New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-05-20
DAILY TRIBUNE SUNDAY 90 1888 sIxTEEN PAGES

thsv flew like hares. Deaf to curses ana oruers 'o
halt deaf to the singing Of the bullets that aa no'
all 20 astray, the halfcrazed wrctches dasheu iVr
cover that great yellow field ripe for cutting whefc
thoy themselves tho next day wcrc to have iau ~"
the gorgeous waves of gold wheat
The proposed strategy of the negro-steaers was as
Ingenious simple. It's very dash s"i"~ y
genius In thirty minutes drive their wagons drawn
nv fast horses would land their black freight AZ ASH
mead station about five miles away, sharp OH uho
for the southbound train. To rush their 'io""s
through into Missouri by the st. Louis connection ana
thence moro lcisurcly into remoter slavo-marhci'
where no foolish questions were asked at the AUCTION
block was game worth the candle, for It was cooi
twenty thousand II these desperate gamblers In hunan
flesh won. Darngly fancIcd II was no lass darihsS
attempted. Certainly the half dozen despcrauoes eli
gagged were the picked out of ten thousand among
the hardy scoundrelism of the Southwest
The two human bloodhounds, who rushed across the
railway track in chase Of their flying quarry one grip
ping still smoking revolver, were indeed striking
| specimens of their class The younger and smaller
ono Buck' or Buckner Tanning $50 HIS name proved
10 bel was noted the whole length OF the MISSISSIPPI
Valley. The cadet of fine old Tennessee family nc
had shown surprising talent for crime and violence
since boyhood. At last came social attainder ana
| HIS people knew him no more. Yet the MARKS vi
birth and breeding worked in the gristle had not alto
gether sloughod of the bone OF medium height ne
grace that nc seemed fit for scuptor'o modci.
remember was struck with the feline OF his man.
ner and movement The large piercing gray eyes set
| in swarthy face had a look both cold and herce'
dashed with mockery. His henchman a great hulhing
| brute was a moro vulgar rufian, but thoroughly fit
| for DEVILS work.
"we're after those runaway niggers, and what's
more we arc bound TO have em" said Tanning, " I'm
deputy marshal from Missouri with full legal rights"
Marcha business
volver and bowie belted to their waists They don't
sneak into peaceful village like thieves IN the night
and break its Sunday quiet with bloodshed. They
don't shoot and stab you have been doing. Where
are your papers 2" Squire Kings quiet reionder
al haven't time to parlcy with lot of ID
abolltioniss' answered Buck Tanning with nsolent
bravado. az want yer to know that I hold the
| trumps this deal and, by God, I know how to play
'cm Stand aside If you care for your lves,' tap
| ping his pistol ominously.
Just then some instinct prompted me to look over
nv shoulder What was this Peter Tatrean
and one of his white gang, both scrack Shots Stooa
at the angle Of the porch hundred yards away
with sharps rifles Ievecd at rest, and a dead
bead drawn on the two villains. In spite OF the
rage that filed mo to the brm, couldn't help laugh
| ing aloud at tho grim humor of tho situafion-'he
swagger Of tho unconscious rascals, and their hVes
the while lying in the hollow Of our hands IL
needed but Sign a mere finger tossed in the air.
| And what are You snickenn' at, my young
! cockeril," calculated Buck Tanning herceV' lNo
cut the comb Of many such a chap with sharper
razor than that smooth face Of yourn's ever Kno"n
"Iook yonder and Sec" replied with Spartan
| brcvity The man-scalers recognized the stnatoh
at glance. Tanning pacd little under the brown
but the next instant smoothed the scowl out OF MS
| face. With an uneasy laugh he said
! "Wall! Squire / reckon honors arc easy this deal
after all. You've got tho drop on us dead sho',
and we've lost two Of the smartest best setup nggers
| that ever hoed cotton Keep em and be ID 10
you tn be a good BIT befo' they get shut Of the
marks Of Buck Fannng's handwritin' Come along,
Jake, let's pint for the wagons We've been awasth
precious time with all this tabber'
So with no further word the two rufians started
at a rum scornful Of the deadly tubes leveled in
their rear smartlng with repressed fire I had
brdled the strong impulse to signal the cxecutioners
who stood waiting like figures of bronze. But ono
word of challenge I shot after the retrcating man.
stealers "True easy, but look sharp for
the odd trick yet to be Ilayed.'
| ILL.,
II was now after o'clock We stood bcwildered
and no less shamed that our wits came not more
alert to the need Canadian Peter Joined US with
rifle in hand and scowl on his swart face "You
raise your ham kill zose dogs. But no! you let
zem 90. Sacre Dlcu what shame" no said. "You
do noting nowf DO ting, matter so foolish,
better dan nottingn It was indeed time to do some
thing Sharp work was needed to foil their plans.
There must be action action not council, as Potter
| Tatreau said. There but few in the immediate
village whose courage and sympathy we could trust
The daring Of the plot so ruthlessly acted so cool
in its study Of chances, threatened success on the very
lines so crafty planned paralysis Of opposition by
audacity To telegraph south to the junction with
the St. Louis branch and invoke legal machinery was
most uncertain Time. too, essential factor In
the problem To secure the negroes and yet prevent
unnecessary bloodshed must be at Ashmead on
the arrival Of the train with armed force over
wheming that defiance would be sheer folly. This
much was certain.
Peter, Squire, two of the farm hands and myself
mounted in hot hoste to summon recruits, most OF
whom lived their farms two or three miles away.
1t like the mission Of the fiery cross in old
Scottish story. Thirty minutes later thirty horses
smoking with lather painted at Squire Kings fence
and as many white hot with wrath and sense OF
outrage stood on his lawn a formidable little band
mscellaneously armed with rife and shotgun.
Mr. Dunn" said the Squire to stalwart home
spun Hooking man, who had been almost the last ar
rival and speaking in an embarrassed manner, ave
hardly expected YOU 1 suppose you know what this
gathering means Though 1t isn't matter of politics
yet Southerner-'
Say no more SQUIRE interrupted the big Ken
tucklan, crushing the others hand in his horny fist
az want you to know whar to find John Dunn every
| time No, sir; I'm a Breckenridge man. and Dem
ocra from skin to bone sir and let nobody forget It,
Tl&ork to whip you black Republicans at the polls
man to man long as l can wink an eyelid. III
stand fast for the law, too, and If that thar bloody
blackguard had been marshal for shore, you
wouldn't a foun' me hyar. / Jos hearn tell about
the row and KEN right over. No, sir,' he went on
with growing excitement yet stopping again in hard
battle to gup down something very big in his throat
-"Im Democrat and hall from ole Kalntuch, but
I'm man fust, sic, by God. / kinder reckon as how
these burned niggers must ha' got rights born
under then black hides an cuss ne anyway, hant
for a Niger stealer, matter which side he
steals chats for you, Pete Tatreau)" here the
laughter and cheers OF the throng drowned honest
Dunns voice, while Peter, gIinnlng from TO car,
came forward and grlppcd the others paw with, la
slon you and mo shoot re same side now, CHI -