The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-04-06
OnicerJ Jisq Courtright.

4 4
Jim Cour.right. who~avasin os.rnana of t,ss
posse attacked by strikers on Saturday, is ma
tive Of Shell Rock, Iowa. He is forty-two years
of age. He enlisted in the federal army late in
1861. and. although mere boy, was gallant
soldier.
After the war he served in Arizona against the
Indians, and soon became a noted scout. greatly
feared by the Indians. In 1873 he came to Fort
Worth. worked on a farm while. and was then
made deputy city marshal In 1874 he was
elected city marshal, and served until 1870.
During his term Of Office this was frontier city,
what was known as hard city. The cowboys
came here by scores also, desperate characters Of
all ldescriptonswho were driven from other States,
or who were fleeing from the law. Courtright
was, in these days, tower Of strength. He was
quick and fearless, determined to quell disorder,
and never hesitated to arrest the most desperate
man. He was cut at seven different times, was
shot twice. and once in 1876 very severely He
was the recipient at the hands of the citizens of
numerous testimonials given for his bravery.
In 1882 he accepted the position Of city marshal
of Lake Valley, New Mexico. He was then
employed by Philadelphia mining
company to guard their mines near Lake Val
ley from Mexican thieves who had stolen thou
sands of dollars of Soon after Courtright
took charge, the Mexcans made raid one night
on the mines Courfright awake and killed
four While they were in the act of carrying off
ore. General Logan at this time was travelling
through the country, and Courtright acted
his guide and scout When near Socorro with
Logan, he was asked to aid in arrestng two mep
who were represented as cattle thieves. McIn2
tyre and others were with him at this time.
While taking the men to Albuquerque the two
men were laken into the canyon by McAliister
and others and killed Mcintyre and Courtrisht
were at the time some distance in the rear, and
when they came up and found what had been
DONE they were exasperated at the brutal MUIR
der and said they felt like killing the murderers.
Courtright, with all the others, was indicted for
murder by the grand jury, and threats
OF lynching were made by Mexicans
who wanted him out of the way for the
Lake Valley affair. He came back to this city,
made secret of his being here at all, estab-
lished detective agency, and was made presi-
dent. In October, 1884 Harry Richmond, city
marshal of Albuquerque, and several Rangers as
aids, came here to arrest Courtrght on the in
dictment mentioned.
On pretense of getting him to aid in an arrest
at the depot they kidnapped him and guarded him
closely in room at a hotel untiEthe train should
come bound for the west Courtrights friends
learned of his captivity, and over five hundred
men armed and went to the depot to rescue him.
1t was 9o'cock at night, but LAWYERS were en-
ployed and District Judge Hood hurried to the
depot In a carriage Dy COuftrlEDLS lflenuS, OH q
leaf torn from the pages of a book the Judge
granted writ of habeas corpus, which the Ran
gers hastened to obey. The Judge commanded
it and the crowd enforced it. Courtright was
placed in our Jail. His captors became over
confident They took him TO a public restaurant
for his meals. His route to and from the jail
was lined with hundreds of his friends The
restaurant was crowded with his friends At
supper on Sunday night, the secoud day after
his capture, Courtrignt found, placing his
hands under the table, two revolvers, and
he dropped his hands to lay his nap
kin over his knees He rose suddenly,
pushed back his chair, and covered
the Rangers with his revolvers he ordered them
out of the room. They went. and the crowd
with them Courtright backed out of the room
into the street, found horse hitched to tele-
graph pole, mounted it and rode away He went
to Galveston, New York. Canada and Washing
ton Territory. Scores Of detectives hunted him,
but he was never found. He voluntarily re-
turned here few months ago. and notified the
New Mexican authorities to come for him. He
was taken TO Socorro. and the best citizens went
on his bond for $S, 000 He returned here and
remained two weeks when he returned with his
attorney to Socorro and asked for trial The
State was not ready. and he returned to Fort
Worth when the strike had fairly opened here.
General Cabell at once deputzed him sheriff.
He has earned the good will and hearty CONF
mendation Of all good citizens for his enosta "