Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-27
CUNNING FOR OUTLAWS.
IT Ia Much Pleasanter Than Being
Hunted by Them.
S;orv Tales OF Detectives Adventures
In Lonely Mountain Fastnesses-
Desperate Men-A Lucky
Accident.

For the first three years of my con-.
nection with Western detective
agency was known to the employees
of the agency, when known at all, as
1.-THE outlaw man." because was as
signed to the duty of hunting down
outlaws and no one else.
For two years previous to my start,
a man known as Bill Gibbs had been
outlawed in Arkansas. He was a rob-
Der and murderer. had a price set upon
his head, and had taken refuge in the
Boston mountains, and from his lair
defied all authority of law. He was
terror to large district and the plan
to get rid of him was discussed and ar
ranged like an ordinary business trans
IctiOn.
What sum in cash will your agency
axe to hunt down and kill Bill Gibbs?"
vas the query.
I'VE will do it for - dollars"
"All right; go ahead"
When the preliminaries had been ar
ranged with the committee was called
in for orders.
You will proceed to Huntsville,
Ark, and from thence locate Gibbs.
Do not attempt to take the prisoner
The whole State wants him killed.
Take your time and build your own
plans, but do not return until you have
disposed of him"
Inside of five days l was in Hunts
vile. but tramped over the country
between that town and the base of the
range for a week before | secured any
definite information regarding Gibbs.
Every farmer knew him, and almost
every one paid him tribute. but such
was the fear Of his vengeance that only
an occasional person dared admit hav-
ing seen him. He was described to me
as man of forty, very powerful and
vlndlctlve, and OF a natural blood
thirsty disposition. / found several
negroes who had an ear slashed off by
him, and half dozen white men who
dated. 1t was two weeks before 1 got
any information of direct value. /
then stumbled upon a negro squatter
on a trail in the woods, and had
him covered with my rifle be-
fore he knew of my presence. By
threatening and coaXing and bribing
L induced him to yield up the in
formation was after. He was then
three miles from his cabin and on his
way to Huntsville to procure supplies
for Gibbs. He had bundle of coon
and fox skins, which he was to ex-
change for coffee, crackers, powder
and lead. He had been a compulsory
agent for year. and such was his fear
of the outlaw that when l brought the
muzzle of my cooked rifle down to
within foot of his breast and threat
ened to fire he walled out:
You kin dun kill me. mars white
man, but rze afraid of Mars Gibbs
jist de same!'
Gibbs was to wait at the negro cabin
until the owners return. 1 ordered
him to go forward and say nothing to
any living soul about meeting me, and
when he had disappeared started for
the cabin. l had no idea that the out
law would remain in the hut or close
to it. While he probably trusted the
negro as much as he trusted any hui.
man being. his outlaw life would
render him suspicious of every bod v,
and he would take no chances. rea
soned that he would quit the cabin az
soon as he had obtained a bite to eat
some point from which he could OBJ
tain a view. Therefore, when With,
a mile of the spot, l made circuit t,
the right and came out mile or NOR,
to the south of the little clearing. .
found that Il ravine led down from tn
mountain in the direction of the cabin
and after an hours search up and dow
L discovered evidences that some on
had traversed it but recently. The out
law had come down from his lair b,
this gloomy trail, and he would doubt
less return by it.
l met the negro about nine o,clocl
in the morning. He would have tim
to do his trading and return by four O
five in the afternoon. Gibbs might o.
off on an expedition after receiving hi
supplies. but the chances were that h
would at once return to his lair.
followed the ravine back to a poip
where it narrowed to q width of six O
eight feet. and where the path was i
semi-darkness even at high noon, an
there prepared my trap. Had me
him face to face could have shot him
put could not lie in ambush and d
IT, outlaw though he was. 1t was to
much like murder. Inside of an hou
l mad my rifle set as spring gun, t
De discharged as the mans legs presse
a small cord running across the patti
and then l retired to a thick clump {
pines about forty rods away, and wer
into camp to await results. If m
action seems cold blooded let the reade
condone. had in my pocket a list {
nve men whom Gibbs had killed j
cold blood, and the names of doze