The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1881-07-14

~ NAN9As 9aARN VI taGA9t E0AGaFNf "ste
delenAible, a. he vas not always. the
blamahle party, bat the majority OF them
were simply cold.blooded murdsrs.
About i've years ago Q noted bully %
low Austin shot q young man on the
street one evening while be was pIomen'
aiding with . youns lady to whom he WGa
engaged. It was done In pure Eanton'
nesl, and, Of course, the fellow was never
punfshedb by the Law, bat brother Of the
victim Was 90 Infatuated over the deed
that he caught up Q double balrelled ahot'
gun and started out for the murderer,
Hardin asked him what he intended 70
do, and was told. Hardin laughed, and
warned him that Il would be sure death
for him to attempt any such thing. But
the young man would not be dlssuAded,
Hemeant to shoot down like . dog the
wretch who had done the same 70 hil
brother.
"Very WE'LL" said Hardin, ~ will 90
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 deliberate
" raised his gun and took aim. just aa
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 fire, The dRsperAdo
smiled grimly, and drawing his revolver,
said:
snow its my turn that's Just about my
distance, and to prevent any accidents, my
kid, l won't give you time 10 say your
prayers" He had reached that point In
his address, when John Wesley Hardin
took a hand in the little gene and the
speaker neve completed his sentence, and
never will, inAsmueh 70 he dropped dead
at the most interesting point, killed by q
shot from HATdiu's pistol. This was about
the best thing Hardin ever did, and yet
when l questioned him about 1t, he would
not admit that he did the killing. The
most that he could DO got 10 admit was,
''They say / did It," and that was oil he
would acknowledge concerning any Of the
lnnumerable shootng In which he was
spgaged.
Some time after Hardin met the sheriff
on the street and asked him whether he
had q warrant for his arrest. The officer
replied that no had mo-. "Well, | heard
you bad" said Hardin, land tie best 70 DO
on the safe side" and, drawing his pistol
In his lightning.like fashion, he shot the
officer dead.
This murder was the lest feather upon
ing the Jim CurFie business % long and
unfortunately without the conclusion
reached by OurTie the other day OF Las
veg,s, that his last crime reused Q strong
feeling against him. Additional rewards
were offered for his apprehension, As no
had committed many similar deeds In
Arkansas aud Louisiana, the sgRregAte
amount offered for his capture In the
three States was $4,000,
THE HUNT FOR HARDIN,
The hunt for Hardin become 90 hot
under this extraordinary temptation that
he saw the ~advisabIlity Of emlUrAtipg, at
least until the excitement should blow
over, Texas iS q big State, but twas too
small Tor him, and 1t soon became known
that be had disappeared. He might have
gone into the Indian nation or beyond
the pale OF civilization, but no one inter.
ested in his capture could form the least
idea where to look for him. But the mu.
nihcent reward awaiting the man who
should deliver Hardin to the authorities
melted the best men TO engage in the
hunt,
One oil these was q member OF Lieuten.
ant Halls Rangers, as they are called.
Texas, as may not generally be known, 10
provided with q hundred brave and tried
men, who constitute what may be called
her mounted police. They are under the
command OF Lieutenant Hall, and roam
the State from one end to the other OF the
settled portion, hunting horsethieyes,
m%ufderers and all criminals that are want.
ed by the authorities. Lieutenant Hall
Ia a preposseSsing young man OF sandy
complexion, and i splendid rife shot. All
bis men have been tried In the are and
can be relied on. 1t was one oil these that
determined to cIpture Hardin, and who
went about ii In the only fashion that
promised success. He went Of beyond
Austin, where the father Of yourg Hardin
was running Q small ranch, and giving out
that he was hunting for similar property
In the same neighborhood, finally bought
the ono Immediately adjoining that Of the
retired preacher. This done, the officer,
SO q pretended clttle.raiser, stocked 1t and
went to work,
Month after month he conducted him.
self In the regulation way, and gradually
became quite intimate with the old gen.
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
ninds, with the exception that John Yves.
LAD NUta - ayVaR all1Hat "a hW atNhAR nhA0 |
ppent houFa In this fashion, aud at other
times would gather In the village store
near by, which answered as the pOstofice,
where they would Join gossip and discus
sion while smoking their pipes-in the
manner so popular all through our Coun.
Try.
The months passed In this fashion, and
the summer was pretty well gone, when
one day the elder Hardii took q letter 10
the office 10 mail. 1t was 10 q Urumpled,
yellow envelope, and directed In q RCrAwl.
ing hand. The detective walked 10 the
store with Hardin, who carried the letter
In bis pocket, aud he made up bis mind
that Il was intended Tor bis son; John
Wesley. This was the very clue for which
the officer had been waiting all these
months, and this was The irst time he had
ssen the reverend gentleman take q letter
10 the Office. II was necessary 10 see the
directions upon the mlsslvs, and not only
that, but he must be sure that the dis.
coyery was made without attracting the
SLIGHTEST suspicion to himself. He saw no
chance 10 do eithet while on the road.
Within the Office, the Rev, Nj. Hardin
bought a three cent stamp, solsmnly
licked II, and then pounded IL upside
down on one corner Of the soiled en-.
yelope with his henry ast, and finally
passed Il over to lbe Yillnge postmaster.
While he was eng Esd In this DELFT stats
proceeding the detective approached The
counter and asked the postmaster for al
newspaper. The official turned to look
for IL. The instant his face was ayetted