Pullman herald. [volume] (Pullman, W.T. [Wash.]) 1888-1989, 1890-01-11
CONQUERED BY SNAKES.
A Gang of Outlaws H9mmed In
by an Army of Serpents.

',
the guerrilla and bushwhackcr were there.
had district assigned to me along the
st. Francis river, Arkansas, and the total
strength of my command was twenty-eight
men.
In my territory, says writer in the New
York Sun, as l soon ascertaincd, were some
of the worst despcradoe5 in the West. All
had belonged to guerrilla bands, and all had
refused to come in and surrender at the close
Of the war. The mcancst, if not the worst
man in my district was Captain Dade. He
was in command of dozen outlaws. sent
the desperate word to come in and surren-
der He sent me word to go to thunder l
notified him in writing that if he did not
come in by certain date l should declare
him an outlaw in the district, and proceed
to hunt him down and kill him. He replied
by word of mouth that if did not surren-
der to him oh or before the same date he
would proceed to eXterminate my COM
mand / gave him ten days, having not the
slightest hope that he would come in. On
the morning of the eleventh day | had
call from native, about twenty-five years
old, who announced himself as DAN" and
who said he had called on little business
matter. l supposed it to be about permit,
or to make complaint, but after bit he OBJ
served
Captain, them ten days ar up, an
reckon Bill Dade haiD't shown hisself."
mo, he hasn't come in"
'An' he won't, nuther.n
81 don't expect he will
''Wall, ar You gwiuc ter let him an his
gang keep up thar whoppiu' an shottin' an
killin':'
mo Bill Dade and MS gang are now out
lawed by proclamation. am going to hunt
them down and wipe them OUT
Fright off, Captain:''
''As soon as | can arrange for it."
''You kin arrange right now, Captain
That's what I'm ycre fur. How much
head if l wipe out the Dade gang"
"How many arc there?"
tJust five, an every one of 'em has COM
mitted murder an wuss a dozen times
over"
Il can't offer reward for their heads. I
have outlawed them, and the military au-
thorltics have the right to shoot them on
sight"
At that moment word was brought me
that Dades gang had come within two miles
of headquarters and murdered two of the
command who were stationed at a freed
mans rendezvous to preserve order Half
an hour later the man called Dan departed
on his man hunt, and he had my agreement
in writing that neither the law nor the mill
tary should trouble him for shooting down
any of the gang.
This daring man-hunter stepped into his
canoe and padded up the river about five
miles Then he entered a bayou to the
right, and carefully ma lie his way to a bit of
high ground about two miles from the
river. All the low lands were then I'M
mill nd no
knew of but Que spot where the outlaws
could rendezvous. This was larger island
about half mile away, and bearing a log
house and some farm improvements. At
this time the place could be approached only
by water, and Dadc was not blufling when
he dc1iad nc. 1t is doubtful if any offer of
reward could have induced a Federal sol
der TO follow Dan. The overflow had driven
the reptiles to take refuge in the bushes
and trees. and as his canoe moved in and out
the hiss of1hc c0tton-lnoaih and the warn
ing of the RATHER came to his ears almost
continuously. Half a dozen times in the
course of half an hour hilcous sclpcnts let
20 Of the branches and fell into the water
with loud splash and SWAN for the canoe,
perhaps hoping to be carried to the high
ground, and at such tunes the H-H. had tu
lay down his paddle and beat 'aem OF with
a nolc. There was danger with every rod
of the journey, and the scmi-darllness and
the utter stiffness would have taken the
courage from an average man.
Dan did not land upon the island, but
made the circuit of it in his canoe, and
Statistic himself that no sentinel was es-
taolishe here, as he suspected might be the
case. Ifonc had been posted there he had
been forced to abandon his position by the
thousands of reptiles which had been driven
in for shelter Amy craft seeking the other
island must pass here, and any craft max
ing for the river from the other island must
use this channel Satisfied that he had left
no danger behind him, and that his way Of
retreat was open if he were forced to fall
back, Dan cautiously proceeded on his
way 1t was not yet mid-afternOon. 1t
WAS Il hot summers day, and there was
absolute silence in the great swamp. The
outlaws, returned from their raid, would
expect pursuit, and, therefore, be watchful.
Dan was known to all of them, and the in
slant he was discovered he would be shot
down. He knew every foot Of the island,
and as he nearcd 1t he had his plans all
laid. Making wide sweep by forcing his
canoe where 1t seemed hardly possible for
serpent to 90, he landed on tic north side
Of the piece Of land, half Q mile from the
hut As soon as he had hidden the craft he
made his way toward the clearing, moving
with all the caution of an Indian on the war
path. lie said he saw more snakes that
day than he supposed the whole country
held. He touched them time and again, and
a score Of times he came within an ace of
being bitten.
When Dan reached the edge of the clear
ing at a point where he was close upon the
- lin he yvaS STi,DriSpd to find every thing