The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1884-10-01

minister, so al accounts agreed, and bis
name had been gained by the immunity
from bullet wounds that he appeared to pos
sess. Men did not hesitate to declare that
thew bad seen good shots fire polnt-blsnk at
bis breast and miss him squarely.
He became known as the most ex-
pert horse-thief in the region, and
inDumerable exploits of his are related in
Shasta and Tehama Counties. On one occa-
sion he threw his pursuers Off his track. as.
sumed disguise. met the Sheriff7s party
delighted them with his songs and stories
put up with them at little village inn, and
during the night escaped with the best three
horses in the party, after having turned the
Others loose in the woods and leaving a saucy
and funny letter of thanks, ending with an
apt Latin quotation for the Sheriff. whose
wrath WIS of such an abiding sort that brief
would have been Jacks life lease had he
been overhauled.
SheetIron Jack, with mere bagatelle of
twenty or so warrants hanging over his head,
once Ventured into Red Bluff, quite large
town on the Sacramento River, whose broad,
rapid and bluH-valled current sweeps in
semi-circle past. He had a world of dis
guises, but Oh this occasion ne was rec0g-
nized in the main street and pursued by an
armed and excited crowd of citizens. He ran
into q stable, cut horse loose and rode for
the river with bullets ''sizzIngn through the
air about him, jumped in, swan his horse
self but under the circumstances is not to DE
blamed for devoting his best energies to loco
motion.
One of the most characteristic feats of this
fellow was performed at a mountain ball. in
a log cabin. Young people had assembled
from many miles distant, some OF them COM
ing days journey. The ball had hardly
begun when a tall, black haired, we'll
dressed, handsome stranger appeared, aud
excited much comment. h particularly
handsome young girl was taken out on the
floor by her partner, and suddenly the
stranger steprad up and with great polite
ness requested The gentleman to resign
the lady in his favor. He whispered
his name in the young mans ear, paid
compliment to the young lady, took her
forth and led the dance. The word went
round that Sheet-Iron Jack had come there
to dance with ali the pretty girls; that he had
several revolvers never missed shot aud
probably had friends hid within call. The
long and the short of il was that the thirty
young men present were terrorized, and, one
after another, the handsome brigand danced
with the prettest maidens in the room Then
he bowed to the excited assembly. stood IN
the doorway a second ssaid moCkIugly that
it was pity the men were not rs brave as
the ladies were handsome, and disappeared
in the darkness.
Stories of his liberality are still told In the
mountains. Many poor fellow, hungry
and foot sore, trudging along the roadside
beard the rattle of hOofs a man on horse
hack approached, was halted, questioned
sharply, flung s. or $40 or $40 piece with
the injunction to drink no whisky, aud
don't believe ali the hard stories you hear
about Sheet-lron Jack"
The following incident was told to the
writer by one of the principal actors therein,
a number of years ago. 1t was a bright
August day, and young German
- IL
of the Northern Coast range. Suddenly
his horse, fine and valuable animal
began to show lameness, and in an
hour was unable to more than hobble for
ward at sDail's pace. The youth, ignorant
regarding the ways of horsehesh, was in de-
spair. He had invested $50 in the creature,
and how was he to proceed on his way? A
mild-voiced, benevolent old man of farmer
like appearance, but in reality the shrewdest
horse-trader in the mountains. overlook him
at this juncture, won his confidence, exam
ined the horse and pronounced it case OF
founder"
AN it'll take a year for him to git we'll,
an he wont be the same boss agin, mother"
What shall l do?" cried the sorrowing
German.
After long talk the shrewd trader offered
the German $50 for the horse, saying that he
should turn him out in a pasture mile dis
tant, and leave him there for a year or two.
lBuOldul, DoWlu6ItUi Tic UcTmdu CUuecutcu,
took the money, delivered over the limping
horse, took his saddle and bags and started
to walk to the nearest stage station. Mean
while the sharper waited till his dupe was
out of sight, then took a pair of smiths
pinceTs from his saddle-bags, and in five
minutes bad wrenched Off all four OF the
new steel shoes from the horses hoofs In
half an hour the animal was able to walk
easily
Thar; tho't So" the new owner NUT
tered. 1.-THE mint seed them new shoes L
knowed some fool had tight shod him. That
boss is worth 5000 at least. Lord! l wish
as / could find such fool every day"
The poor German plodded slowly on his
toilsome way for several miles. when man
rode out OF the bushes and demanded
Where in the devil was his horse% He
told the story briefly and with rising suspi-
cions that it had two sides. The man lis
tened attentively, broke into merry fits of
laughter, sitting sidewise on his great brown
horse, with one knee thrown over the sad
die, pulled his mustache refectingly-it was
Sbeet-Iron Jack. He began to ask ques.
tions about the aged and benevolent
stranger. Finally he said:
you've been swindled shamefully, and,
as this is my beat, l suppose / must help
you out. You just walk in those bushes till
you come to camp. There's bread and
dried beef p, nty. Then you lie down and
An hour later he overhsuled the new
owner of the horse, and at pistol point re-
covered the property.
"But orter hev back tibet $50 l paid the
fool Dutchman."
MY honest sir, that goes for my fees as
counselor in this case. Now l think of it, it
is scandalously small; turn out your pock-
ets." And he took 5000 from the trembling
and conquered sharper, enjoyed his despair
moment tossed back half of it and lode
off
The young German was reused little later
by Sheet-Iron Jack. Here's your horse
and outfit. I've flied your saddle bags and
given you a pistol. Don't be afraid; |
bought ii with honest money once. All / ask
is that you keep the story of this adventure
secret for a month Tonight l must move
my camp. Ride off as soon as you can"
And SheetIron Jack retired to his tent
Somehow this talented, educated, brilliant
man escaped the tal0ns OF the law.hawks,
and was shot dead in quarrel a few years
later.
ACCORDING to the France, there is woman
living at st. Just de- Clai<, in the department
of Isere, who was born in E61, so that she
is now in her 124th year. Her name is
Marie Girard, nee Durand. She was married
in 1879 at st. Just, and had two children,