Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-04

NY ONLY ARREST.

s few years ago | had a great desire 70
enter the United States service. didn t
care IN what capacity, just SO long as Igot
my living from Uncle sam. Mentioning
nv desire TO the United States marshal
for the northern district OF Florida, it was
gratifed. l was at once ushered into the
presence Of the United States judge. held
up my right hand, and, with a heroism
worthy of better cause. sw0re to sup
port the Constitution Of the United States,
though at the time was hardly able to
support my own constitution. Taking my
formidable commission and supply OF
Official stationery, went back to the vii
lage of Dead Pine to await orders.
Dead Pine is & small town so named be-
cause there is q large live oak in front Of
the principal saloon. Dead Pine is not al
imposing place At that time it had lit
tie depot, some stores, some nortgaged
farmers and three saloons. It also had a
malarial back country, with plenty of
bad men" living il it, q couple of half
starved churches, and some Christians
leaning money ct from 2 to any per cent.
monthly to their struggling neighbors. It
was also the center OF lumber and tur-
pentine district, where prominent citizens
steal state and government timber and
call it business.
In few days my troubles began. re-
ceived q portentous document from head
quarters at Jacksonville. It had four i'm
pressive and sinister looking Official
stamps on the envelope, and ordered me-
TO at once seize the body of Thomas Per
kins, supposed to be lurking somewhere
in the county, and bring said body before
the United States court, then in session at
Jacksonville. By careful reading of the
somewhat diffusive warrant, l discovered
that Thomas had been guilty of perjury in
violation of the statutes in such cases
made and provided
An hour later the following dispatch
was handed to me:
OFFICE CT THE UNITED STATES MARSHAL.
JACKSONVILLE. Fla
TO United States Deputy Marshal, Dead Pie, Fla.
Understand Perkins desperate character; get
help necessary; take him dead or alive.
MARSHAL
That dispatch made me very indignant.
Get help, indeed! Not l. was feet
inch in height, weighed 185 pounds. If
couldn't alone arrest one man was IN
worthy to wear the bright red ribbon on
the lapel of my vest labeled United
States marshal"
Besides, if l got help, there would not
be enough glory to go around wanted
it all for myself, and determined to bring
in the prisoner-elect by my own unaided
efforts, OF occupy one OF the nlisft collins
at the village undeytaker's.
The first thing was TO locate the gentle
man, who, suffering from some affection
Of the intellectual liver, had resorted to
perjury. l located him Six miles from
town. in a veritable wilderness, two miles
from any other house, lived, moved and
had his being, Mr. Thomas Perkins, in
whom this great government Of our was
so intensely interested.
The next thing was TO make the neses
sa=y preparations. l made them. In the
morning by the bright light, of beauti-
full winters day, q stout wagon, drawn by
two sturdy and reflective mules, was
drawn up in front of the village hotel,
which was very inappropriately named
The Delmanico. On the front seat was
my negro driver and pilot, Bill. On the
rear seat sat the writer Under blanket
az ny feet was Winchester rife and a
double barreled shot gun well loaded With
buckshot. although l was oppressed with
q narrowing doubt as to whether l hadn't
pat the buckshot in first. In the pocket
of nv overcoat was G Smith & Wesson
double action sixty-eight, and in the breast
pocket Of my inner coat . bowie knife that
had once belonged to Texas evangelist.
A curious crowd had gathered TO see ne
of. They knew my mission, though none
OF them knew who l was after. They
cheered me with novel suggestions and
vel meant advice. Il say, Cap" said
one. "ye'd better take bottle Of whisky
erlong wi you. There amt 10 barroom
waar you're goin.'
Ny driver looked approvingly at this
speaker.
he won't look very pretty comm back
here with furrer driv Ear through his
chist. VIII he9" said another.
d" 'Twouldn't do fer him 70 go cut bar
huntin' at night with that red nose shin
IL. would hit!s
That LIST remark hurt ny vanity. NJ
nose was rather red, bEt II come from an
undue partially for stewed tomatoes, not
FROM any other cause.
when you fire at hin, Cap, watch that
oF rules hind leg, fer he's goi2' ter
kick. said Ionc, lank feller On the out
slzires Of the crowd
Even tie negroes had something 20 say.
Approaching ne with Difference, one Of
them whispered 70 ne eonfdeatially:
Boss. ye'd best tie DIT fool niger
what's 6rivin' ter the seat, fer SONS he
hears = cap pop he's gwiae teT jump cut
~ run Ike de dsbil
BIZ gave the mules stimulating touch
Of the whip and away we vent For two
niles cut we had good reads Altar that,
tee rcp.-lleS- aad worst tk2. had eve-
see1- ocCups. tangled riots, hills, r-l
les, swamp. eo7duroy, e2d the co1-fs
know what else. zars
= ular pa12cea fo- the twin evils Of dvs-
pePsiA and love, according 70 The iclti1s
u theorists. Now We were IN the wilder
Kiss, solemn. awful silence. broken
caly by TIE trsupiag ot the mules. tie
-re2ALc.- CT she vyay31 2la he h;ccouEts
e Tie driver. who was abozt half drunk
WIEN we started i was 3 pine wilder
ness, with the ucEero-zsa al gone. 10
H. ~ -..-4 - EE----.- - &C.,