The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1891-08-31
TOUGH OLD TOM STARR.
TIE CHEROKEE WHO TERRORIZED
BIS NATION

BIS NATION.
He Organized a Band of Desperadoes.
Who Plundered and Murdered at
Their Own Vile Will-Eventually Be
coming Tired of BrigandaRe He Con-
Guided Treaty OF Peace.
From The indianapolis Journal.
The Cherokee Indians are celebrating the
death Of one of the most noted of Indian
desperadoes that ever lived, says a Table
1uah correspondent. His history was the
most remarkable in the known world. He
died one year ago, at the age Of 80 years, at
peace with his people, but most Of his life
had been passed In warfare against man
kind. To-day the Cherokee people are cele-
brating the anniversary Of his death as
holiday. This Indian was old Tom Starr,
who, for a quarter of a century was
a terror to tae whole Cherokee nation.
He was full-blooded Cherokee,
but his origin was somewhat OBJ
scure.' All that is known is that he came
to this country elgGty-four years ago, when
he was II years old. with his father his
! father was desperate man and soon after
his arrival became Involved in some trouble
ard killed man or two. A sheriff's posse
| was sent to arrest the old man, but he re-
sisted and was killed. Young Tom was
| with his father at the time and held him IN
his arms as life went ont. There, while
stained with his fathers blood, he took an
oath of vengeance and swore TO kill every
man connected with the murder before the
| hair grew on his face.
In less than two years, and before he was
IS years old he carried out his VOW aud the
entire posse, about fifteen in number, had
fallen victims TO hisdeadly aim. This was
the beginning Of Tom STAIRS eventful ca
reer. He was now an outlaw, and youth
ful one at that. He joined a band of the
most desperate men in toe west, and soon
became their leader in their deeds of
| daring crime. in 1914 and 1915 re-
wards sggregating $4,000 were offered for
mis- head, but his capture seemed an
impossIbiity, and he defed Cherokee and
| United States authorities alike. Starr did
| a thriving business stealing negroes He
| would steal them il Texas and sell them in
| Missouri, aud then steal another lot in Mis-
souri, and run them back to Texas be
| formed a buSine Is relation with New Or
leans slave-trader, and would meet him at
the confluence Of the Arkansas and Missis-
sippi rivers and exchange his human mer
| cnandise for arms aud ammunition.
As STAIRS reput tiOn grew so did his band
of followers. Ii 1851 be had about forty
men in his band, Of all colors and races. 1t
meant instant death for one of his men to
hetray him or to show the white feather in
the least. On one occasion a Mexican to-
trayed him by leading a sheriff and his
posse to the rendezvous on the Canadian
river. Part of the gang was captured and
| killed, but old Tom made his escape by
| swimming the river in the dead of
winter Starr subsequently, followed the
Mexican to San Antonio, Tex, aud killed
him on the streets Of that city. With one ex-
| 81
! physically in the whole Cherokee nation.
His brother-in-lsw. Bill West, was conceded
to be the strongest man in the country. One
| blow of this fist was almost as deadly as a
| Wine tester bullet He killed several men
| by striking them, and the legislature of the
nation recognized its terrible force and
passed a Law declaring Vests fist deadly
weapon and making it g felony for him to
| strike any one with it.
| West and Starr were boon companions,
and were partners in many bloody enter
terprises, but it so happened that these men
| did not agree later on as they did at first,
aud as there we're big rewards offered for
both men Tom decided to put West out Of
the way and at the same time get the reward
for his death. He picked a quarrel with
West, and Bill struck at Tom with his fist,
but the WHY savage eluded the blow aud at
the same time landed a knife be-
tween the ribs Of his assailant. AS West
fell to the ground Starr severed his head
| from his shoulders with one blow of his
knife and put it into gunnysack. He car
ried his CORY burden to Tahlequah and
| entered the room Of the chiefs Of the nation,
threw it on a table, and demanded the re-
ward. The men were old and feeble, and
both recognized the head and its carrier and
were afraid to refuse the money, SO they
| paid it over to save their own lives.
Old Tom at last became tired of his life OF
outlawry and sued for pease with his tribe.
| he had become such a terror to the Chero-
KEGS that they were glad to make peace
with him, and accordingly negotiations to
this end were begun. Starr sent an envoy
from his rendezvous on the Canadian river
to Tahlequah to represent him before the
Cherokee council, which was then in ses-
sion. The matter was taken up by that
| body and seriously considered. Arrange
ments were made whereby Starr
was to be forgiven for all his
crimes and murders on the con
dition that he ever afterwar live in peace
with his people and abide by their laws.
The proposition was passed by the legis-
lature and signed by the chief. 1t was then
sent to old Tom aud he signed it. Peace
was then proclaimed by the council. These
facts were substa tiated by the records OF
the nation, and this is probably the only in
stance in history where treaty OF peace
| and anlty was entered into between an In
dividual and sovereign nation. This treaty
was never broken by old Tom. For twenty
five years he kept the treaty inviolate anC
made a good citizen.
Although the last twenty-five years o.
his life were passed in quiet his neighbors
always stood in great fear OF him, anC
when he died the whole tribe felt relieved
Starr said at one time that there was only
one death for which he had to account tina
| l.. ta1 hot kakx L.
than six months old. He said that he and
his band went to the house of an enemy
and, after numbering the whole family witt
the exception of the infant. the latter begaI
crying, which annoyed Starr. He took i
from its cradle by the heels and dashed it
brains out on tue door-poSt. 1T seemed
like could hear the - thing crying for
day or two atterward," remarked the des
parade with grin.