Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-03-09
A BORDER HERO.
"COmanche Jack" Indian Fighter, Dep
uty Marshal, Terror to Evil-DOers.
A Picturesque Character, Who Mixes with Ter
ritOry Arrests and Executions
A Rugged Philosophy.
For the Gazette.

No scout in the Indian Territory is
better known han "Comanche
Jack, - no deputy marshal is more
feared by the Territory desperate than
Jack Stillwell. The individual
ing to either of these names, the latter
gwen 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
we'll formed head Exposure has bronzed
his fat, chubby face until it is almost as
dark as an Indian s. His massive form,
Of FIVE feet eleven, would be as erect and
as athletic as when he was an adventur-
Gus young man were it not for the
wounds given by battling sayages and
desperate men; ten in all he carries upon
his body-one, a bullet wound in his leg,
necessitates a limp and the use of II cane.
His big blue eyes, however, are as bright
as ever and sparkle with the same good
natured cunning as in the past.
Stillwell is one of the best shots OF the
Territory, and no man Is quicker than he
in drawing a gun and pulling the trigger.
A beautiful pair of ivory-haudled revolt
vers, a present from army officers at Fort
Reno, is 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 that Jack gets on his
trail. He knows that the deputy will
have him, dead or alive, unless the old
man himself Is killed. Jack is thus as
often hunted as he Is hunting, n a less
cunning plainsman would have been sent
over the divide years ago. Whenever a
desperate character is wanted Jack is
called upon to make the arrest.
Early in the '80's 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 vas look
ing for him he sent word that he would
kill the officer IN sight. A week after
Yards Jack stopped for the night at a de-
serted ranch on the Chisholm trail. He had
scarcely IarIated his horse, when he saw
coming towards the place a man on
horseback, and the nearer he came the
more convinced was he that the rider
was the notorious ''Mexican Joe.p
The stranger was mounted upon q
mustang, a IarIat hung from the POM
mel Of his saddle, and a double row of
cartridges glistened like the teeth Of an
angry beast, in the belt around his
waist On each hip was a large revolt
yer, and a Winchester rife 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 de-
liberately eyed the deputy. The latter
returned the scrutiny carelessly, and
felt easy In the thought that he was not
recognized.
The rider dismounted at Jack 8 invita-
ton, and after tying up bis horse,
walked towards the cabin, carrying with
him his saddle and arms.
"PrettY well armed, stranger?'' said
Jack.
eyes, - was the reply, "and there is
one man / am laying for. When l find
him l am going to use them all at once.n
"Who is that?" i%nnocentlY inquired
the deputy.
"Jaok Stillwell; do you know him?''
"Know him; we'll l should say so, -
replied Jack with al 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
Mc4lcbu > EeQueSLy JACK gave d uescTlp-
ton of the hated deputy, which would
AVE ruined a saints reputation for
truth. Joe soon fell asleep, but was
awakened by Jack rolling clear over
him.
"Beg pardon " said Jack, apollo
g%etically, as the desperate sat up cycling
him closely by the light of the moon,
which shone through the broker window,
81 am q terrible fellow to roll in my
Sleep"
They both lay down again and were
soon apparently asleep. Again Jack
rolled over the Mexican, and when the
latter awoke be found himself hand
ouffed.
"'Well, stranger, you are a hell OF a
fellow TO roll IN your Sleep" said the
d~esperado, still game. "What be your
name anyhow"
Jack Stillwell,'' was the cool re-
ply.
The desperate, seeing that he had been
cleverlY caught, and knowing that re-
sistaSse was useless, was hurried of to
Fortccess?. He was tried at Fort Smith,
Ark lays following term OF the United