Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1890-02-19
STEPS FoRTY-THIRD.
How He Licked Desperate Prisoner Ou,
of Hia BoOta

now He Licked q Desperate Prisoner Out
of His Boots.
My father was sheriff of a certain
county in Kansas about twenty years
ago, and during a certain summer we
received on sentence of six months
very tough fellow named Joe Williams.
de had been sentenced for attempted
horse-stealing, and my father knew that
sharp watch must be kept over him or
he would take French leave.
Joe had put in about two weeks on his
term when my mother started off on a
visit was hurt en- route, and father had
TO go to her. His first deputy and as
slstant jailer was man of fifty, named
Stebbins, who was his cousin. ''Steb''
was peppery old chap and great brag
and liar. According to his statements
he had licked more men, killed more In
dlans, run down more horse-thieves and
helped lynch more desperadoes than any
other man living. Father cautioned him
over and over about watching Williams,
who was the only prisoner we had, and
"Steb" sturdily replied:
You go right along and rest easy,
Henry. If was fool 'nuff to let him git
away I'd expect to be shot and throwed
to the gophers"
Father had scarcely gone when Will
Jams began calling, and / went into the
corridor with the old man to see what
was wanted. was only ten years old,
but can vividly recall every thing.
The Jail was made of rough stone, and
one-half Of 1t was the sheriff's residence.
The Jail part was only one big room, (
with plain but stout iron-grated door
leading into the corridor. AS the
weather was warm, both corridor doors
were open. When we looked in on Joe
he said:
''See here, Steb, hear you are brao-
ging good deal about how how manv
men you have put on their backs"
There's no brag about it." replied
the old man. 81 never found a human
l couldn't lay down in five minutes"
That's all wind, and you know it."
retorted Joe. "You ought to be ashamed
of your jaw
'Who you talking to?"
10 you. you old wind bag! You talk
OF wrestling! Why, kin grease the floor
with your carcass,'
Don't get my dander up" warned
Steb in tremulous voice, sor I'll
trounce you!'
"Trounce mel Say, old blowhard, I
kin lather you with one hand tied be-
hind me! If l could only git at you I'd
make you holler in one roundl"
''Shet up!'
II won't, and you amt big 'nuff to
make mei'
"Yes, amin
you're liar!"
Take that back!'
'Neverg''
rake that back or I'll come in and
make pulp of your
You dasn't! I'll dare We to come in
ana pint finger at mer'
some more of the sort followed, and
eteb got the idea that he must enforce
MS authority or suffer loss of prestige.
he was the older but alsj the bigger
man, and he kept getting mad until he
nnally peeled off his coat, unlocked the
door and lodged in. He made for Will
lams, but the latter ducked under his
arm, upset me at the door, and was off
IKE shot, and before pursuit could ba
organized he was beyond reach. Old
steb stood in the back door and watched
him for fully FIVE minutes before saving.
word. Then ! heard him growl:
Wohsarn him for skipping out. but
I've got the consolation of knowing that
he's the forty-third man I've licked
outer MS boots in the last five yearsi"-
n. Y. Sun.