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

A few years ago, Wutn VS. 49, ;. ~. -. - y, -
business, / started out OF tOe ntlIe .owu y
Cuero, Texss, on my return 70 san AntonIo
s,rero was and is still sort OF headquafter'
rnr Inc cow BOYS, aud II has been the scene
az some Of the bloodlest encounters eyei
witnessed. II was there that two factions
freanently met In the wreiched, dirt,
streets, aud the minute hey.caugnt siget o.
each other they always began popping away
with rife or revolver.
the most desperate villain connected witt
CHS crowd was John Wesley Hardin, tht
son az preacher, aud q fellow who to mj
certain knowledge has kklIed more than
Thsrg was a good deal OF drinking enc
x,rousin1 IN the town, and buried
fhraugb nv business, mounted my mustang
ana slruck OF at an easy gallop for San An
tonic. Only a little way out i drew up al
abe roadside and went into one OF thoSt
miserable little Texan inns tog get something
40 eat. / bad scarcely seated myself at the
tsble when a ANAL, bright-eyed fellow came
In. set bis gun behind the door. and sa'
down on the other side OF the table. We
nodded Familiarity TO each otheT, exchanged
a few words, and passed such FOOD rs we
needed. we being the only two In The room
He asked me which way i was going, and
always pronounced 10 Texas, he said be
would accompany me short diatance, but
would have to turn of before going lar.
We paid our bill, mounted our mustang, and
moved Of side BY side. As my companion,
although unedneated. was quite intelligent,
kept nv horse down to walk 90 as to
converse With him during the short distance
we were 10 be companions.
You're from the North, amt yous" he
ssked.
replied that 1 was, but that / had been
in Texas several years.
"What do you think OF the country 7" he
asked.
alt has grand possibilities before it," 1
replied, with considerable earnestness; "its
area is so prodigious that 1t is capable OF
making dozen good sized States, ADD its
soil, climate, and natural facilities mark It as
the coming empire. But it has its disadyan'
fages also."
.whaps themi" asked my companion
more eagerly than dramatically.
ssWell one thing is the need OF better
government. There Is too much oullawry.
Texas averages q murder day, aud have
heard the authorities state that there are a
full thousand murderers running at large
within her borders to-day"
struck with my truthful statement.
concluded bad native Texan with
me aud / would give him a little needed
advice, or, more properly, information.
al never saw any place where crime is
viewed With such lenIency, il not admira-
ton, as In Texas. The greatest glory OF a
Texan Is to boast of being bad man. and
no one Is OF much account who has not
killed some one. All this has got to change
before Texas can make any really material
progress. The best thing she can do just
now Is to hang her LoDgleys, her Thomp.
sons and John Wesley Har6ns -
"Do you know any OF those feIlowsS"
interrupted the little horseman beside me.
"No, nor do | wish to, excepting that
would like to pull one end OF the rope that
was 10 hang them. / feel special hatred
OF John Wesley Hardin"
"Wby SOP"
"WelI, he's the sen of preacher, who
named him after the great founder OF Me-
thodism, and he is the worst sort OF deS-
perado. He hasn't any redeeming features.
He Is cowardly murderer, man who kills
In mere wantonness, and would give five
hundred dollars this minute for the privi-
lege OF strangling the life out OF him. He
is curse to Texas, and there ought to be
reward offered to the first man who will
shoot him on sight. The Lone Star State
must he purged Of such pests before she can
thrive"
"Tbat may be So" said my companion
quietly, "but all Eve got TO say, stranger, is
that my name Is John Wesley Hardin !"
Never until that minute was / prepared
to believe that mans bair actually rises on
end when be is struck" with terror, but
Al. 4. IL
himself as the terrible desperate whom |
had been denouncing / distinctly felt my
hat slide up nv forehead as my hair stffen-
cd and literally stood on cad. / was trans
fixed with fear. For few seconds |
couldn't stir hand nor loot, nor couia i
speak word, never had dreamed that
the h0fseman was anything other than
Texan cowboy, rough but hospitable-one
who bad probably killed his man, but who
was moi dangerous character.
Finally managed to turn my eyes so as
10 look at Hardin. He was little back OF
me, riding ut leisurely gait, and was
booking straight at me, with q peculiar
smile on bis face--a smile which | was sure
meant my death. Hardin had shot down a
sheriff short time before in cold blood, and
be thought no more Of a human life than he
did OF brushing away a fly. was certain
be would shoot me dead within the next
three minutes. j had my revolver at my
hir, but did not dare attempt TO draw, for
the instant moved a hard in that direction
ne would send bullet through my brain.
En- fact did not dare move at all. | recall
that the end OF nay nose began TO itch terri
bly, and yet was afraid to raise my hand TO
scratch il, through dread OF drawing his
fire.
BY and by 1 managed to stammer: "I-
beg-yoar pardon--but--I didn't-kuow 1t
was you. Mr.. Aardin.o
81 i&dge not" he said, with The same
horrid grin on his face. "Pye only got a
WORD to add. When you're travelling
through Texas learn who your parduer is.
Donst talk toe free about your betterS
Good day, sir,r and he wheeled off TO
the right, while i took TO the left. 1 struck
nag mustang into a gallon, but for a few
moments was sure Hardin would send a
bail fram bis ride after ane, and when he
did that he never failed to q hit hard" No
pen eau describe my agony OF apprehension
for miauie or so, but VIXEN glanced fur
tiFely over my shoulder the little horseman
was rldiag leisWely along beyond rife
sket ana did not look behlEd him.
4 REARrLEss DEsfERADo.
He spared my lie that morning merely
because The wbim happened to take posses
sion OF him, for q more heartkess desperate
and mere deliberate murderer never lived
than John Wesley HardIn. sc was what
might be called the product OF the recoa-
siruction days OF Texas. as be reached his
young manhood at the time whe n the State
was under military rule and when public
feeling was such as TO develop q u the ia
nate deyi!iry In a mans nature.
When Hardin was yet boy be began the