Western sentinel. [volume] (Winston [i.e. Winston-Salem], N.C.) 1856-1886, 1885-01-01
TRUE EVEN UNTO DEATH.
DESPERATE DEVOTION IOF AN
OUTLAWS WIFE,.

l.
OUTLAWS WIFE.
In Mans Dress she Accompanies her
of Crime, and Seeks to Save his Life
at the Cost of her Own.
From, the Denper Ne,os.
The following characteristic story of
frontier life was told the reporter of
the News by Mr.. Nelson Franklin,
who is in the city and who has for
some time during the past two years
lived in Silverton and other towns and
camps IN Southern Colorado:
"a daring robbery had been com
mitted. the officials ofa well-known
banking institution in a town in South
ern Colorado, upon reaching the build
ing one morning, discovered that a
side door had been broken open, the
fastening of an inner door forced and
the safe containing the banks valua-
bles drilled and blown aud relived of
its contents. A careful search of the
premises revealed the body of the
watchman in an adjoining vacant lot
pierced with knife wounds ana cover
ed with bruises, showing the evidence
of struggle, and that more than one
person was engaged in. the murder
and robbery. Soon. the whole COM
munity was aroused and the Sheriff,
with posse of armed and mounted
men, was ready to start on the trail
of the murderers. But who were
they and where could they be found
were questions easier to ask than to
answer.
"On the floor of the banking room
was found a large brimme1 sombrero,
decorated with peculiar spangles, and
which several citizens identified as
having been worn by one of three
strangers who came into town the af-
ternoon before and had been drinking
at several saloons during the evening.
A tolerably. fair description of these
men was obtained, also the informal
ton given by a ranchman who came
into town during the morning that
three men answering the description
armed and mounted ON powerful hor-
ses, had passed him while on his way
about daylight, going south at a rapid
rate, evidently on their way to Ne W
Mexico.
"Upon hearing the ranchman's
story the officers separated into three
squads and startel of well equipped
for an encounter. Every trail over
the mountain was examined and every
possible clue followed for several days
but to no purpose. The bank officials
Mayor of the town and Governor OF
the State offered reward for the cap
ture of the miscreants, which in the
aggregate amounted to several thou
sands of dollars. This induced large
number of detectives and brave men
to join in the pursuit, which was pros
ecuted for more than week without
result.
FINALLY one of these parties, com
posed of three of the best frontsmen
in the country, came suddenly upor
the fugitives in a rocky canon in tht
fastness of Needle Mountains shortly
after daybreak, just as they were
making preparations for rude break.
fast. Calling upon them to surrender
they were answered by a volley o.
shots, which were at once returned.
The battle bring one of life or death,
the firing lasted some minutes without
result, when one of the desperadoe.
fell mortally wounded. The others,
apparently man and boy, kept up
the firing until their ammunition was
exhausted, when they were compelled
pertorce to surrender. They were tax
ell back to the camp or main rendez
vous of the pursuing party, together
with the body of the dead man. There
it was proposed to lynch the survivor
when singular thing happened. The
boy, who appeared to be not over Il
years of age and Of fair complexion
and long hair, addressed tho assemb
lage: Gentlemen, I suppose we have
not very long to live, and before you
carry your purpose into execution al
low ME to say that this man was in
nocent of any completely in the muir
der, but the man who is dead and my
self kille1 him, and your vengenct
should fall upon ms, the only guilt,
one living.
"The clear, musical, pleading vpice
the long hair streaming i'll the wind
and the bright, sparkling eyes, whicl
glowed with animation and were sui
fused with tears during the appeal
produced. an impression upon thes
rough men for which they at the tim
could not account. At the conclusion
however, the other prisoner suddenl
started up and said: Gentlemen, don
believe the story told you. This is m
wife, who, from her devotion to un
worthy me, has accompanied me in al
my wanderings dressed in the garb @
a man. She has in many desperat,
encounters saved my life, and, al
though delicatelv reared, has share,
in all the hardships, dangers and pr
vations of my rough life and not onl
had no share in the transactions Q
that evening, but would have pre-
vented them could she have done sc
Don't believe her; she would save n,
life at the expense of her own
This streak of manliness in q nat
ura 50 apparently mean rather stag
gered the men in their intentions for
few moments, but presently some Z
the leaders, remembering their pul
pose, ordered that preparations shoul
at once be made for the hanging {
the man. Suddenly the woman spran
up like tigress about to be deprive
of her young. and, snatching pisto
from the belt of one of the men, defie
them to hang her husband then, i
another spirit, she fell on her knee