Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-05-21


tho Wade Gang.
No scout in the Indian Territory is
better known than 'Comanche jack"
no deputy marshal is more feared by the
Territory desperate than John Still
we'll. The individual answering to
either of these names, the latter given
him in youth, the former achieved by a
life of daring and years of residence in
the land of the hostile Comanche, is a
striking figure. He has just turned
fifty, and time has sprinkled with gray
the black hair that curls over his large,
well-formed head. Exposure has
bronzed his fat, chubby face until it is
almost as dark as an Indians His
massive form of five feet eleven would
be as erect and as athletic as when he
was an adventurous young man were it
not for the wounds given by battling
savages and desperate men-ten in all
he carries upon his body; one, bullet
wound in his Leg necessitates limp
and the use of cane. His big blue
eyes, however, are as bright as ever and
sparkle with the same good-natured cum
ming as in the past.
Stillwell is ono of the best shots of
the Territory, and no man is quicker
than he in drawing a gun and pulling
the trigger. Two beautiful ivory
handled revolvers, present from army
officers at Fort Reno, are never out Of
his reach, asleep or awake. There is
not a desperate in the Territory but
knows this to be true and breads the
day when Jack gets on his trail. He
knows that the deputy will have him,
dead or alive unless the old man him
self is killed. Jack is thus as often
hunted as he is hunting and less cum
ming plainsman would have been sent
cover the divide" years ago. When
ever a desperate character is wanted
Jack is called upon to make the arrest
Early in the SOS Stillwell was sent
after Mexican Joe," a notorious thief
and desperate, who had stolen herds of
cattle and killed two deputy marshals in
the Chickasaw Nation. AS soon as the
desperate heard that Stillwell was look
ing for him he sent word that he would
kill the officer on sight week after
ward Jack stopped for night at desert
ed ranch on the Chisholm trail. He had
scarcely lariated his horse when he saw
coming toward the place man On horse
back, and the nearer he came the more
convinced was he that the rider was the
notorious "Mexican joe"
The stranger was mounted upon a
mustang, lariat hung from the POM
mel OF his saddle and double row of
cartridges glistened like the teeth of an
angry beast in the belt around his waist.
On each hip was large revolver, and a
Winchester rifle swung in the scabbard
OF his saddle. His small black eyes and
dark face looked even uglier as he
stopped in front of the cabin and delib-
era tely eyed the deputy. The latter re-
turned his scrutiny carelessly and felt
easy in the thought that he was not rec
ognized
The latter dismounted at Jacks invi-
tation, and, after tying up his horse,
walked toward the cabin, carrying with
him his saddle and arms
pretty we'll armed, stranger" said
Jack. Eyes. was the reply, ''and there
is one man 1 am laying for. When 1
find him l am going to use them all at
once"
"Tyho is that?" innocently inquired
the deputy
Jack Stillwell. Do you know him?"
'rKnow him? Well, should say So"
replied Jack, with an oath, ''and will
shake with you, stranger. Between us
both we can do him.
They spread their blankets side by
side on the floor of the cabin, and, at the
Mexican's request Jack gave descrip-
ton of the hated deputy which would
have ruined q saints reputation for
truth. Joe soon fell asleep, but was
avn, kened by Jack rolling clear over
him.
BEG pardon" said Jack, apollo
ce.icaily, 40 she desperate sat up eye
ii. him Glossy by the light of the moon,
wh.rn shone through the broken win
dow. e! am terrible fellow t9 roll In
my sleep"
They both iNy down again and we're
soon apparently asleep. Again Jack
rolled over the Mexican, and when the
latter awoke he found himself hand
cuffed.
"well, stranger, you are the deuce of
fellow to roll in your sleep" said the
desperate, still game what be your
name, anyhow"
'Jack Stillwell," was the cool reply.
The desperate, seeing that he had
been cleverly caught, and knowing that
resistance was useless, was hurried of
TO Fort Reno He was tried at Fort
Smith, Ark, at the following term Of
the United States District Court, co4s
victed and hanged.
How many arrests Stillwell has made
IN his lifetime he pretends not to know.
But seventeen mea he has sent to their
death by the hangman's moose. Thirty
one, it Is said, he has killed. Even in
that wild country, where men who have
killed 'their man" are not few, he il
pointed out to strangers with mingled
feeling of awe and respect He never
speaks OF himself except ~hsp he has
been drinking too freely. Then he will
tell, in way peculiarly his own, how
some one met his death through his as
sistance.
In the northern part OF the Territory
there operated about Eve years ago a
most notorious gang Of desperadoes,
headed by the Wade brothers and called
the Wade gang. Many thefts and Uur