Louisiana capitolian., 1879-06-28
ONE HORSE THIEF KILLED AND.
ANOTHER CAPTURED.
{ MansNehl Demouak1 !

lAansNeM Demoras.1 E
On Friday night, the 9th inst, two
horses were stolen from a Mrs. Gra-
ham living four miles south If Mar
shall, Texas, and on the following
evening the thieves passed through
this town and stayed oil night with
Mr.. Alphronson Allen. On Sunday
morning d posse from Marshall arrived
in our town, but got on the wrong
truck and went back towards the
Sabine river. Shortly after the de-
partnre Of the Texans, our ever vigil
ant sheriff, Maj. Yarbrougb, heard
that the thieves had stayed the night
before with Mr.. Allen, and that they
were going towards Natchitochcs, and
he at once dispatched u posse under
deputy sheriff Wm. B. Hewitt in pur-
suit, 1t was composed Of the following
young men: John Jenkins, Dan Saun-
llers and Ned Jenkins, which with the
deputy sheriff, made four men. They
left Mansfield about u o'clock on
Sunday and traced the thieves as far
as Pleasant Hill, where they lost the
track and proceeded to Joiylan's Fer
ry on Bayou Pierre. When they
found that the thieves had not taken
that road, Messrs. Dan Saunders and
John Jenkins returned home, but
deputy sheriff Hewitt and Mr.. Ned
Jenkins crossed the country and ar
rived in Natchitoches early Monday
morning where they learned that the
thieves had stayed the night before
and that they were only about three
hours behind them. They ut once
procured fresh horses and continued
the pursuit, they rode all day and just
before night they procured tie
services Of Mr.. Neville Paocelle, as a
guide and assistant, and rode all night,
and arrived at Monett's ferry on old
river A miles below Natchitoches, just
before day, when they learned that
the thieves had not crossed, but had
taken down the river. They contin-
ued their pursuit and just at daybreak
they discovered them camped on the
bank Of fthe river, and the posse charg.
cd upon them ut once. The men were
both asleep ut the time and the officers
were upon them before they knew it.
The officers jumped of Of their horses
and covered them with their guns
about the time they awOke. They
ordered them to surrender and throw
up their hands, which the younger of
the two men did, but the other de-
clined to do 50 and told them to shoot
and be d., and made several attempts
to reach his pistols which were a few
feet off under q saddle. The officers
threatened to kill him if he made any
resistance, but with remarkable des-
peration he deficd them, although
covered with three double-barrcl guns
at short range, and after some argu-
ment in which he told them to take the
ID horses, but they couldn't get him,
he made a spring for his arms, when
the officers all three fired simultane-
ously and the thief fell riddled with
buck-shot almost on his pistols. The
other thief who had thrown up his
hands without hesitation, ran during
the excitement but when the officers
threw their guns on him he Sllircn-
dered at once. The officers then
notified the citizens what had occurred
and sent for the Coroner. The officers
then went before Parish Judge Tucker
at Natchitoches and made u voluntary
who at once released them, |
they brought their prisoner to this
place and turned him over to the
Texas authorities, who him carried TO
Marshall. While we regret that our
young friends have been forced to take
the life Of human being, we look
upon the occurrence as an unavoidable
necessity, for after they overlook the
dcsperadoes, it was kill or be killed,
and we think they should be COM
mendcd for their promptncss and
energy in the pursuit, as well as their
and GOODNESS in making the
arrest. The thief they killed fell on
his face, and the officers did not move
him, but to the best of their belief, he
was a man between 25 and 30 wears of
age, had dark skin and black hair,
with small black moustacl,e and thin
black beard. Looked like it had been
several weeks since he had shaved.
Flc weighed perhaps $50 lbs. The
man arrested looked to be about 20 or
y years Of age, although he claimed
TO be younger, had light hair and tlorid
complexion, and was, we think, near
y six feet high. He had no beard and
weighed about $50 lbs. He gave lis
name as p. B. Hicks, but he told
'everal different tales about, it, giving
liffercnt names to different persons.
He said that his deceased companion
vas his first cousin and that his name
vas +. w. Hall, and that they were
both from Mcclellan county, Texas.