The Princeton union. [volume] (Princeton, Minn.) 1876-1976, 1881-07-07

had been denouncing I distinctly felt my
hat slide up my forehead as my hair stiffen-
ed and literally stood OH end. I was trans
fixed with fear. For few seconds ]
couldn't stir hand nor foot, nor could ]
speak word. never had dreamed that
the horseman was anything other than a
Texan cowboy, rough but hospltable
who had probably killed his man, but who
was not not dangerous character.
A HEARTLEss DESPERATE.
He spared my life that morning merely
because the whim happened to take possess
sion of him. for more heartless desperate
than John Wesley Harding. He was what
might be called the product of the recon-
struction days of Texas, as he reached his
young manhood at the time when the state
was under military rule and when public
feeling was such as to develop all the in
nate deviltry in a mans nature.
When Hardin was yet boy he began the
amusement of shooting negroes. He and
one or two reckless companions would visit
a picnic, create disturbance and then be-
gin shooting right and left. When they
were out of ammunition or the signs were
unpropitious they would mount their horses
and dash away. Again, they would gallop
through a company of negroes with the OBJ
ject Of seeing who could kill the most, with
their mustangs at full speed. But shooting
of "niggers" became monotonous to Hardin
and he began picking off those of his own
race. It would require hours to tell the
sanguinary ARRAYS in which he was engaged
and in which he emerged the sole survivor.
Some of these, perhaps, we're defensible, las
po ~
the majority of them were simply cold
blooded murders.
Finally I turned my eyes SO as to look at
Hardin. He was little back of me, riding
at a leisurely gait, and was looking straight
at me, with peculiar smile on his face-a
smile which was sure meant my death.
Hardin had shot down sheriff short
time before in cold blood and he thought
no more of a human life than he did of
brushing away fly. I was certain he
would shoot me dead within the next three
minutes, I had my revolver at my hip,
but did not dare attempt to draw, for the
instant 1 moved hand In that direction
he would send bullet through my brain.
In fact, did not dare move at all. re-
call that the end of my nose began to itch
terribly and yet I was afraid to raise my
hand to scratch it, through dread of draw
Ing MS nre.
BY and by managed to stammer: CT
beg-your pardon-but-I- didn't-know
it was you, Mr.. Hardin. y
II judge not" he said, with the same
horrid grin on his face. "Ive only got a
word to add. When you're travelling
through Texas learn who your pardner is
Don't talk too free about your betters
Good day SIR" And he wheeled off to the
vrvh< VrI,S r ~N1~ 49, ack ~
mustang into gallop, but for a few mo-
ments felt sure Hardin would send a ball
from his rifle after me, and when he did
that he never failed to hit hard" No pen
can describe my agony of apprehension fol
minute or SO, but when I glanced furtive-
ly over my shoulder the little horseman
was riding leisurely along beyond riheshot
| and did not look behind him.
About five years ago noted bully below
Austin shot young man on the street one
evening while he was promenading with
young lady to whom he Was engaged.
was done in pure wantonness, and, Of
course, the fellow was never punished by
the law, but brother of the victim was sc
Infatuated over the deed that he caught ul
double barreled shot gun and started ou
for the murderer. Hardin asked him VIVA
he intended to do and was told. Hardin
laughed and warned him that it would b.
sure death for him to attempt any sucl
| thing. But the young man would not bt
! dissuaded. He meant to shoot down like
his brother
Every WE'LL" said Hardin, II will e
| along and see fair play"
! The young man caught sight of tn,
wretch for whom he was looking on the op
| posite side of the street and deliberatel,
raised his gun and took aim. Just as b,
pulled the trigger the criminal observed
him but too late to escape or get the dro,
on the boy. The latter pulled trigger ant
the gun missed fire. The desperad,
smiled grimly and drawing up his revolver
said:
Nov it's mig turn; that's just about m,
distance, and to prevent any accidents, m,
kid, won't give you time to say you
prayers" He had reached that poin
in his address, when John Wesley Hardi,
took hand in the little game and tn,
speaker never completed his sentence, ant
never will, inasmuch as he dropped deat
at the most interesting point, killed by
shot from Hardin's pistol. This was abou
the best thing Hardin ever did, and yet
when questioned him about it, he woult
not admit that he did the killing. TIL
most that he could be got to admit was
"they sag I did it," and that was all b
would acknowledge concerning any of tn
innumerable shootings in which be was en-
gagged.
Some time after Hardin met the sheriff
on the street and asked him whether b
had warrant for his arrest. The office
replied that he had lot "Well, hear,
you had" said Hardin, 'sand it's best t.
be on the safe side," and drawing his pis
toll in his lightning like fashion, he sho
the officer dead.
This murder was the last feather upo,
the camel's back. Hardin had been play
ing the Jim Currie so long, and unfortu
nately without the conclusion reached b,
Currie the other day at Los Vegas, that hi
last crime reused a strong feeling agains
him. Additional rewards were offered TO
his apprehension. As he had committed
many similar deeds in Arkansas and Louis
lana, the aggregate amount offered for hi
capture in the three states was $40, 900.
THE HUNT FOR HARDIN.
The hunt for Hardin became so hot nm
der this extraordinary temptation that b
saw the advisability Of emigrating, at leas
until the excitement should be over. Texa
is big state, but it was too small for hin
and it soon became known that he had dis
appeared. He might have gone into tn,
Indian nation or beyond the pale of civil
/ hut so. 81