, consented to assist in the arrest.
Hardin and his companions were
armed with ordinary shot,guns when
they entered the cars, which they filed
away in the racks above. At this mo-
mcnt Armstrongand two othars entered
at the front door with leveled pistols,
while the Escambia Sheriff and two
other men duplicated the movement at
thcrcardoor. Hardin was overpowercd.
after fearful resistance. and kept down
by the main force of several persons.
One of the mcn-knOwn as Billy Mann
escaped through window, and the
remaining two struggled with all their
might against the crowd with whom
they were contending, now numbering
Il dozen or more, but were finally Sc
cured. Mann fred his pistol several
times at the cars, but did no damage,
and in return was shot dead on the track
by some one within. The train then
moved off, with Hardin securely mama
cled and his two companions under
close surveillance.
After leaving Pensacola some distance
behind the two men were allowed to get
off, there being no charge against them.
Apprehcnding, from information re-
ceivcd, that an effort would be made to
rescue Hardin at Pollard, the train
passed there without stopping. In or.
der to comply with the law in all par
ticulars, Hardin was carried before JUS
ticc Fuller yesterday, charged with the
murder of Charles Webb. The two
officers, Armstrong and Duncan, were
examined, upon which the prisoner was
rcmitted to Jail for further trial on
Wednesday next.
He was taken before Judge MINIS
afterward on writ of habeas corpus,
J. W. Watts, Esq, appearing for the
prisoner and A. A. Wiley, Esq, for the
prosecution. Mr.. Watts asked for the
discharge of the prisoner on the ground
that the papers upon which he was held
were insufficient, and cited the code in
support of this position. Mr.. Wiley
read telegraphic dispatches from the
authorities Of Texas stating that n req
uisition for the prisoner had been for
warded by mail, and Mr.. Jack Duncan
identified the prisoner as the Hardin
alias Swayne, they were after. Judge
Minnis ordered the Sheriff to keep him
in custody until further orders of the
court, and read from decisions OF the
Supreme Court of Alabama, which sus
taincd HIM in this decision. The pris-
oner is now in Jail in this city. He
offered no testimony before the court.
He is not more than ~ years old, about
3 feet 10 inches high, aud weighs about
40 pounds.