The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1879-02-21
TIE Boss BANDIT.
sam IEiidebrand, the Terror OF Southern
Missouri. Turns zap Again.

HE Boss BANDIT.
sam IIiidebrand, the Terror OF southern,
Missouri. Turns up Again
He Tells Where the James Beys Are
Prom the Globe Democrat.
Late in the afternoon of the 2ti OF Feb /
ruary, a gentleman, whose name need
not be mentioned, and who, because 81
his nativity, shall be known in thIs story
as the Freuchman, might have been seen
swimming his horse across Il creek in
Arhans between Fort Smith ana Little
Rock, in the direction OF the former city.
1t was nearly dark, and lho Storm OF rain
and sleet was bitterly cold Add to this
the fact that the Frenchman was dreucli-
ed to the skin that his horse was fatigU-
ed. and that he WAS far from any human
habitation, ana the reader i able 10 ap-
pTecia,e lis plight. On gaining the
shore. he hitched his horse under the
shelterirg boUghs OF a tail cypress tree,
and, collecting some iagots. started ire,
by which lic inteadCd 80 cook his supper.
While placing some coffee in a pot. he
heard his horse neigh shrilly. and rear as
If badly scared. Accompanying these
sounds was the steady tramp OF 4
MAN OR BEAST,
and She rustling of the shrubs The
horses neigh became more shrill its
rearing more violent, and the steady
tramp mere dis'inv;. Turning around,
the i'rc:Ciiman was confronted hy Il stran-
-gr, who. a. '.c approached within speak
ias distance, called ont, Hello, travel
az, cant ! squat by your fire: -
"Cegtainly," was tne answer, and the
newcomer. nothing l0jh, stretched his
banumhed limbs beside the fire, and TAX
ing out L corn-cOb pipe began to smoke.
He was rough-lOOking. rather stout, about
f0rty-iive years old, with long. wirv, black
untrimmed hair and bcarcd. wore ragged
clothes, carried Il heavy cudgel, and had
devIl-may-care expression on his some
what handsome face. Altogether, he was
not exactly the person whom one would
choose for "A companion under any cir
cumstanceS. The Frenchman shared his
meager meal with the guest, and then
asked who he was. Ti0r man started
looked about him, and then replied slow
ly and distinctly;
- AM SAM. IIILDEBRAND."
Not Sam. Hildebrand, the outlaw,
who has killed so many men?''
YES, / am sam. Hildehrand; outlaw
ed, if you wish To call it 50, hut unjust
ly"
Il know only what have heard about
! you. and that is very little, but you are
spoken of as one of the most audacious
robbers of the age. Is il so:"
IN swear to God that | never com
mitted robbery in my life, and eternal
curses on the men who say that | have.
As 10 killing, that's different; | don I
| deny that | have killed dead loads Of
men, but didn't do it for robbery it
was for revenge"
But you surely do not intend to puT-
sue the course you have taken: You do
not purpose to do aS you have DONE
| NO; have been revenged, and am
satisfied. All that / live for now is to
once again see my children III ST. Lnuis.
cannot hope for mercy; for
THE EI.ooD-HoUNDs OF THE Law
would not let me alone until | am dead
and in my grave. But don't think they
will ever get hold Of me. am. determ-
ined never to surrender, and I'll die game
If you see anybody looking for sam
HiIpebrand, just tell him that Sam. Hill
dehrand says he'll kill himself before
| he'll let any one make him prisoner; and
| mean it! I'm gettin' old and am worn
out, but I'm game to the backbone yet"
You seem TO have had Il pretty hard
time?"
so have; so I have; a mighty hard
time.
I'VE BEEN DOWN IN MEXTCO,
''keepIn' a cattle ranch | didn't have
nothin' when | started-that is, ncthin
TO speak of-and when | rot through
| owed lot of money for grub and whis
| ky-thc whisky for my wife and the
grub for both Of us. You see she was
sick, nearly dead all the time from the
wound in the side given TO her by them
peelers that made me leave old Nilsson
ri, and she had to be given stuff to keel
her nerves all right. But they killed hcl
after ALL for she died just as we wa,
crossin' the Rio Grande, comm home
1t was the shot did it, but she died peace
full IKE, and the last thing she said was
Sam, don't kill no more and | amt 90
in to if | can help it-nOt unless they
try to Kill me-"
''Who were you with in MeXico:'
90. l saw heap of fellows ] knew
but l didn't have nothin' TO do witt
them.
THE JAMES BOYS
was down there. tell you they're rat
tiers for YOU. / don't know what they
was dom"
where are you going to now -
Little Rock, to see some friends anC
get help to travel to st. Louis. I'v.
walked most of the way from Mexico
and | guess I'll have to walk to Littl,
Rock. | amt got much money, neither.
BY this time it was dark The rail-
and slcet had ceased, and rs the grounC
under the cypress trees was only slightly
wet, the Frenchman spread out his blan
kets and prepared to camp out for th'
night He informed IIildebrand tina
there were sufficient bed-clOthes for two
but the latter decided to leave, and bid
ding his companion goodnight, he de
parted into the woods and was
SOON OUT OF SIGHT.
The FreEchman continued his jour
ney, and when an opportunity was of
fered made notes of his observation. Hi,
truthfulness can be vouchcd for. He il
a citizen of long standing, and has beer
a member OF a prominent business firm
for several years. The information
which has been impaired is likely Il
cause n sensation in Southeast Missouri
the locality where IIildebrand figured
so prominently for number of years
1t was thought that he had died some
time ago, and the hearthstones that IN
had rendered desolate were again made
to resound with joyous laughter, as o
yore.
Hildebrand is one Of The most notori
Gus outlaws of m1,eru times. Frani
Randc cannot be compared 20 him. TIL,
, James and Younger brothers only arr
his equals, and it is doubtful if they hayt
the courage, the dauntless spirit, the de
: termination or the energy which he com
, mandS. He was born in St. Francois
county, Mo, near Pennington, abou
1884, and was raised near the same place
In his youth he was noted for his re
} vengeful nature, and there were many o
: his companions who had cause to III
the day they had treated him indifIer
emily At the commencement of the lat
civil war he joined the Confederate army
and for a time fought in the ranks as
regular. But not liking the, to him
humdrum life he had chosen, he chang
ed, joining one of those
HORDES OF WILD MN
of the woods, who are appropriated
known as guerrilias and bushwhacker:
Sam was one of the worst of men. AM
his bad passions being uncontrolled
prompted him to commit many unlaW
full acts. When the war ended he VIA
prescribed as an outlaw and was search
, ed for far and near. Immense reward
were offered for his apprehension, bu
r he was never captured, although at VAR
fI,a croI-o,.,,,r S.aII.1 n.,f I,