Clinch Valley news. [volume] (Jeffersonville, Va.) 18??-2019, 1889-08-02
1 reasoned that ho would quit tho cs,,l,jn


and that no would go into hiding n
some point from which he could com,
mand Wow. Therefore, when wi.hir
a mile OF tho spot, mado circuit t.
tho right and camo out mile or moro
to tho south of the little clearing.
found that ravine led down from tb,
mountain in tho direction of tho cabin.
and after an hours search up and down
discovered evidences that some one
had travcrscd it but recently. Weed.
were broken down, stones displaced, and
ut certain moist spot found plain
footprints. The outlaw had come down
from his lair by this gloomy trail, and
he would doubtless return by it.
met the colorcd man about 8 o'clock
in the morning. lie would have time
to do his trading and return by 4 or 5
in the afternoon. Gibbs might 20 off
on an expedition after receiving his sup
plies, but the chances were that he
would Mt once return to his lair. 1 fol-
lowed the ravnc back to point where
it narrowed TO width of six or eight
feet, and where tho path was in semi
darkness even at high noon, and there /
prepared my trap. Had l met him face
to face could have shot him, but /
could not lie in ambush and do it. ont
law though he was. 1t was too much
like murder. Inside of an hour 1 had
my rifle set as spring gun, TO be dis
charged rs the mans legs pressed n
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 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 slashcd and manned out of puro
malignity.
While | was arranging the gun, two
land lockers were approaching the cab
in. They were strangers to the neigh.
borhcod and unarmed Gibbs was lust
leaving the cabin to go into hiding, and
although the men neither displayed
weapons, nor called upon him to halt,
ho fired upon them with revolver,
wounding one in tho shoulder and the
other i'll the ide. He then started I'M
the ravinc and had not been ten min
utcs in hiding before heard the spring
gun discharged. 1 waited few min
utcs and then carefully approached the
spot, and it was to find Gibbs dead
across the string. lie had been instant
ly killed by tho bullet. When VIC came
to get the body out to have it identified
we found the facial expression to be as
savage as that of an enragcd tiger. lie
had been living the life of wild beast
until he rcscmblcd one.
My second adventure with an outlaw
lasted much longer. A half breed
Choctaw named John Flint, who was a
resident of louisville, Indian Territory,
and who had killed several men in the
year after the close of tho war, was run
out of the ncighborhood by vigilance
committee. and he to Ok up his lair in
the mountain spur to the south, and
sworc that lie would never be taken
alive nor make friends with human
being. He was represented rs n quick
shot, fighter to the death, and man
OF such vigilance that he could not be
surprised. lie was outlawcd and n
price set upon his head, but it was
hoped he might be taken alive and
hanged. Our agency was offered 81, 600
more to capture him alive than to fur
nish proofs of his death, but it was Mt
the Same time admitted that over
dozen men had spent weeks in vain in
trying to either kill or capture him.
Three of the number had been killed
while pursuing the enterprise. The out
look for me was therefore very dubious,
but 1 determined to SEQ what could be
done.
AS is tho case with every outlaw,
Flint had his friends and admirers in
the country about him. reached
Doaksvillc to learn that no was around
with Winchester and two rcvolvcrs.
and that people for twenty miles around
were inundated by him. He levied
toll on the farmers with high hand
obliging one to furnish meat, another
flour, third cartridges, and such was
the terror his presence inspired that no
one dared betray him, though all ycarncd
TO hear OF his death or capture. He was
put on his guard against me on my ar
rival, and he sent me word that if l did
not at once leave the country he would
have my life. When finally got ready
to begin my hunt for him he was hunt