The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-10-10
TANNING A TERROR.
John Wesley Hardin's Experiences in
the Texas Penitentiary.
Ffonl "a 81. Louis Republic.


From, the ST. Louis Republic
| GALVESTON, TEX, Oct 4.-rhe represen-
tative of the Republic at this point, having
had occasion to visit the state penitentiary
at Huntsville day or so since, there saw
the notorious John Wesley Hardin, in
former wears the terror OF Western
| Texas, and whose hands are said to
! have been imbued in the blood of
at lea a dozen men, although he was
| convicted Of but one murder, that of a
deputy sheriff in Brown county, and for
which no is serving out a sentence of TWEEN
| ty-fve years. Hardin was born in Fannin
| county, in this state, and is now 80 years of
| age He lived for many years in Trinity
county, being reared near the town of Sum
| ter HIS father, j. G. Hardin, was an ex-
emplary man, and young Hardin was reared
under strict discipline until IL or Is years of
age when he embarked upon the career
which fiually landed him within the walls
of the penitentiary.
THE DE WITT COUNTY FEUDS.
In lS69-f0 Harden turned up in Dewitt
county, in Western Texas which was then
stirred from center to circumference by a
blood feud, existing between what was
known as the Taylor and Sutton factions,
and which was carried on very much as the
present Hatfield Mccoy vendetta on the
borders of West Virginia and Kentucky.
Affairs became 50 bad and murders SO
numerous that Gov Davis dispatched
| force of state police to the scene
under command of Jack Helm, who held
a commission as attain. The result
was the murder of Helm as he was getting
his horse shod at a crossroads blac ksmith's,
and the killing of several of his men at
different times Harden declined to say
anything about the killing of Helm, but
stated that the yankees and state policen
had gotten after him without legal au-
thority, and that he had always avoided
conflict, when possible, with legally con-
stituted officers. Warrants, however,
were issued for him, but he managed to
elude arrest.
NUMBERING DEPUTY.
On June 20, 1874, Hardin James Taylor
and Others put in an appearance in the
town of Comanche with a herd of cattle
which they stated they intended driving
across the plains, and congregated in front
OF n saloon on the only street in the place
at the time. In a few moments Charles
Webb, deputy sheriff, came down the
street, and, passing the party, started to
enter the saloon. Hardin called him back,
and asking him if be was the sheriff
Of Brown county, inquired If he had
warrant of arrest for him (Hardin).
Webb replied that he was only deuu-
ty sheriff, and had no copies for Hardin,
and again started to go to friend who had
called, Charlie, come here" to which
Hardin replied: "Never mind; we will
attend to Charlie" Some other words
passed, when Webb exclaimed: 81 am not
afraid Of YOU" and made motion as if to
draw his revolver, when the Hardin party
fired on him, and he fell, discharging one
shot as his body touched the ground. Hardin
then deliberately walked up to the PROSTATE
and dying man and fired another shot into
his body, killing him instantly. The MUIR
derers then mounted their horses and de-
liberia ely rode away.
HUNTED DOWN.
A large reward was offered for the appre-
hension of Hardin, and he fed from the
state, going to Florida where he assume
the name of Walker, being at Jacksonville,
Pensacola and other parts in fanced secur-
ity for several years. In 1876 Detective
Jack Duncan of Dallas ascertained Hardin's
whereabouts, and, taking posse, arrested
him at little s1ation on the railroad be-
tween Pensacola and Mobile, secur-
ing him before he had an oppor-
| tunitv to use his "gun," which was his
inseparable companion. Hardin was
brought back to Texas and placed on trial
for murder at the October term Q8770 Of
the district court at Comanche. He was
guarded by twenty rangers and maintained
an appearance of Indifference while the
testimony was being given, but upon being
removed to jail after the verdict assessing
his punishment at twenty-five years in the
penitentiary had baen rendered, he broke
down and wept bitterly
HIS PRISON LIFE.
In response to an inquiry made of Mai.
Thomas j. Goree, superintendent of peni-
tentiaries, he said: Hardin was received
here in October, 1878, and has been in the
prison almost ten years. Soon after coming
here he was put to work in the shoe shop,
running a sewing machine and doing
stitching on fine boots, shoes, etc. This
work becoming injurious to his health,
he was changed to the tailor shop, where
he is now employed in making quilts, ETC.,
for prison use. Since the latter part of
1885, or for three years past, the
prison records show no charge of miscon-
duct against him. His conduct since that
time has been, and continues to be, as good
as could be desired. The records show two
serious charges of misconduct, one in
January, 1879, and in January, 1880, both
for conspiracy to escape. No effort was
made, but the plots we're discovered in
time, and the evidence showed him to have
been one of the principal conspira-
tors. During his ten years service the
| records show eleven charges Of misconduct,
but only two OF serious nature,
on which he loses about two and one-half
inOntns COMMUNICATION oI blIne LOT SOOd con-
duct out of say two years and three months
full time to which he would have been en-
titled if no charges of misconduct had been
made. There will be no further trouble
with him." From this it will appear that
the Texas terror has been effectually tanned,
the ''discipllning" to which he was sub
jected after the discovery of his conspira-
cies having thoroughly subdued him. He
has still nearly thirteen years to serve
Highland superstitions.