Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-07-25

4 i
my rife set as a spring gun, TO be dis
charged as the mans legs pressed small
cord running across the path, and then
retired to thick clump of pines about
forty rods away, and went into camp to
await results. If my action seems cold
blooded let the reader condemn. / had
in my pocket list of five men whom
Gibbs had killed in cold blood, and the
names of dozen whom he had slsshed
and manned out of pure malignity.
| While I was arrangin ing the gun, two
land-lookers were approaching the cabin.
They wer strangers to the neighborhood
an unarmed. Gibbs was just leaving
the cabin to go into hiding and although
the men neither displayed weapons nor
called upon him to halt. He fired upon
them with revolver, wou nding one in the
shoulder and the other in the side. He
ther started up the ravine, and l had not
been ten minutes in hiding before
heard the spring gun discharged. 1
waited a few minutes and then carefully
approached the spot, and it was to fnd
Gibbs dead across the string. He had
been instantly killed by the bullet. When
we came to get the body out to have it
! identified, We found the facial expression
| to be as savage as that of an enraged
| tiger. He had been living the life Of a
wild beast until he resembled one. His
nails we're like taIons his flesh covered
with hair. and he had the odor of Gagged
panther.
| Ny second adventure with an outlaw
lasted much longer. A haIf-breed Choc-
| taW named Flint, who was resident of
| D0aksville, Ind, T., and who had killed
several men in the year after the close of
the war, was run out of the neighborhood
by vigilance committee, and he took, up
his lair in the mountain spur to the south,
and sWore that he never would be taken
alive nor make friends with human be-
ing. He was represented as quick shot,
| fig liter to the death, and man of such
vigilance that he could not be surprised.
| He was outIaWed and a price set upon his
head, but it was hoped he might be taken
alive and hanged. Our agency was Of
cred $1,000 more to capture him alive
than to furnish proofs of mis- death, but
| it was at the same time admitted that
over dozen men bad spent weeks In
vain in trying to either kill or capture
| him. Three of the number had been
killed while pursuing the enterprise. The
outlook for me was therefore very dubi
Gus, bat I determined to see what could
be done.
As is the case with every outlaw, Flint
had ms friends and admirers in the ooun-
| try about him. I reached Doeksville to
learn that he was around with a Win
chester and two revolvers, and that
people for twenty miles around were in
Inundated by him. He levied toll on
farmers with high hand, obliging ore
to furnish meat, another -four, third
cartridges, and such was the terror of
his presence inspired that no one dared
betray him, though all yearned to hear
of his death or capture. He was put on
his guard against me on my arrival, and
he sent me word that If [ did not at once
leave the country he would have my life.
When [ finally got ready to begin my
| hunt for him, he was hunting me as well.
When / had secured snch particulars as |
desired, l bundled up what necessity de-
manded and cut loose from civilization.
That is, headed for the mountain, de-
| termined TO pursue the man day aud
night until had run him down. It was
no use TO plan to catch him about any of
! the farm houses, as he knew that / was
| after him, and he would as a measure of
! prudence, forsake his old hRunts for the
time being. It seemed to me the best
way to hunt for his lair and have it out
with him on his own ground.
For the first three days [ got neither
track nor trace of Flint. It was like hunt
| ing for a needle in a haystack, as the
mountain was thickly covered with YER
dure, and split up with many ravines and
gulches. Nobody had ever found his
hiding place, but from some remarks
dropped once when be had liquor in him
| tn he n
and to be approached only with the great
est difficulty. If | met him abroad it
would be entirely by accident, SO | care
carefully avoided crossing any bare places
where he might espy me from mis- look
out. About mId-forenoon on the fourth
day / came across snare set for rabbits
by some human hands. An investigation
proved that it had been in use for some
time and had held several victims
although empty at this time. This must
be the work of the outlaw, since his pres
ence on the mountain had driven all hunt
ers away. Two hours later and a mile
away [ discovered a spGre from which 6
!! partridge had lately been taken. | felt
then that / was in the neighborhoOd OF
| the outlaws den, but / had to move
slowly and exercise the greatest vigilance
/ built my fires in ravines and with tbs
least possible smoke, and whenever
night came down 1 crept under the pines
and rolled myself on a blanket. On the
fifth aud sixth days / did not cover over
two miles on ground, and most of the
distance was covered on hands and knees
Ga the evening of the sixth day I had
descend the mountain 60 renew my pro-
visions at farm house, and what was mE
chagrin to learn from negro that Flint
had visited the place for the same pur
pose only the night before. He gave me
the direction taken by the outlaw, but
when reached the base of the mountain
! | could go no further in the darkness, and
had to camp down. I was astir at day
| light, and at once made ny way to the
crest of the hill, believing that Flint, hav
ing supplied himself with provisions
would lie quiet for two or three days
Whether he did or did not, 1 hunted fol
him another week without finding further
trace than third snare he had set fol
game. On the thirteenth day my hum
: came to an end in q singular manner.
| was following up a dry ravine, so full o.
bushes and loose rocks that l had to Greer
most of the time, and I was resting unde
some very thick bushes when | heard {
movement on the bank above. 1t nigh
have been caused by dear or bear, but
felt pretty certain that it was man. H'
i was on the banks of the ravire directl!
over my head, and after minute or two
/ heard the squeal of rabbit. 1t wa
Flint, then, and he Was taking the gam,
] from a snare. We could not see eacf
: other, but ne had the advantage of being
) above me. The bank was too steep II
climb, and / was just turning TO creel