The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1889-08-16
CUNNING FOR OUTLAWS.
It Is Much Pleasanter Than Bel
Hunted by Them.
Cory Tales of q Detectives Adventures
In Lonely Mountain Fastnesses-
Desperate Men-A Lucky
Accident.

For the first three years of my con-
nection with a Western detective
agency l was known to the employees
of the agency, when known at all, as
''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 price set upon
his head, and had taken refuge in the
Boston mountains, and from his lair
defied all authority of law. He was a
terror to large district and the plan
to get rid of him was discussed and ar
ranged like an ordinary business trans
action.
what sum in cash will your agency
take to hunt down and kill Bill Gibbsp"
was the query.
1--WE will do it for -- dollars"
Gall right; 90 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 was in Hunts
vile, but tramped over the country
between that town and the base of the
range for week before | secured any
definite information regarding Gibbs.
Every farmer knew him, and almost
every one paid him a 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
vlndlctive, and of natural blood
thirsty disposition. I found several
negroes who had an ear slashed off by
him, and half a dozen white men who
had been shot at or otherwise intimi-
dated. 1t was two weeks before l 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
| 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 / brought the
muzzle of my cooked rifle down to
within a foot of his breast and threat
ened to fire he walled out:
''YOu kin dun kill me, mars white
man, but Ize afraid of Mars Gibbs
jist de samer'
Gibbs was to wait at the negro cabin
until the owners return. l ordered
him to go forward and say nothing to
any living soul about meeting me, and
when he had disappeared 1 started for
the cabin. 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 body,
and he would take no chances. l rea-
soned that he would quit the cabin as
soon as he had obtained a bite to eat.
and that he would 60 into hiding at
some point from which he could OBJ
tain "a view. Therefore, when within
mile of the spot, / made circuit to
the right and came out a mile or more
to the south of the little clearing. !
found that a ravine led down from the
mountain in the direction of the cabin,
and after an hours search up and down
discovered evidences that some one
had traversed it but recently. The out
law had come down from his lair nv
"AAAo 8 AoOAy VI oiAs duQ u0 WOulQ DOUBT
less return by it.
met the negro about nine o'clock
in the morning. He would have time
to do his trading and return by four or
five in the afternoon. Gibbs might eo
OF on an expedition after receiving his
supplies. but the chances were that he
would at once return to his lair. ]
followed the ravine back to point
where it narrowed to q width of six or
eight feet, and where the 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. outlaw though he was. 1t was too
much like murder. Inside of an hour
had my rife set as q spring gun, to
be discharged as the mans legs pressed
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. II my
action seems cold blooded let the reader
condone had in my pocket list OF
i've men whom Gibbs had killed In
cold blood, and the names Of dozen