The Magnolia gazette. [volume] (Magnolia, Miss.) 1872-current, 1881-09-16
JOHN WESLEY HARDIN.
The Career OF Man who Did not Value
HAfe IN the Least
philadelphia Times

philadelphia Times 7
A few years ago, when l was in the
cattle business, / started out of the little
town Of Cuero, Texas, ON my return to
San Antonio. Cuero was and is still
sort Of headquarters for the cowboys,
and it has been the scene OF some of the
bloodiest encounters ever witnessed. II
was there that two factions frequently
met in the wretched dirty streets, and
the minute they caught sight of each
other they always began popping away
with rifle or revolver.
The most desperate villain connected
with this crowd was John Wesley Har-
din, the son preacher, and fellow
who, to my certain knowledge, has
killed more than dozen men.
There was a good deal OF drinking and
carousing in the town, and I hurried
through my business, mounted my mus
tang and struck off at an easy gallop for
Ban Antonia. Only little way out l
drew up at the roadside and went into
one Of those miserable little Texas inns
to get something to eat. had scarcely
seated myself at the table when small,
bright-eyed fellow came in, set his gun
behind the door and sat down on the
other side of the table. We nodded fa-
miliarly to each other, exchanged few
words and passed such food as we needed,
we being the orly two in the room. He
asked me which way was going, and
when mentioned 'Santone," as it is
always pronounced in Texas, he
said he would accompany me o short
distance, but would have to turn off be-
fore going far. Wepaid our bill, mounted
our mustang and moved off side by side.
AS my companion, although uneducated
vas quite intelligent, I kept my horse
down to a walk so as to converse with
him during the short distance we were to
be companions,
you're from the North, amt you "
he asked. ....-.-
l replied that / was, but that / had
been in Texas several years.
What do you think of the country ?"
It has grand possibilities before it, f"
replied, with considerable earnestness ;
It's area is so prodigious that it is capa-
Die OF making adozen good sized States,
ana Its soil, climate, and natural facili-
9es mark it as the coming empire. But
u has its disadvantages also"
=" What's them? ~ asked my compan.
ION more eagerly than grammatically.
Well, one thing is, the need of bet
yer government. There is too much
outlawry. Texas averages a murder q
s Gay, and I have heard the. authorities
state that there are full thousand muir
nerers remaining at large within her
borders today 5t7
That's too bad, " said, be apparently
quite struck with my truthful statement.
l concluded 1 had native Texan with
me and | would give him little needed
auvlee, or, more properly, information.
q n never saw any place where crime
viewed with such leniency, if moi
sanitation, as in Texas The greatest
slQfy OF a Texan is to boast Of being q
pad man. and no one is of much ac.
eoant who has not killed some one. All
tnis has got to change before Texas can
= make any really material progress. The
est thing she can do Just now is tC
TIg her Longleys. her Thompsons and
John Wesley Hardips" elt
DO you know any Of those felIows?'
interrupted the little horseman beside
mo, nor do I wish TO excepting that
would like to pull one end Of the rope
mat was to hang them. / feel specia
"Atre9 a.S Of John Wesley Hardin. ''
Well, he's the son Of preacher
VINO named him after the great founde
~ Methnd1sm, and he is the worst sor
VA uesperado. He hasn't any redeem
ing features. He is a cowardly murderer