Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1892-08-14

that he had shot a man In a gambling
hall in Mexico for insulting his pretty
wife, and that the crowd had set upon
him and literally cut him to pieces, al
though he succeeded ia shooting three
dead before be was overpowered. An
other rumor was that he went to South
west Texas and resumed the vocation
of stealing horses, and that he and his
wife were ran down and shot by cow
boys.
But recent events show that neither
of these stories was true. After leaving
here he went to Hill county, in this
State, and settled down to farming,
Lying quietly and peaceably. One day
In the summer of 1870 he became In
volved in difficulty with neighoor
named A. d. Martin. The trouble ended
by West shooting Martin dead. Again
he and his wife. became wanderers. No
one knew where they went. For more
than twenty years they were completely
lost sight Of; not trace OF them could
be found. Recently, however, West
was located on the Canadian river, not
far from old Fort Gibson, where he had
been living all those years at peace with
everybody. He was carried back to
Hill county, where he was tried for the
murder Of Martin and acquitted, the ev-
idence fully justifying him in the kill
ing. West returned TO his Territory
home, where he lives with the woman
he married In his wilder days and Is
surrounded by a family Of interesting
children.
HOSPITALITY ABUSED.
After Vests departure from this
country those of his followers who re-
NAMED made an agreement with the
citizens not to modest them or their
property, on condition that they be al
lowed to remain here in peace. This
compact was soon broken, however, FOR
il was not long before thefts and high
way robberies became frequent. Again
the citizens organized for the purpose
of wiping out the depredators. II was
not many days until the bodies Of sew
era of the gang were found swinging to
limbs in the neighborhood Of Spring
Hill, in the northeastern portion OF the
county.
The viglantes heard of band Of
armed men prowling along the river and
went to look after them. The outlaws
were followed across the river into the
Indian Territory, and in dense thicket
near Golden Bluff they were rounded
up. A line of pickets was placed around
the thicket, but during the night the
outlaws slipped between tho lines and
escaped to the Texas side, carrying with
them the body Of wounded comrade
named Copeland.
AN OUTLAWS FATE.
A few nights later a party OF vigil
lantes went to Copeland's house and
found his young wife there, and by
feigning to know his whereabouts de-
ceived her. One Of the party pretended
to know his hiding place, and by acc.-
dent started In the direction OF where
Copeland was secreted. The woman fol-
lowed, and In her anxiety TO save her
husband rushed to the spot where he
lay hid in the forks Of large oak tree.
In spite of her entreates her husband
was placed on a horse and carried away
to his doom. 1t was as bright moon
light night as mortal man ever gazed
upon when that band OF grim reg
ulators crept through the shad-
ows Of the forests OF that
billy country, taking from the heart
broken wife the doomed husband. They
wound along the narrow pathway that
led down the side of the hill, with no
sound except the monotonous tramp OF
the feet of horses aud men, aud the
rustic Of autumn leaves that lay thickly
upon the ground.
Finally halt was called, the rope
was adjusted around the outlaws neck,
and the horse upon which he was sitting
was given sharp blow, and his lifeless
form was left dangling In the air. a
wild shrek rent the air as the wife OF
the dead man rushed into the midst OF
the regulators with blanched cheeks
aud disheveled hair. She was carried
to neighbours and left there. The next
day Copeland's body was taken down
and buried. His stormy career had
ended, and a little mound under tree
in the forest shows the final resting
place Of Klnch Vests band of bold ad-
venturers.