The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-09-17
HUNTED TO DEATH

Fink and Jim Lee. Two Notorious ami Red
Handed Texas DezperadOes- Tracked to
Their Retreat and shot to Desth-N
weil-Esrned Reward. which Thres De-
termined Men Have Become Ehtiti d To-
GAINESVILLE, TEX. September g.
This community was startled at daylight.
yesterday morning by the announc sment-
that the famous Lee brothers, the terror
of North Texas, had actually been Killed.
The first intimation of the killing was
the arrival of a farmers wagon about
one o'clock in the morning, containing
the dead bodies of the notorious outlaws,
Jim and Pink Lee. The story of the kill
ing Is brief Ever since the brutal mas
sacre of the two Rof brothers snd their
companions in the Indian Territory in
April last, the authorities have been
securing the country in search OF jim
Lee, the leader of the terrible Lee gang.
Innumerable rewards have been offered
for the capture, dead or alive, OF Jim and
Pink Lee. The total rewards reached
$1,000. The rewards drew host OF de-
teciives to this part of the country. As
many as forty Northern and Eastern de-
tectives have visited this region in the hope
OF basging the big reward. 1t remained
for Texan named Heck Thomas, of
Forth Worth, to vanquiSh the outlaws.
Thomas learned through some unknown
means, that the Lee brothers were in
the vicinity of Harris Township, near
the village of Dexter, living under as
sumed names. Taking with him two
trusty and brave companions named
Jim Taylor and Jim Settles, both of
Cook County, he started out Monday
morning in search of his human
game. Each officer carried one sixteen
repeating Winchester, with an extra one
slung on his saddle. Their side arms
were two forty-four calibre Colts, aud
flask of whisky. The Lee brothers were
we'll known 10 each of the three officers.
After riding about ten hours and visit
ing numerous ranches, showing photo
graphs of the Lees, the officers finally
learned their exact location, and reached
the John Washington place at four
O'Clock in the afternoon. Thomas soon
spied the two outlaws, who were at that
moment en9ag in cutting John Wash
inG;On's pasture fence. The three off,
GERS rode up within flGty yards of the
outlaws before the latter discovered
them. They dismounted and Thomas
called on them to surrender. Taken
unawares though they were, the outlaws
answered with their revolyerS, when the
detectives opened fire with their deadly
Winchesters. As the detectives raised to
fire both OF the Lees, by Jim'S orders,
lard fiat on the ground. Pink Lee was
struck at the first fire, and writned about
the ground, grooming piteousiy, until the
next volIey put an end TO his suff.rIngs.
jim Lee returned their fire very rapidly,
although he had bullet IN his neck.
After emptying his own revolver,
Jim crawled over to where his.
dead brother lay and, grasplng
Pink's weapon, he emptied it also
at the officers. About forty shots were
fired at Jim before he ceased to move,
but strangely only two shots were fatal.
a farmers wagon was procured and
the officers threw the bodies on a Pile of
straw and started for this city. The
CoroneT's inquest was held yesterday
afternoon, and the bodies were identified
so as 10 secure the large rewards to
Thomas and his two assistants. The.
entire population of Gainesville turned
out TO view the bodies of the two no
ioricus outlaws, which are still lying in
Perhaps no band of criminals in the
United States ever did SUCH bloody work
in so brief a period as the Lee gang,
headed by jim and Bill and Pink Lee.
" thin two years from the first of last
May foriv-two human lives were taken by
his band of cattle and horse thieves.
Their principal rendezvous WAS Delaware
Bend, in this county, Just across from the
indian Territory. Tbcy stole thousands
Of cattle and drove them into the Indian
Territory.
Bill Lee was captured in May last,
With three other members of the gang,
md has been taken TO Fort Smith, Ark,
o stand trial for tho murder of the
wo Rolf brothers and Deputy United
states Marshal in the Chickasaw Ma
ion. At the time when Bill and the
stems were captured thew came
lear being lynched by the ciLizens of
sherman, Tex, where they were first
AIKEN. 1t is believed that the other
I embers of the notorious gang have
eft the country. Thus ends one of the
'lGodIest chapters in Texts frontier
lie.