Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-09-06
Four Brothers, of Texas, Who Stood
0ut Against a Battalion of
Relentless Prosecutors.
HUNTED IN THE LAWS NAME.
Attacked While Unarmed and in Prison
They Routed a Howling, Blood
thirsty Mob of Enemies.
STORY OF THE BATTLE AT DRY CREEK
Two Of the Fcur Remain and the Q. s Supreme
Court Is Now 70 Give Them Justice.
rsrrc1.I TELEGRAM TO THE prsrArcH.

HI
WASHINGTON, Sept. 5-Ex-Attorney
General Garland will appear at the mex
term of the Supreme Court of the United
States as counsel for the defendants in
most remarkable criminal cause, which
comes before that body on q writ of error
1t is what is known in Northern Texas a.
the MARROW Mob Cases, +" in which kins
man of Mr.. Garland is involved with the
defense. The Court will be called upon to
determine a most interesting point Of
constitutional law relating to the rights Of
citizens.
The official records in the case, now on
file iu the Supreme Court, disclose an
astounding conspiracy which led -by gradual
steps a whole community into series OF
criminal transactions. This conspiracy was
hatched by peace officers and county off,
cials and included prominent citizens,
Indictments were found nv the wholesale
against the corspirators and such of the
participants in the mobs as could be identi-
led. A trial in the United States District
Court followed, at which three men, all
peace officers, were found guilty and SEN
fenced TO long terms in the penitentiary
The story of these cases in all its strange
and tragic details is now told for the first
time.
ACTORS IN THE TRAGEDIE3.
The four sons of Texas doctor were the
chief actors in the tragedies. They were
Boone, George, Alfred, Charles and Lew
elleyn, typical honest frontiersmen, dead
shots and expert cattle men. Late in Au-
gust, 1888, the first step was taken in the
series which led TO the sanguinary fray at
Dry Creek. Two deputy United States
Marshals, Ed. w. johnson and Sam Girls
well, went into the Indian Territory and ar
rested four of the NARROW brothers, the
father being dead, on a charge of stealing 80
horses from Basin Da-Ba, Caddc Indian.
This stealing was alleged TO have taken
place in 1885. George was temporarily ab-
sent on a trading expedition.
johnson and Criswell had not been es-
peclally fortunate in preventing the raids
of the rustlers or in arresting them after
ward. They determined therefore to arrest.
somebody on charge of horse stealing,
swear them into the penitentiary and make
themselves popular with the cattlemen.
They carried the four NARROW bows, Alfred,
Charles, Boone and Eph, to the Jail at Ora
ham. When George NARROW returned he,
too, was thrown into Jail johnson and
Criswel then industriously disseminated
the opinion that the Marlows were cut
throatS, horse thieves and rustlers gener-
ally. They succeeded, in fact, in making
the impression on the public mind that each
of the Marlows was 'bad man." Their
idea was TO get up mob and kill the
brothers.
THE MOB AT THE JAIL.
The Marlows were treated with every in:
dignity. Finally they escaped, went back
10 the benson place, were arrested again
and this time chained in pairs. The mob
came, Charley Marlow knocked one down
with his fist and he afterwards died, while
the other brothers, armed with pieces of
lead pipe, kept the whole mob at bay
Finally the mob gave up defeated. Then
the leaders got together again and fixed up
the details of thu next attempt This was
TO have the brothers removed to Dallas and
to lie in wait at Dry Creek and deliberately
murder them from ambush as they were be-
ing taken through. Just before reach
ing Dry Creek the vehicles, in charge
OF men who were in with the
conspirators, were stopped, and the
guards made a show of friendliness. But
the assertions of the guards did not
deceive Charley NARROW. As their hack
emerged from the creek bed and climbed UP
the ascent he saw the trees and bushes on
the south side of the lane, the moon, now
well up, shedding bright light over the
scene. Boys" he said, "well all be
killed in Is minutes The mob is hiding
somewhere in that brush.''
THE CowARDLY ATTACH.
Hardly were those words out of his
mouth when the leader of the mob rose
from the bush and shouted:
Halt. Hold up your handsl''
4 sheet Of flame leaped out from the |
bushes, the reports from score of rifles |
rang out upon the still air, crowd of |
armed men sprang through the open gate |
and ran yelling to the foremost hack. Mar |
tin, the driver, scrambled hastily down and |
10 the heads ofhis horses, crying as he went: |
all"
At the first alarm Charley and Alf |
Jumped over the side of the hack avay
from the mob, hobbled as fast as their
shackles and chains would permit to the
hack where the guards were, and each
Enatchcd Winchester from one of the
guards. George and Eph followed the
other two. As they struck the ground |
man with rife in his hand passed them.
George Msrlow sprang on his back, bore
him to the ground, and seized his rifle and
revolver. Passing the pistol to Eph he
cooked the gun and, as the man arose and
started 70 run, George shot him in the back.
The mob, passing TO the front and rear of
the two hacks, fired volley point blank
upon the Marlows, who were standing back
to back. The battle of Dry Creek had be-
gun. The Marlows fired volley into the
ranks Of the mob One man fell. but
crawled of. Another, shot through the
pistol hand, dropped his weapon and
umpeo up and down cursing.
FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIVES.
The mob, disconnected by finding the Mar
lows armed and fighting with unshaken
courage, retreated to the brush. In a few
minutes the mob made another rush. firing
Is they came. Alf Marlow fell stone dea9 |
with bullet in the brain. Eph Marlow
ilso fell. George was shot through the right
land. Charley was unhurt. One brother
n each chained pair had been shot down.
The other two were rendered only the more
desperate. Undismayed they fired shot after
hot into the ranks of their foes, George
esting his rife on his wounded right arm
md working the lever of the magazine with + ,
lis left hand Two of the mob fell in the
Dad and lay where they dropped. Others,
ran off shouting and cursing with !
'ain. Again the mob took to the brush.
George called to Charley, but there was !
10 answer He called to ALI, but he was /
lead. George stood there alone, sorely &
urt, his pistol hand shot through and use
ess, chained to his dead brother. In his
ury he dared the mob to return to the at
ack.
Game o-, AGAIN 1ro,, oo,rord1x, | q,