The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1881-08-18
JOHN WESLEY HARDIN.
rhe Career OF . Man who Did mot Value
Life I'm the Least.
Philadelphia Times.1

Philadelphia Times
A few years ago, when I was in the
cattle business, I started out of the little
town of Cuero, Texas, on my return to
San Antonio. Cuero was and is still a
sort of headquarters for the cowboys,
and it has been the scene of some of the
bloodiest encounters ever witnessed. It
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 o preacher, and fellow
who, to my certain knowledge, has
killed more than dozen men.
There was 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
San Antonio. Only little way out I
drew up at the roadside and went into
one of those miserable little Texas inns
to get something to eat. l 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 IA
miliarly to 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 I was going, and
when I mentioned ''Santone," as it is
always pronounced in Texas, he
said he would accompany me q shor.
distance, but would have to turn off be-
fore going far. We paid our bill, noun ted
81 r>ff 10 10
As my companion, although uneducated,
was 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. -era.
"You're from the North, amt you?'
he asked.
I replied that I was, but that I had
been in Texas several years.
"What do you think of the country ?''
he asked.
eft has grand possibilities before it, .
I replied, with considerable earnestness
"its area is so prodigious that it is capa
BILE of making dozen good sized States,
and its soil, climate, and natural facili-
ties mark it as the coming empire. But
it has its disadvantages also."
"Whats them?" asked my compan
ion more eagerly than grammatically.
"Well, one thing is, the need of bet
ter government. There is too mucl
outlawry. Texas averages murder {
day, and I have heard the authorities
state that there are full thousand muir.
derers remaining at large within hel
borders to-day"
"That's too bad" said, he apparentl,
| quite struck with my truthful statement.
concluded I had a native Texan with
me and would give him little needed
advice, or; more properly, information
| 81 never saw any place where crime
is viewed with such leniency, if no
admiration, as in Texas. The Creates
| glory of Texan is to boast of being
sbad man. and no one is of much &C
| count who has not killed some one. AL
this has got to change before Texas car
make any really material progress. The
best thing she can do just now is t.
hang her Longleys, her Thompsons an6
John Wesley Hardins'
! f'Do you know any of those fellows?'
interrupted the little horseman beside
me.
| "No, nor do wish to excepting tina
would like to pull one end Of the rope
that was to hang them. feel specia
hatred of John Wesley Hardin.
"Why so?"
"Well, he's the son of preacher
who named him after the great founde
of Methodism, and he is the worst sor
of desperado. He hasn't any redeem
ing features. He is a cowardly murderer
man who kills in mere wantonness
and would give five hundred dollar
this minute for the privilege of stranelinl
the life out of him. He is curse t
Texas, and there ought to be a rewar'
offered to the first man who will shoe
him ON sight. The Lone Star State mus
be purged of such pets before she cal
thrive" i
"That may be so, said my companion
quietly, "but all I've out got to say
stranger, is that my name is John Wesle.
Hardin I"
Never until that minute was prepared
to believe that mans hair actually rise
ON end when he is "struck with terror
but when that horseman at my side an
nounced himself as the terrible desperad
whom 1 had been denouncing 1 distinctl
felt my hat slide up my forehead as M
hair stiffened and literally stood on end
was transfxed with fear. For fe,
seconds I couldn't stir hand nor foot
nor could I speak O word. I never ha
dreamed that the horseman was anythin
other than o Texan cowboy, rough bu
his man, but who was not dangerou
character.
Finally managed to turn my eyes 9
L. - u