Waterbury evening Democrat., 1889-06-25

lie then SLArCoO up the favJno ana naO not been ten minutes in hiding before heard the spring gun discharged. l waited a few minutes and then carefully approached 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 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 wild beast until he resembled one. His nails were like talons, his flesh covered with hair, and he had the odor of a cagcd panther
 My second adventure with an outlaw lasted much longer. A half breed Choc- taw named John Flint, who was a resi- dent of Doaksville, Indian Territory, and who had killed several men in the year after the close of tho war, was run out of the neighborhood by a vigilance commit tain spur to the south, and swore that he would never be taken alive nor make friends with a human being. He was represented as quick shot. a fighter to the death, and man of such vigilance that he could not be surprised. He was outlawed and prlce set upon his head, but it was hoped he might be taken alive and hanged. Our agency was offered $1 900 more to capture him alive than to furnish proofs of his death, but 1t was at the same time admitted that over dozen men had spent weeks in vain trying to either kill or capture him. Three of the number had been killed while pursuing the enterprise. The outlook for me was therefore very dubious, but determined to see what could be done.
 As is the case with every outlaw, Flint had his friends and admirers in the cQun- try about him. I reached Doaksville to learn that he was around with Winches- ter and two revolvers, and that people for twenty miles around were intimidated by him. He levied toll on the farmers wite a high hand, obliging one to furnish neat another flour, a 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 1 finally got ready to begin my hunt for him, he was hunting me as we'll. When | I had secured such particulars as de- sired, I bundled up what necessity de- manded and cut loose from civilization. mined to pursue the man day and night until had run him down. It was no use to plan to catch him about any of the farmhouses, as he knew that I was after him, and he would, as a measure of pru- dence, forsake his old haunts for the time being. It seemed to mo the best way to hunt for his lair and have 1t out with him on his own ground.
 For the first three days I got neither track nor trace of Flint. It was like hunt ing for needle in a haystack, as the mountain was thickly covered with ver- dure, and split up with many ravines and nc. hiding place, but from some remarks dropped once when he had liquor in him, it was supposed to be a cave in the rocks and to be approached only with the it would be entirely by accident. so care. fully 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 for rabbits by some human hands. An investigation proved that it had been in use for some time and had held several victims, al though empty at this time. This must be the work of the outlaw, since his pres ence on the mountains had driven al hunters away. Two hours later and 2 mile away I discovered a snare from which partridge had lately been taken I felt then that was in the neighborhood of the outlaws den,- but I had to move slowly and exercise the greatest wig ilance. I built my fires in ravines and with the least possible smoke, and when pines and rolled myself in a blanket. Or the fifth and sixth days I did not cover over two miles of ground, and most o1 that distance was covered on hands an( knees.
 On the evening of the sixth day hat to descend the mountain to renew m, provisions at farm house, and what was my chagrin to learn from negro that Flint had visited the plac for thu gave me the direction taken by the out law, but when reached the base of the mountain I could go nc further in tht darkness and had to camp down. I was astir at daylight, and at once made Ill, way to the crest of the big hill, believing that Flint, having supplied himself witt provisions, would lie quiet for two O three days. Whether he did or not, hunted for him another week withou finding further trace than a third snar he had set for game.
 On the thirteenth day my hunt cam to an end in @ singular manner. I wa following up Q dry ravine, so full 0 bushes and loose rocks that had t. creep most of the time, and l was resting under some very thick bushes when
 heard movement on the bank above l bear, but I felt pretty certain that it wa man. He was on the bank of tn ravine directly oyer my head, and after
 minute or two I heard the saueal of rabbit. It was Flint, then. and he wa taking the game from snare. We coul not see each other, but he had the ad vantage of being above me.
 The bank was too steep to climb, and was just turning to creep back to spc where could ascend, when there was sort of crash above me, a suppresse shout of alarm, and next instant eartf rocks. and bushes were falling all abou me. I sprang up, and as I did so, tn spread-eagle form of a man struck tn bushes at my right and broke throug them with great crash. made a lea to get out of the way, but the body ha scarcely come to stop before I was a hand. It was the outlaw, as I saw at
 glance. The fall had stunned hin While he still clutched the rabbit in hi right hand his left arm was broken.
 lost no time in securing and disarmin him, and when he reused up, five minute later, he had no show. He took it out i cursing, however, and of all the blood