The weekly democratic statesman. [volume] (Austin, Tex.) 1871-1883, 1877-08-30

| posing OF his cattle. lie stayed IN
Comsuche, at peace with its citizens
for three weeks, when the unfortunate
WEBB DIFFICULTY
occurred which has caused Hardin 80
much trouble and has been the cause
of much violence and bioodshed.
This difficulty occurred in May, 1874,
and the account of it is given in his
own words taken down by our reporter
as follows
had no acquaintance with Charles
Webb. 1 was in the back portion
of bar-room--at the back door-Jack
Wright's bar room. Had been civil and
had no difficulty with any one in Co
manche up 70 this time. Webb was
talking to party to the night Of the
back door. was on the left talking
to another. While standing thus
vas told Webb was the deputy sheriff
CT Brown county. Ia'ked to be intro
juced to hin. After finishing his talk
with the party he started to pass me,
when l spoke to him. AS he turned
on me he pulled his pistol and COM
menced firing on me. When he pulled
his pistol l started to argue with him
upon the question of the difference be-
tween US. He did not hesitate, but
fired, when jumped to one side. The
bullet passed through my clothes on
the left side, grazing the skin. Bud
Dixon and Jim Taylor, my friends, be-
ing present, and seeing that Webb lad
the drop upon me, commenced to de-
fend me with their pistols. Webb got
in his second shot when he was down
upon his knees. The boys still fired,
and during all this time l fred not one
single time, seeing that Webb was al
ready equally matched. II the boys
ha6 not fred upon Webb, !, of course,
would have fired az soon as possible.
Webb fred the third shot after he got
on his knees. He died Immediately
afterwards. The sheriff of Comanche
county came at this time upon the
scene, when | handed him my pistol,
and said to him, 81 claim your protec-
ton" At the same time another squad
came up firing, headed by Henry Ware,
Comanche outlaw and one of Webb's
friends. l broke and ran to the first
horse and so did Taylor. They kept
firing on US. We got on the horses
and made our escape. Dixon went,
too, but was arrested two days after
wa de.
The same day that Dixon was ar
rested my father. mother and wife
were arrested by Walters Rangers and
placed under guard. My younger
brother and Dixon, neither of whom
had anything to do with the affair,
were also arrested, The Dixons are
my cousins. These two boys, j. G.
Hardin and Tom Dixon, aged respect
lively 90 and II, were hung by a mob
and the other Dixon was taken out of
Jail and hung too. This hanging &C.
CURED at Comauehe. My brother Joe
was a Mason, and belonged to the
Comanche lodge aud was in good
standing. They made every effort TO
take me, saying they would give me
no law
But THE ROPE.
My brother was law abiding man,
and had never been indicted In any
court. Seeing myself in trouble be-
You'd expectation, and knowing that l
mad caused innocent friends to suffer,
| concluded to leave the State rather
than to be mobbed, or to have any
more of my friends mobbed. My father
was threatened, and was told that his
safety consisted in my keeping quiet.
He and my wife were guarded for
six weeks. Finally they sent my wife
to her father IN Gonzales county, and
my father was given only short. time
to leave Comsnche. My father was a
law-abiding mas, and Royal Arch
Mason. While myself and Jim Taylor
were hiding they found out our camp
and made rush on US one morning
There were 100 of them, and we ran
right through their ranks and escaped,
they firing all the time. Taylor fired
several shots. l saved mine. We were
grazed by bullets but not hurt.
We then left the county and came to
the city of Austin, aud, then went to
Gonzales county. This was the last
time saw Jim Taylor. After l left
Comanche they got hold of two of my
cousins, Ham. Anderson and Alex.
Brakeman, and murdered them while
they were asleep. l then left Texas
and went to Florida, and since then
have engaged in the green grocery
business in Jacksonville and Gaines
vile, Florida. have also traded some
in horses and cattle. My wife and
three children are now in Florida.
HIS ARREST.
i vxyas arroaSol - 4.
in smoking car. The train was
ready to start. was setting in the
car with my face to the front door,
two companions with me, my arms
stretched out on the back of the seat.
A deputy sheriff, 10 the plot to arrest
me, was asking me to stay over until
next morning. told him ! could not
do so. At this moment four men
rushed in with pistols in hand. They
grabbed me before and behind.
asked them what was the matter, and
tried to get loose. They told me not
to move or they would kill me. Many
shots were fired by the arresting party,
and Jim Mann, who was sitting by me,
started to run, and was instantly
killed. | was soon manacled and
'cuffed, and then the train moved off,
This movement seems to have been
planned. At Montgomery, Alabama,
l got ont writ of hdbeds corpus, but
the requisition came and they brought
me on to Texas. The officers treated
me kindly, and they deserve the great
est praise for capturing me alive. ri
DOES Nor FEAR LAW.
/ am prisoner and must stand trial.
All want is TO be allowed TO appeal
to the law of the land, and / hope the
officers of the law wall protect me for
this end. My relatives and friends
have met death at the hands of nobs
and want protection, while helpless,
against anything of similar nature.
/ am satisfied that there are those in
that section Of tho State who would,
il opportunity permits, not allow the
law to take its course with me. l
want to stand trial.. l am sick and
tired:of fleeing from it and would 60
away il could. | must see the end
of it, ana all ! ask is that mob be
not permitted TO
,,~r. MURDER NE,
for believe can show that did not
have anything to do with the killing
of Webb. Had my friends not killed
him | might have done so, but it
would have been in self-defense.
MS PERSONAL APPEARANCE.
Hardin is only p years old, and has