The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1889-07-24
HUNTING OUTLAWS.

was known to the employees of the
agency, when known at all. as ''the out
law man. Not that had ever been an
outlaw myself. ..but because was assign
ed to the duty of hunting down outlaws
and no one else Il Is = line OF work
still in existence with several agencies,
but II is one in which few men care to
engage. no matter what the salary. II IS
all right when you are hunting the out
I Law, bui vastly different when be turns
and hunts you. Had fully understood
what would have been required Of me,
would not have engaged in the work FOR
any salary the agency would have nam
ed, bat, once engaged, pride and eircum-
stances kept me bound to the work until
imperaiiyely obliged 10 relinquish it.
For two years previous to my start, a
man known as Bill Gibbs had been out
lawed in Arkansas He was robber and
murderer, had price set upon his head,
and had taken refuge in the Boston
Mountains, and from his lair defed ali
authority OF law. He was terror to a
large district and the plan to get rid Of
him was discussed and arranged Ike an
ordinary business transaction
What sum in cash viii your agency
take to hunt down and kill Bill Gibbs %
was the query.
..We will DO it for -- dollars
~AIl right; 20 ahead
When the preliminaries had been ar
ranged with the committee, l was called
in for orders.
you viii proceed TO Huntsville, Ar
kansas. and from thence locate Gibbs.
Do not attempt TO take him prisoner.
The whole State wants him killed. Take
your own time and make your own plan
but do not retarn until you have dispos-
ed of him.
Inside Of five days was al Huntsville,
bat tramped over the country between
that town and the base Of the range
for a week before secured any definite
information regarding Gibbs. Every far
mer knew him, and almost every one
paid him tribute but such was the fear
Of his vengeance that only an occasional
person dared admit having seen him.
The outlaw was entirely alone, and he
had been left unmolested 50 long that
the advantages would be on my side. He
was described to me as a man Of 30, very
powerful and vindictive and of 2 natur-
ally bloodthirsty disposition. When he
came down out Of the mountains he was
sure 10 DO some devilish thing, although
nnprovoked and among people ready 20
befriend him. | found several negroes
who had had an ear slashed or 10y him,
and half dozen white men who had
been shot at or otherwise intimidated. 1t
was over two weeks before / got any in
formation of direct value. then stun
bed upon negro sguatter TO the south
east Of Huntsville and near the foothills
who panned out at lively rate. en-
countered him on trail in the woods,
and had him covered with my rifle be-
fore he knew Of my purpose. By threat
ening and coaxing and brihing induced
him to yield up the information was af-
ter. He was then three miles from his
cabin and on his way 10 Huntsville TO
procure supplies for Gibbs lie had
bundle of coon and fox skins, which ne
was to exchange for coiIee, crackers, pow
der and lead. He had 5een. eompulso-
" agent for a-year, and sueh was his fear
of the outlaw that when I brought the
muzzle Of my cooked rifle down TO with
in a foot of his breast and threatened 70
IRE he walled out
~You Kin dun Kill me, mars white
man, but I'ze afraid Of Mars Gibbs jist
de same"
Gibbs was to wait at the negro's cabin
until the owners return ! ordered him
to 90 forward and say nothing TO any liy-
ing soul about meeting me, and when he
had disappeared started for the cabin.
/ had no Idea that the outlaw would re-
main in the hut or close to it, While he
probably trusted the negro as much as
he trusted any human being, his outlaw
life would render him suspicious Of ev-
erybOdy, and he would take no chances
| reasoned that be would quit the cabin
as soon as be had obtained bite 10 eat.
and that he would 90 into hiding at some
point from which he could command q
view. Therefore. when within a mile Of
the spot, made circuit 10 the right and
came ont a mile or more 20 the south Of
the little clearing. found that ravine
Id down from the mountain in the di-
rection Of the cabin, and after an hours
search up and down discovered eyiden-
ces that some one had traversed il but
recently. Weeds were broken down,
stones displaced, and at certain moist
spot found plain footprints. The out
law had come down from his lair by this
gloomy trail, and he would doubtless re-
turn by it.
met the negro abont o'clock in the
morning He would have time 70 do his
trading and return by or in the after
noon. Gibbs might go OF on an expedi-
ton after receiving his supplies, but the
chances were that ne would at once re-
turn to his lair I followed the ravine
hack to point where it narrowed TO
width of six or eight feet, ard where the
path was in semi darkness even at high
noon, and there I prepared my trap.
Had met him face 10 face could have
shot him, but could not lie in ambush
and do il, outlaw though he was. IL was
too much like murder Inside Of an hour
had my rifle set as spring gun, to be
discharged as the mans legs pressed a
small cord running across the path, and
then retired 10 4 thick clump Of pines
about forty rods away, and went into
camp TO await results. II my action
seems cold-blooded let the reader con-
denim. had in my pocket list Of five
men whom Gibbs had killed in cold
blood, and the names Of dozen whom
he had sIashed and MANNED out Of pure
maIignity.
While was arranging the gun, two
land-lookers were appIOachinglhe cabin.
They weTestrangers 10 the neighborhood
and unarmed- Gibbs was just leaving
the cabin to go into hiding. and although
the men neither displayed weapons nor