The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-02-27
miscellaneous.
SAM. HILDEBRAND,
THE TERROR OF MISSOURI
Prince Of OutlAWs--SAm Goes to st. Louis t'
Sec His Chlldren-A Strange Meeting
The Last Wish Of the Pro-
scrIbed-Ills Careers

BCriDeu-ub NMeeIe
-a
Late in the afternoon ofthe I'd of F. b.
ruary. a gentleman, whose name need
not be mentioned, and who, because OF
his nativity, shall be known in this story
as the Frenchman, might have been seen
swimming his horse across creek IN Ar
kansas between Fort Smith and Little
Roek. in the direction Of the former city.
Il was nearly dark, and the storm of rain
and sleet was bitterly cold. Add to this
the fact that the Frenchman was drench-
ed to the skin, that his horse was fatigued
and that he was far from any human
habitation, and the reader is able to ap-
preciate his plight. On gaining the
shore, he hitched his horse under the
Bheltering boughs of tall cypress tree,
and, collecting some faggots, started a
fire, by which he intended to cook his
supper, While placing some coffee in
not, he heard his horse neigh shrilly and
rear as if badly scared. Accompanying
these sounds was the steady tramp of a
man or beast and the rustliug Of the
shrubs. The horses neigh became more
shrill, his rearings more violent and the
steady tramp more distinct. Turning
around, the Frenchman was confronted
by a stranger, who, as he approached
within speaking distance, called out
Hello! traveller! Can l squat by your
fire?'
Certainly was the answer, and the
newcomer, nothing 10th, stretched his
benumbed limbs beside the fire, and,
taking out corn-cob pipe, began to
smoke. He was rough-looking, rather
stout, about forty-fYe years old, with
long, wiry, black, untrimmed hair and
beard, wore ragged clothes, carried a
heavy cudgel, and had devil-may-car
expression ON his somewhat handsome
face. Altogether, he was not exactly the
person whom one would choose for a
companion under any circumstances.
The Frenchman shart d his meager meal
with his guest, and then asked who he
was. The man started, looked about
him, and then replied slowly and dis
tinctly:
Il am Sam. Hildebrand.'
Not Sam. Hildebrand, the outlaw, who
has killed 30 many menP
'Yes, am Sam. Hidebrand; outlawed,
If you wish to call it 80, but uujustly.'
Iknow 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 it 30 p
'I'Il swear to God that never com
mitted robbery in my life, and eternal
curses on the men that say have. As
to killing, that's different; dol't deny
that have killed dead loads of men, but
didn't do it for robbery; it was for re-
Venge'
But you surely do not intend to pur-
sue the course you have taken? You do
not purpose to do as you have doneT
mo; | have been revenged, and am
satisfied. All that live for nov is to
once again see my children in St. Louis,
can not hope for mercy; for the
blood hounds of the law would not let
me alone until / am dead and in my
grave. But l don't think they'll ever
get hold of me. | have determined new
or to surrender, and I'll die game. If
YOU see anybody looking for Sam. Hide
brand, Just tell him that Sam Hide
brand says he'll kill himself before he'll
let any one make him prisoner; and !
mean it! Pm getting old and am worn
out, but Pm game to the back bone yet
You seem to have had pretty hard
timer
I've been down in Mexico, keepin' a
cattle ranch. 1 didn't have nothin'
when started-that is nothin' to speak
of-and when / got through owed lot
of money for grub and whisky-the
whisky for my wife and the grub for
both of us. You see she was sick, near
ly dead all the time from the wound in
the side given to her by them peelers
that made me leave old Missouri, and
she had to be given stuff to keep her
nerves all right. But they killed her af-
ter all, for she died jnst as we was
crossin' the Rio Grande comm home
1t was the shot did it, but she died peace
full like, and the last thing she said was,
SAM don't kill no MORE and Iain't 60
in to if | can help it--not unless they
try to kill me- I .r '..
who were you with in Mexico p
oh / saw heap of fellows l knew,
but l didn't have nothin' to do with
them. ......
The James boys was down there. l
tell you they're the rattlers for you.
don't know what they was doin'!
Where are you going to now"
little Rock to see some friends and
got help to travel to st. Louis. I've
walked most of the way from Mexico,
and | guess I'll have to walk to Little
Rock. l amt got much money, nei-
ther.'
By this time it was dark. The rain |
and sleet had ceased, and as the ground |
under the cypress trees was only slightly |
wet, the Frenchman spread ont his |
blankets and prepared to camp out for |
the night lie informed HildebraDd |
that there were sufficient bed clothes for |
two, but the latter decided to leave, and,
bidding his companion good night, he
departed into the wood and was soon out
Of sight.
The FrenChman continued on his Jour.
1ey, and when an opportunity was offer
0d made notes OF bis observation for the
benefit of a Globe Democrat Reporter,
10 whom he told his story. His truth |