Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1889-01-30
Capturing q Horse Thief.

had assembled at the school for or
ders.
1t was representative body Of farm
ers, collected from Pleasant Valley
township. Cowley county, and would
not differ materially from similar
crowd of men collected anywhere in
southern Kansas. They belonged to
the Stock Protective Union, abbrevi-
ated to s. P. u, the object of which
was the capture and punishment Of
horse thieves. The organization diff
fered from the vigilance committees
in the fact that the operations of the
S. P. U. were conducted openly and
its members we're well known.
When theft was committed the
members were called together and
sent out in squads of from two to four
members in all directions. The plan
was for each squad to travel two days,
making all necessary inquiries along
the road. If they do not get on the
track of the thief they are to return,
but if they find that the thief went
that way they continue on until he is
captured or all hope is lost.
In this particular case pony had
been stolen, together with saddle,
the whole outfit not being worth over
$40. As about thirty men were to go
in pursuit, the chase was bound to
cost more than the stolen property
was worth.
1t took Captain Hawkins but few
moments to make the necessary orders.
Three men were sent north past Win
field and Eldorado; three more north
west past Mulvane and Wichita; two
were sent east towards Independence,
and in half an hour the whole crowd
were riding on gallop and not a
man was at the school house where so
many had been early in the day.
Jack Albright, Geo. Mcdonald, ia
miiarly called Mac, and myself were
sent in a southwestern direction past
Caldwell, cattle town near the In
dian Territory line.
Albright was middle.aged man
from Illinois, who carried heavy
shotgun on one shoulder.
Mac was popularity supposed to be
bad man. He had spent thirty
years ON the plains and was thought
to be as sandy as the Arkansas river.
l was the youngest member Of the
S. p. T., and had been out on several
such excursions, but had never help
ed to catch thief. / was quite anx-
ious to find one, and | had new
Smith & Wesson that was rather
proud of and in the use of which |
was quite an adept.
was riding horse having consid-
erable racing blood in-him, which was
called "Blue Jeans" on account of
his peculiar color.
We rode along at pretty fair pace
occasionally inquiring at farm houses
if anything had been seen of a man
riding a small yellow pony. As we
neared Caldwell several farmers made
an affirmative answer to the question
and we were convinced that we were
on the right trail.
We reached Caldwell about two
o'clock in the afternoon and rode into
a livery stable, intending to have our
horses fed while we got our dinners
and instituted a search for traces of
the thief.
There was no one but boy at the
stable and we were compelled to feed
the animals ourselves. Imagine our
surprise to find small yellow pony
in one Of the stalls exactly answering
the description of the stolen animal.
The boy said that the pony had been
in the stable but short time and
came in ridden by cowboy.
"You stay here and watch the
pony" said Jack to Mac, "and we
will 90 up town after warrant and
an officer"
Accordingly Mac was left at the
stable and Jack and | went up town
after the city marshal, little bundle
of nerves by the name of Billy Scott
My heart was humping like Seth
Thomas clock when we started back
to the stable. l had arranged my
Smith & Wesson in my pocket 50 it
could be jerked out instantly, and |
could fancy myself aiming at one of
the buttons of the thief vest.
We were within about two blocks
of the stable when Mac overlook us,
breathless and whittier than / felt.
"Where have you been I" he pant
ed. IL have been looking for you
everywhere"
"But where is the thicff'
"Gone. He has taken his horse
and skipped"
"Why didn't you stop him ?"
Gracious Stop him? Why, he
had two big guns"
Our victim was about to escape, aud
the ONLY way left was 10 make n race