The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-07
done the officer, as a pretended cattle raiser,
stocked it and went To work

in the regulation way and gradually became
quite intimate with the old gentleman
After the days toll was over they would sit
together in front of one Of the houses,
smoking their pipes and talking about every
thing that came into their minds, with the
exception that John Wesley was never al
luded to by either. They spent hours in
this fashion and at other times would gather
In the village store neal by, which answered
as the post office, where they would join in
gossip and discussion while smoking their
pipes . in the manner sopopular all through
our country.
The months passed in this fashion and
the summer was pretty well gone when one
day the elder Hardin took a letter to the
Office to mail. It was in crumpled yell
low envelope and directed IN scsawling
hand. The detective walked to the store
with Hardin, who carried the letter in his
pocket, and he made up his mind that it
was intended for his son, John Wesley.
This was the very clue for which the officer
had been waiting all these months, and this
was tie first time he had seen the reverend
gentleman take letter to the Office. It was
necessary to see the directions upon the
missive and not only that, but he must be
sure that the discovery was made without
attracting the slightest suspicion to himself.
He saw no chance to do either while on the
road.
Within the Office, the Rev. Mr. Hardin
bought three cent stamp, solemnly licked
it and t:en pounded it upside down on one
corner of the soiled envelope with his horny
fist, and finally passed it over to the village
postmaster. While he was engaged in this
deliberate proceeding the detective ap-
preached the counter and asked the post
Coz
to look for it. The instant his face was
averted the officer glanced over the shout
der of Hardin and read the superscription
on the envelope. He saw that it was di-
rected to Mr.. Samuel Jones, of whom he
had never heard and whose post Office adj
dress was remote town, in Florida. It
made no difference. The detective was
convinced he had discovered the where
abouts of John Wesley Hardin, for whose
capture such large reward was waiting.
The conversation went on as usual
through the evening. The same parties
congregated night after night and the de-
'tective and the Rev. Mr.. Hardin met and
smoked tlseir pipes as before, while the
weeks and months passed by. Finally Mr..
Hardin's ncighbor said he guessed he would
take run up to Austin to see about selling
some of his cattle. Accordingly he babe
his friend goodbye orseveral days, mount
ed his mustang and galloped off. He never
stopped traveling-dispensing with his
horse as soon as possible-until he reached
certain remote town in Florida, where,
gotten up as an ordinary everyday laborer,
he took little tramp through the SUI
rounding country. He was fortunate
enough that day to catch sight Of the myth
cal parsonage at work in the field of a farm
er. One searching glance was enough.
The high, broad cheek bones, the small.
piggy eyes, the bear Hess face and slight
muscular figure belonged to John Wesley
Hardin and no one else. That young man
walking about was moving treasure box
of $4,000, waiting for some one to come
and turn the key and walk off with the con-
tents. Did the officer do it? Not by any
means. He simply took the one all stuff
Gent glance and passed by out of sight.
He would no more have ventured over the
fence into the field to arrest the desperate
than he would have attempted to put Bit
in the mouth of raging Bengal tiger.
CAUGHT AT LAST.
In desultory talk with the station agent,
who was also the telegraphist near by, the
officer learned that Sam Jones was accus-
toned once CT twice week to take the cars
and ride to /. station about twelve miles
above, where he was paying his addresses
to lady. The officer made an arrange
ment by which the agentagreed to telegraph
him at the upper station whenever the
mythical Sam Jones should board the train
OF course the agent could be trusted to
keep the secret, as that was u part of his
| business, though he was far from suspect
ing the importance of the case. Having
done all he could the detective took the
cars for the station above, where he spent
several days in lounging about and smok-
ing bad cigars while waiting for the dis
patch. At the end of three days it came.
Jones has just boarded the train; sits in last
car; man with him; nobody else in car.
The officer had just time enough ir
which to complete his arrangements. 1t
was a warm, sultry day, even for that sea.
Wheeling into the depot, with the two
ricketv cars behind it, there were five
passengers waiting at the depot apparently
to get on board, but as the cars slowed ur
one of these men, with a Winchester rifle
at full cock, stationed himself near the
side window, assuming such a position
that neither of the two young men, VIII q
sat in their shirt sleeves, noticed him,
The next minut, two other men, fully
armed, boarded the rear platform and en-.
tered the door; at the same instant the de-
tective and friend entered the front doc,
and moved carelessly down the aisle in the
in the direction Of the two passengers
The latter glanced up sharply, but saw
hothing to cause misgiving and continued
talking. The next me ment the officer ha6
reached point in the aisle directly op.
posite the couple. Stopping suddenly, he
exclaimed:
How are you, John Wesley Hardin?'
AS quick as lightning the desperate
threw his hand back to his hip to draw his
revolver. AS he did so one of those behind
him grasped his arm and the ipht began
The two strong men precipitated themsel.
yes upon Ha. din, who, though disarmed
fought like wild cat. They got him
down in the aisle, where they finally over
powered and put nippers on him. While
they were doing this the other two officers
were engaged in a deadly struggle with the
other desperate, who showed an overween.
ing ambition to mingle in the business
The only way convenient to disuade him
was to shoot him dead, which was done.
| All this time the other friend held his pos
ition on the outside with his cooked Winch
ester, rather more than willing to FIRE Il
only suitable pretext should present itself
Hardin was taken back to Texas. tried
found guilty and sentenced to twenty-fy
years imprisonment. He is now in the