The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1881-07-19


along and see fair play"
The young man caught sight of the
wretch for whom he was looking on the
opposite side of the street and deliber-
ately raised his gun and took aim. Just
as he pulled the trigger the criminal
observed him, but too late to escape or
get the drop on the boy. The latter
pulled the trigger and the gun missed
ire. The desperate smiled grimly and
drawing up his revolver, said
"Now it's my turn that's just about
my distance, and to prevent any acci-
dent, my kid, 1 won't give you time to
say your prayers"
He had reached that point in his
address, when John Wesley Hardin
took hand in the little game and the
speaker never completed his sentence,
and never will, inasmuch as he dropped
dead at the most interesting point, killed
by shot from Hardin's IS pistol. This was
about the best thing Hardin ever did,
and yet, when questioned him about
it, he would not admit that he did the
killing. The most that he could be got
to admit was, "they say did it," and
that was all he would acknowledge con-
cerning any of the immune cradle shoot
ings in which he was engaged.
Some time after Hardin met the
sheriff on the street and asked him
whether he had warrant for his arrest.
The officer replied that he had not.
We'll, heard you had" said Hardin,
"and it's best to be on the safe side"
and drawing his pistol in his lightning
like fashion, he shot the officer dead.
This murder was the last feather upon
the camel's back. Hardin had been
playing the Jim Currie business so long,
and unfortunately without the conclu-
sion reached by Currie the other day at
Les Vegas, that his last crime reused a
strong feeling against him. Additional
rewards were offered for his apprehen-
sion AS he had committed many
similar deeds in Arkansas and Louis
lana, the aggregate amount offered for
his capture in the three States was
$4,000.
The hunt for Hardin became so hot
under this extraordinary temptation that
he saw the advisability of emigrating,
at least until the excitement should blow
over. Texas is big State, but it was
too small for him, and it soon became
known that he had disappeared. He
might have gone into the Indian nation
or beyond the pale of civilization, but
no one interested in his capture could
form the least idea where to look for
him. But the munificent reward await
ing the man who should deliver Hardin
to the authorities, melted the best men
to engage in the hunt.
One of these was member of Lieut..
Halls rangers, as they are called
Texas, as may not be generally known,
is provided with hundred brave and
tried men, who constitute what may
be called her mounted police. They are
under command of Lieutenant Hall,
and roam the State from one end to the
other of the settled portion, hunting
horse thieves, murderers, and all GRIM
inals that are wanted by the authorities.
Lieutenant Hall is prepossessing
young man of sandy complexion, and
splendid rifle shot. All his men have
been tried by 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 beyond Austin,
where the father of young Hardin was
running a rancho, and 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
officer as pretended cattle-raiser,
stocked it and went to work.
Month after month he conducted
himself in the regular way, and grad
'ually 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 everything that came
into their minds, with the exception
that John Wesley was never alluded to
by either one of them. They spent
hours in this fashion, and at other times
would gather in the village store near
by, which answered as the post office,
where they would join in gossip and
discussion while smoking their pipes