The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1881-08-18
JOHN WESLEY HARDIN.
The Career OF a Man who Did not value
Life ln- fke XseaaHssz--ss---7-F=
philadelphia Times.

-. - G - i
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 q
sort of headquarters for the cowboys,
and it has been the scene of some of the
bloodiest encounters ever witnessed. 1t
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 q 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 hurried
through my business, mounted my mus
tang and struck off at an easy gallop for
San Antonia. 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. 1 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 a short
distance, but would have to turn off be-
fore going far We paid our bill, noun ted
our mustang and moved off side by side.
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 te
be companions.
"You're from the North, amt your
he asked.
I replied that I was, but that I had
been in Texas several years. -.
What do you think of the country p
he asked.
"It has grand possibilities before it, >
I replied, with considerable earnestness
sits 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. Blu
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 mur
derers remaining at large within he
borders to-day"
"That's too bad," said, he apparent.
concluded had a native Texan witt
me and would give him little needed
advice, or. more properly, information
81 never saw any place where crim'
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 cal
make any really material progress. TIL
best thing she can do just now is +
hang her Longleys, her Thompsons ant
John Wesley Hardins,'
"Do you know any of those fellows?
interrupted the little horseman besid
me.
"No, nor do wish to excepting tina
I would like to pull one end of the rep
that was to hang them. I feel a specia
hatred of John Wesley Hardin.
"Why SOP"
"Well, he's the son of preacher
who named him after the great founde
of Methodism, and he is the worst sol
of desperate. He hasn't any redeem
ing features. He is cowardly murderer
a man who kills in mere wantonness
and I would give five hundred dollar
this minute for the privilege of stranglin
the life out of him. He is curse
Texas, and there ought to be a rewar
offered to the first man who will shoe
him on sight. The Lone Star State mui
be purged of such pets before she ca
thrive"
"That may be so" said my companio
quietly, "but all I've out got to So,
stranger, is that my name is John Wesle
Hardin p
Never until that minute was I prepare
to believe that mans hair actually rist
on end when he is "struck with terro
but when that horseman at my side a.
nounced himself as the terrible desperac
whom had been denouncing distinct
felt my hat slide up my forehead as m
hair stiffened and literally stood on en-,
I was transfxed with fear. For fe
seconds I couldn't stir hand nor foe
nor could speak word. I never hs
dreamed that the horseman was anythir
other than Texan cowboy, rough b,
hospitable-one who had probably hllt
his man, but who was not dangerol
character.
Finally managed to turn my eyes
as to look ct Hardin. He was O htt