South Branch intelligencer. [volume] (Romney, Va. [W. Va.]) 1830-1896, 1883-08-31
Capturing a Desperate.

far Southwest, the newly-arrived set
tier often finds that he has strange
Eeighbors-not only Indians, but
white desperadoes,who are more to be
feared than even the Utes aud Apa.
ches.
Two young friends of mine-good,
steady. Neutrality-suspicious. young
men-were so unfortunate az to buy
land in the vicinity Of an especially
ugly member of this outlaw frater.
nifty.
These young men had been brou ght
up to obey the law, and to respect the
property and rights Of their neighbors.
They could be brave enough in the
defense Of any just cause, yet they
dreaded and shrank from the use of
deadly weapons against fellow. e.
ing. from keen sense of the sacred.
ness OF human life. and the criminals.
t. involved in such acts.
SIch were Gilbert and Charles
Small. Plain, farm.bred boys, they
had, by steady labor and economy,
saved up capital of seventeen hun
dred dollars. With this they had en-
igrated to Colorado and started
small stock farm, fifteen miles from
| Alamosa.
BY availing themselves of the
Homestead act and the Presumption
law, they secured tract Of three hun.
dred and twenty acres of land, lying
upon creek. with..a range extending
back over the hills, which was not
likely to be taken by other settlers.
AT point short distance below,
where mining trail passed them,
and where they judged there would
III time be railroad, they built
frame house, which they opened rs q
hotel, and in which they also kept
stock of groceries. For, like many
other enterprising young immigrants,
they had an ambition to found Il town
and grow up with it.
Some eight or ten miles from them
lived man named Peter Ucrgit,
who protessedly worked mine, but
whose place really was kind of rem.
dczvons for renegade COWBOYS and
other desperate characters of the Jesse
James type. 1t was intimated that
several daring train robberics had
here been planned and also that
'Clate Walker made it one OF his
stopping places
This Walker was q notorious gam.
bier and lead shot. He was suppos-
ed to be the leader of band Of train.
robbers, and was said to have killed
not less than zen men in various af-
trays. 1t was said, too, that occas-
ionally, when times became too mo.
notoaous because of the lack Of OK,
citement, he would Kill man .for
fun just to keep hand in. lie had a
habit, also. of riding through small
towns and camps. shooting promiscu-
ously at everybody he saw, to keep
up the terror Of his name, a matter he
appears to have been vain of.
1t will seem we'll nigh incredible to
people i'll the East that such man
should be allowed to escape justice
and 10 run at large. Such is the ug-
~ fact, however, in scores of cases,
owing probably to the circumstance
that no officer likes to attempt the ar
rest OF these dcsperadoes, who gcner.
ally carry two aud sometimes three
heavy revolvers, and arc marvellous.
y quick and and sure Of aim.
AS an example OF the wonderfully
rapid and accurate shooting of some
OF these froatiersmen, the writer re.
members seeing cow BOY at Ration,
New Mexico, ride his horse at full gal
Top past telegraph pole,to which was
pinned the round white cover of pa.
per~colIar box, and lodge four balls
from his Colts pistol III this small
mark while passing. Afterwards he
entertained us by throwing into the
air, one after another,a handful of pig.
nuts, and cracking each Us it fell with
a single bullet. Then he did the same
thing again, tossing the nuts up rap.
idly aud twirling the revolver round
his fore finger after every shot. Fin
ally, throwing the nuts mp more slow.
~, he replaced his pistol in its sheath
at his hip after every shot, drawing it
for each succeeding nut, and did not
miss one out of six.
This shows the accuracy and quick
ness Of aim Of many of these lawless
fellows, aud such u marI<sman was
Clate Walker, who added TO this rep
utation, moreover, the moro murder.
ons one of being killer which in
the phrase OF this section means n
desperado who will shoot n man upon
the least provocation.
Our two young stockmen had heard
OF this border monster, but their first
&C ual acquaintance with him began |
the week after putting up their sign |
of Small Bros, Hotel and Grocery |
Walker CHANGED 70 pass one morn.
ing, and, seeing the new sign, refined /
IN his horse, and by way of calling
the attention of the landlord 90 biS I
arrival, drew his revolver and OPEN /
ed fire on the sign, shooting the first 4