Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-27


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 a re-
volver, wounding one in the shoulder
and the other in the side.
He then started up the ravine,
and I had not been ten minutes
in hiding before I heard the
spring gun discharged. 1 waited
few minutes and then carefully ap-
preached the spot, and it was to find
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 re-
sembled one. His nails were like
talons. his flesh covered with hair,
and he had the odor of Gagged
panther.
My second adventure with an outlaw
lasted much longer. A half-breed
Choctaw named John Flint who was
resident of Doaksville. ]. T., and
who had killed several men in the
year after the close of the war, was
run out of the neighborhood by vigil
lance committee, and he took up his
lair in the mountain spur to the south,
and swore that he would never be
taken alive nor make friends with
human being. He was outlawed and a
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 furnish proofs of his death.
but it was at the same time admitted
that over dozen meE had spent weeks
in vain in trying to either kill OR capt
ure him. Three of the number had
been killed while pursuing the enter
prise.
AS is the case with every outlaw,
Flint had his friends and admirers in
the country about him. I reached
Doaksville to learn that he was around
with a Winchester and two revolvers,
and that the people for twenty miles
around were inundated by him. He
levied toll on the farmers with a high
hand, obliging one to furnish meat.
another flour, third cartridges, and
such was the terror his presence in
spired 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 l finally got ready to begin my
hunt for him, he was hunting me as
we'll. When l had secured such par
ticulars as 1 desired, / bundled up
what necessity demanded and cut
loose from civilization. That is,
headed for the mountains, determined
to pursue the man day and night until
had run him down. 1t 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 measure
of prudence, forsahe his old haunts for
the time being. 1t 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. 1t was like
hunting for a needle in a haystack. as
the mountain was thickly covered with
verdure. and split up with many ra-
vines and gulches. Nobody ever
found his hiding place, but from some
remarks dropped once when he had
liquor in him it was supposed to be g
cave in the rocks. and to be ap-
preached only with the greatest diff
| Ii Oh II
be entirely by accident. so 1 carefully
avoided crossing any bare places
where he might espy me from his look
out. About mid-forenoOn on the
fourth day l came across snare set fol
rabbits by some human hands. An in
vestigation proved that it had been II
use for some time, and had held several
victims although empty at this time
This must be the work of the outlaw
since his presence on the mountain hae
driven all hunters away. Two hours
later and a mile away l discovered {
snare from which partridge had late
ly been taken. felt then that I wa:
in the neighborhood of the outlaw:
den. but had to move slowly and ex
ercise the greatest vigilance. l built
nv fires in ravines and with the leas
possible smoke. and whenever nigh
came down 1 crept under the pines ant
rolled myself in a blanket. On the
fifth and sixth days l did not cover
over two miles of ground, and most o
that distance was covered on hand:
and knees.
On the evening of the sixth day
had to descend the mountain to renew
my provisions at farmhouse. AM
what was my chargin to learn from ;
negro that Flint had visited the place
for the same purpose only the nigh
before He gave me the direction tax
en- by outlaw. l hunted for hin
another week without finding furtnc
; trace than a third snare he had set TO
1 game. On the thirteenth day my hun
came to an end in singular manner
: 1 was following up dry ravine. so full
of bushes and loose rocks that L ha'
to creep most of the time, and I wa
resting under some very thick bushe
< when heard a movement ON the BAN
, of the rayine directly over nv head