The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1881-07-12

sufnsta,ed over the deed that be caught up
aoubIe.barreIie SHOTGUN and started out
sor the murderer. Hardin asked him what
no Intended 10 do, and was tosu.
Hardin laughed, and warned him That
iIt woujd be sure death for him 10 az
tcmpt any such thing. But the young msn
would NOT be dlssuaded. He meant 70
shoot dowa like dog the wretch VINO nau
done the same to his brother. -,
very we'll" said Hardin, 81 WIN go
/ along and see fair play"
The yeung man caught sight Oh tue
wretch for whom be was looking on tue OPP
posife side III the street, aud dehsefsteiy
raised his gun and took aim. just ~ us
puIled tho trigger the criminal 00se,feu
| MIN. but too late 10 escape or get tse drop
on the boV. The latter pulled trigger and
fhe oun missed fire. The desperate smiled
grin1lv. and drawing up bis revolver, said :
"Now it's my turn; that's Just about my
distance. and TO prevent any accidents, my
Kid. I won't give you time TO say your
nrayers.o He had reached that. point IN
HE address. when J I'm Wesley Hardin
took q hand In the little game aud the
speaker never completed his sentence. aud
meyer will. inasmuch as be dropped dead at
| the most interesting point, killed by shot
from Hardin's pistol. This vas about the
hest thing Hardin ever did, aud yet, when
questioned him about II, he would not ad-
nit that he did the killing. The most that
he could be got TO admit was, Z" They say
did it.'' and that Eas all be would acknow-
ledge concerning any Cd the innumeraOie
shoOtings in which he was engaged.
Some time after Hardin met the sherlH on
the street and asked him whether he had a
warrant for his arrest. The otDcer repiea
| that be bad not Well. heard you had,,
| said Hardin, aud it's best to be on inc SAFE
/ side" and, drawing his pistol In his nghl-
| ninc.Iike fashion, he shot the officer dead.
This murder was the last feather upon the
csmel's back. Hardin had been playing the
linn Currie business so long and unfortu'
nateIy without the conclusion reached by
Cusrie the other day at Las Vegas, that his
| last crime reused strong feeling against
him. Additional rewards were offered for
his apprehension. AS he had committed
many similar deeds in Arkansas and Louis
lana, the aggregate amount offered Tor MS
capture in the three States was $4,000.
THE HUNT FOR HARDIN.
The hunt for Hardin became so hot under
this extraordinary temptation that he saw
the ACCESSIBILITY Of emigrating, at least until
the excitement should blow over. Texas IS
big State, but it was too small for him,
and il soon became known that he had dis
appeared. He might have gone into the
Indian nation or beyond the pale OF cisillza'
ton. but no one interested in his capture
could form the least idea where to look for
him. But the municent reward awaiting
me man who should deliver Hardin to the
authorities melted the best men TO engage
in the hunt.
One of these was member OF Lieutenant
HalPs Rangers, as they are called. Texas,
as NAV not generally be known. is provided
with hundred brave and tried men, who
constitute what may be called her mounted
police. They are under the command OF
Lieutenant Hall and roam tue State from
one end TO the other OF the settled portion,
hunting se-theyes, murderers, ana all
criminals that are wanted by the authorities.
Lieutenant Hall is a progressing young
man Of sandy complexion, and splendid
rife shot. All his men have been tried III
the fire and can be relied on. 1t was one
OF these that determined to capture Hardin,
and who went about it in the only fashion
that promised success. He went off be-
yond Austin, where the father OF young
Hardin was running a small ranch, aud
giving out that he was hunting for similar
property in the same neIghbOrhood, finally
bought the one Immediately adjoining that
Of the retired preacher. This done, the Of
ticer, as a pretended cattle-raiser, stocked
il and went to work.
Month after month he conducted himself
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 near by, which
answered as the postOfice, where they
would Join in gossip and discussion while
smoking their pipes-in the manner so po-
pular all through our country.
The months passed in this fashion, and
the summer was pretty we'll gone, when
one day the elder Hardin took letter to the
Office to mail. It was in crumpled, yellow
envelope, and directed in ascrawllng hand.
The detective walked TO the store with
Hardin, who carried the letter in his pocket,
and he made up bis mind that it was intend
ed for his son, John Wesley. This was the
very clue for which the officer had been
waiting all these months, and this was the
first time he had seen the reverend gentle
man take a letter 10 the office. 1t was ne
cessary to see the directions upon the mis-: I,
siye, and not only that, 55ut he must be sure
that The discovery was made without at
tracing the slightest suspicion to himself.
He saw no chance 10 do either while on tue
road.
Within the Office, the Rev. Mr.. Hardin
bought a three-cent stamp, solemnly licked
it, and then pounded 1t upside down on one
corner OF the soied envelope with his horny
fist, and finally passed it over to the village
postmaster. While he was engaged in this
deliberate proceeding the detective APP
preached the counter and asked the post
master for a newspaper. The official turn
ed 10 look for it. The instant his face was
averted the officer glanced over the shoulder
OF Hardin and read the superscriptiOn on
the envelope. He saw that 1t was directed
to Mr.. Samuel Jones, OF whom he had
never heard, and whose post.office address
was remote own in Florida. 1t made no
difference. The detective was convinced
be had discovered the whereabouts Of John
Wesley Hardin, for whose capture such a
large reward was waiting.
The conversation went on as usual
through the evening. The same parties
cAngregated night after night and the de-
ieciiYe and the Rev. Mr.. Hardin met and
smoked their pipes as before, while the
weeks and months passed by. Finally Mr..
Hardin's neighbor said he guessed he would
take run up 10 Austin TO see about selling
some OF bis cattle. Accordingly be babe
his friead goodbye for several days,
mounted hls mustang and gailoped of.
lie never stopped traveiling-dispensin
With his horse as s0oI as possible
until be reached a certain remote town
in Florida, where, gotten up as an ordinary