The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-14
A Man WHO SHOOTS
DARISs DEEDS OF John WESLEY
HARDIN,
The Texan PrsaeherAl EOn CaaEhI and
Punished ~ L-ast~Ths Career Or
AAn WhO MD Net VAIus
Life 10 III Least.

Life IN the Least.
Rishmond DtspAteh.
A few years ago, when was in the cat.
tie business, l started out Of the little
town Of CusrO, Texas, on my return tc
San Antonio. ousro vas, and Ia still, 4
sort Of headquarters for the cowboys, and
1t has been the scene Of some Of the
bloodiest encounters ever witnessed. II
was there that two factions frequently mel
in the Wretched, dirty streets, and the
minute the y caught sight of each other
they always began popping away with rifle
or revolver.
The most desperate villain connected
with this crowdWAs John Wesley Hardin,
the son Of . preacher, aud fellow who,
to my certain knowledge, has killed more
than = dozen men.
There was q good deal Of drinking and
caTOuaing In the town, and l hurried
through my business, mounted my mus
tang, and struck of ct an easy gallop for
San Antonio. Only q little way ont !
drew up at the roadside and went into one
OF those miserable little Texan inns to get
something to eat, l had scarcely seated
myself at the table when o small, bright.
eyed fellow came in, set his gun behind
the door, and sat down on the other side
Of the table. We nodded fSmiliarly 10
each other, exchanged . few words, and
passed such food as we needed, We being
the only two In the room. He asked me
which way l was going, and when l men.
toned ~"santone," as Il 10 always pro.
noanced In Texas, he said be would &C
company me . short distance, but would
hays to turn of before going far. We
paid our bill, mounted our mustang, and
moved of side BY side. As my compan.
Ion, although u%neducated, was quite In.
telligent, l kept my horse down to Q walk
30 As to converse with him daring the
short distance we were to be companions.
"You're from the North, amt your he
asked.
replied that l was, but that l had been
in Texas several years.
what do you think oil the country"
he asked.
sit has grand possibilities before It," I
replied, with considerable e%arnestness;
its area 10 30 prodigtousthAt II Ia capable
OF making . dozen good'siEsd States, and
It's soil, climate, and natural facilities
mark II as the coming empire, But II has
It's disadvantages also"
whats them2" asked my companion
more eagerly than dramatically.
"Well, one thing Is the need OF better
government. There Is too much out.
laWry. Texas averages q murder q day,
and | have heard the authorities state that
there are q full thousand muTdersrs run.
ming at large within her borders today"
That's too bad" said he, apparently
quite struck with my truthful statement.
l concluded l hsda native Texan with
me and l would give him q little needed
advice, or, more properly, information.
III never saw any place where crime Is
viewed with such leniency, il not Admira.
Lion, as In Texas. The greatest glory Of o
Texan is 10 boast Of being a bad man,
and no one 10 Of much account who has
not killed some one. All this has got to
change before Texas can make any really
material progress, The beat thing she can
do Just now is 10 hang her Longleys, her
Thompsons, and John Wesley Har.
dins"-
"Do you know any Of those follower"
interrupted the little horBsmsn beside
me.
"No, NOR do I wish to, excepting that I
would like to pull one end OF the rope that
was to hang them. ieel q special hatred
oil John Wesley Hardin"
"Why sn7"
"Well, he's the son Of a preacher, who
named him after the great founder Of
Methodism, and be Is the worst sort OF q
desperate. he hasn't any redeeming fes.
lures. lie is a CowArdly murderer, 4 man
who kills In mere wantonnesS, and ]
would give Ave hundred dollars this min.
ute for the privilege Of s~trangling the life
aut Of him. He is . curse to Texas, and
there ought 10 be . reward offered 10 the
frat man who will shoot him on sight.
The Lone Star State must be purged Of
such pests before she can thrive"
"That may be 80" said my companion,
quietly, "but all I've got to say, stranger.
IL that my name is John Wesley Hardin
Never until that minute was l prepared
10 believe that q mans hair actually rises
on end when he 10 "stIuCk" with terror,
but when that horsemau Of my side an
uounCed himself as the terrible deSperado
whom I had been d%enounCing ! distinctly
felt my hat slide up my forehead as my
hair siiffened and literally stood IN end.
II was transfxVd with fear. For q few
seconds / couldn't stir hand nor foot, nor
could I speak q word. l mover had
dreamed that the horseman was anything
other than . Texan cowboy, rough but
hospltable-one who had probably killed
bis man, but who was not . dangerous
character.
Finally I mansged to turn my eyes SO a.
TO leok at Hardin. He was a little back oil
me, riding at q leisurely gait, and was
looking straight at me, with q peculiar
smile IN his face "a emile which / was
sure meant my death. Hardin he'd shot
dswn q Sheriff q Hhort time before In cold
blood, and he thought no more OF q hu.
man lie than be did OF brushing awsy q
fy. | was certain he would shoot me
dead within the next three minutes. J
had my revolver Al my hip, but | did not
dare attempt 10 draw, for the instant ]
moved q llsnd 10 that detection he would
send q bullet through by brain. | n fact |
did not dare move at all recall that the
end Of my nose began to itch terribly
and yet l was airBld tn raise my hsnd to
scratch II, through dread Of drawing bis
By and BY / msnsped to stammer, ~
beg-your pAtdon-but-I didnt-know
Il Weh you Mr. Hardin"
~ Judge NOT" he said, with the acme
hotrid grin IN his face. "pve only got Q
word 10 add. When your travelling
through TeHh learn who your pardner ia.
Don't talk TOO free about your batters.
Good day, sir" and he wheeled of to the
right, while | took 10 the left ! struck
nv mustang into a gallop, but for a few
moments | was sure Hatkin would send q
ball from bis rifle alter me, and when he
hih that be nevet JAILED 70 "hiL hafd."