Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-09-15
RUN, JOHN, RUN!
An Exciting Chase Enjoyed by Fort
Worth Officer.
file Became Entangled in Barb Wire Fence at
Critical Juncture-A Swift senegam-
bian-Limber Dick Distancsd.

There was an exciting comedy enacted in
corn field few miles from Fort Worth yester-
day about noon in which q black hued i'm
portation from the slopes of Ruwenzori played
leading part, a venturesome Fort Worth police
man being distanced in the race.
Yesterday morning a white man applied at
Sheriff Richardson's Office for officer to go out
to William Henderson's farm near Birdville to
capture negro whose only known name was
John, and who had been creating a considerable
disturbance on the place OF late. Three COM
plain IS were made against John for assault, IL
appearing that he was thoroughly bad, and had
conducted himself so obstreperously that lately
the farm hands have taken to run as soon as
they see him in the distance.
But Sheriff Richardson men were all so busy
with court matters that none could be spared to
make the trip. Officer Dick Kits was requested
to go out, and having secured permit from the
proper authorities, he secured Winchester
rife and vehicle, and with Constable Bob
Irwin, proceeded to the lair of the bad negro
Along the road they met various parties who
warned them that the man they were after was
dangerous and should be approached gingerly.
They needed the advice, and roceeded to sur
round John with the utmost care. He was
found in cornfsld shucking corn, his fifteen
year-old son being with him and his cabin, with
his wife standing in the doorway, being within
calling distance.
john was evidently expecting trouble, for
near at hand but hid behind some bushes was
his trusty Winchester.
The officers scented danger and approached
cautiously. They crept along the opposite side
of rail fence till near their man, and were con-
ferring as to how they could get nearer without
being seen. when the negro looked up and saw
them.
The jig was up.
The negro sprang in the direction of his gun.
The officers jumped up the fence to close in on
him.
But serious obstruction presented itself
There was Gaping of barbed wire on the
fence which the officers had not previously OBJ
served, and Dick kits, who carried the only
Winchester in the party, became badly entan-
gled in its meshes.
1t was an exciting moment.
Dick struggled to free himself. and the negro
hustled for his gun.
The officer won. With few scratches on his
face and hands he jerked loose from the fencing,
jumped down to the ground and let fire the
frightened John.
John forgot all about his weapon when the first
bullet whizzed past his ears. He just lit out.
He packed mud with marvellous rapidity. Dick
fired couple more shots with his
Winchester and Bob Irwin blazed away with his
siSshooter. and then both started in pursuit
Linn Der Dick creased the hinges OF his knees
for the OCCASION but ii was DO use. rain had
fallen recently and the ground was in poor
dition for a sprinting contest. The mud flew up
behind Dick in a shower. Beyond in the door
of the cottage stood Johns wife, who, pulling
her snuff stick from her mouth, encouraged her
husband with
Keeping alongside Kits was the boy, crying
like his heart would break, and pleading for his
father. PLEASE, good MIR. Ossifer, don't kill
pap! Oh, pieasel''
But pap was all right He had a pretty good
lead at the start, and he increased 1t at every
step until in q few minutes he out of sight
and his pursuers gave up the chase.
Then did the erstwhile pleading youth get in
his work. He cursed the officers like a isher-
woman until they had got in their rig and started
back to Fort Worth, and even then he ran along
for some distance to express his opinion of the
brass buttons.
John has not been heard from since.