Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1879-05-31
FACTS FROM THE FRONTIER.

l
range over Nebraska, Wyoming, De-
Gotta and Montana, but the most trou-
blesome one has just been broken up.
This was the Tolls gang, headed by
Frank Tolls, known throughout the
border. The authorities Of Wyom-
ing recently offered two thousand
dollars for the body of Tolls, dead
or alive, and a few weeks ago q lank
farmer galloped into Cheyenne with
the blood besmcared head Of Tolls
dangling from his saddle bow. -Four
of the Tolls party have been caught
and are in prison for life. One Of
them, THE Kid,' was iron cuffed
about his legs 10 tightly during the
trial that his ankles and feet are yet
black. Frank James, Tolls lieuten-
ant escaped, and it is said, has organ
lied a band in the northern country.
James is middle-aged man Of COM
handing appearance. His shoulders
are as broad as those Of two ordinary
men, his head sits as though there
were no neck--not even for the hang
mans moose. He is educated and
heightened. No woman or children
suffer at his hands, nor do men unless
they happen to have q hundred dol
lars or 80 about them. Two charac-
teristic stories Of him are related,
Once his party stopped couple Of
men, one Of whom had fine gold
watch.
"For Gods sake, good fellow, let
me keep that--my dead mother gave
me that watch"
James looked at him with q glance
that sought to find lie at the bottom
Of his plea. The victim stood the
scrutiny, and James, handing the
watch back, without word spurred
his horse over the prairie and away.
Again the other day he hung up a
poor ranchman near Fort Mckinney
to extort q confession as to the place
of cOncealmcnt of a certain treasure.
The rancl'man really did not know, but
Jameskepthim hanging by the thumbs
until he was dead. Since then he has
met with a hair breadth escape. On
Tuesday, two weeks ago, he ventured
into Sydney, Neb., with King, one Of
his men. A sheriff's posse bore down
upon them. Both sprang upon Mid
dleton's horse, that Of King having
been seized. In the dash for the
woods King, whose arms were thrown
about Middleton's waist, was shot
through the body and rolled Off
Middleton, thus relieved, shot at his
nearest pursuer and got away.
Dave Durham has been a knight
of the throttle and Johnnie Haley his
fireman on u Missouri, Kansas and
Texas railroad engine since the spring
of 1873. Dawes engine was always
known as the "Old Reliable" Dave
and Johnnie were fast friends and
faithful employees of the company.
One day, recently, as Dawes train
pulled out from the lOwland on the
Neosho the conductor and passengers
observed that the speed was unusually
Jolly. Farm houses fitted by and
the landscape danced in a very pleas
ing manner. But the speed increased.
Ladies began to hold to their seats
and all save the heavy trainmen fell
a-trembling. There was no shrek
from the locomotive, no whistle, no
familiar call. With sullen rumble
from the IRON path below and the
shrek of the ovcrworked truck, the
train shot headlong down until the
horizon whirled as if the prairies were
broken into round fragments, the tele-
gfaph poles fitted by like the pales of
a picket fence. Cushions, lunch bas-
ketss bundles and babies flew around.
The conductor, who happened to be
in the fifth coach from the engine,
,jerked at the bell-rope with all his
strength. Women screamed and men
swore. Emporia was only ten miles
down the road, and many knew that
a Santa Fe train had the right of way
there, and that should Dave run his
passengers in at the break meek speed
of a mile a minute it would bring in
slant death. Seeing no recognition
Of his mad pulls at the bell, he made
his way with difficulty through the
four coaches, scaled the iron railing
of the mail car, clambered over the
coal pile and rolled into the cab. 1t
took but moment to put on the air
breaks, reverse the lever and bring
the train to a standstill.
Then the conductor looked around
for an explanation. Dave and johnnie
were on the floor of the cab, clinched.
They had quarreled just out of Neo-
sho, and regardless Of their charges
had fought on the spot. Both were
badly wounded and both surrendered
ethemselves to Sheriff Moon as soon as