Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1893-12-16
A NERVY CAPTURE.
How Billy Barsrord Arrested
Three Fingered Jack.
The Deputy Sheriff Went Alone Into the
Teton Bnsin and Brought Out tho
lIorscthicf and Two of
His Pals.

<'l say" said Col. George Barry at
the Lotos club one night, says the New
York Sun, II see they've got Three
Fingered Jack at last Killed him
down on the Strip. He went into n
little town down there with lot of
other bad men, and got filled full of
due, little holes.
"Well, sir, there was horsethief
for you. He lived simply to steal horses.
It wasn't a business with him, it was a
passion, and he was most exalted,
supreme high ruler, grand past master
OF the art There isn't town in the
northwest where his record is not
known, and not n ranchman in Wyom-
ing and Montana who won't be glad to
know that Three-Fingered Jack has
passed in his checks. It's curious, too,
I've heard men who knew him say that
-Jack was as soft as woman about
some things, and as hard as woman
about Others Barring horse stealing
6le was honest as the day, and there
wasn't a man wearing a siX-shootcr
who'd go further or risk more to help n
-pard' out of difficulty. I've heard it
said that some men don't know what it
is to be afraid. Harry Dacello used to
say Three-Fipgered Jack couldn't COM
Drehend fear when he saw it in others
i rather guess, though, that fear is q
question of stomach, much sS sea sick
ness is. Jack never would have been
sea sick. Ill bet that sinking sensa-
tion of cold never struck the pit of his
stomach. I've often thought that one
reason sailor men are as rule so brave
rs simply that their stomachs are well
behaved.
-'But what / started out to tell was
about the only time / ever heard of
Fingered jacks being arrested
He had God knows how many fights
with the officers, lost two fingers and
got his distinctive title in one of 'em, l
think. But somehow he always man.
aged to cone out first best Barring
perhaps Scott Hyde, there wasn't a
quicker man with gun in all Wyoming
or Montana, and when he shot he
usually shot straight
"Well, sir, / knew man at Cheyenne,
when l was stationed at Fort ID. A..
Russell, whose business was catching
thieves. 1t was passion with him,
,NaSO do oGSdllhB iOioco w " lIl AIOC-
Fingered Jack, only, if such thing
was possible, it was - sight bigger
passion. His name was Barsford, Billy
IBarsford, and he was deputy sheriff of
laramie county He was a fine, big
fellow, unusually quiet, and the quick
est man to move ever saw. If there
was anything Billy Barsford was afraid
of he never met up with it, as they
say out there.
lone day Billy Barsford made up his
cnind he'd get Three Fingered Jack.
There'd been big bunch of ponies run
off ufrom some ranches in the Sweet
water country, and the job was laid to
Fingered Jack. Jack had regu-
aarly org anizcd band, with headquar-
Gers over in what was then called the
Teton basin, but see they call it Jack
sons hole now. 1t is just below where
Robert Ray Hamilton's dead body was
found in the creek. Jacks band was
nadc up of some of the toughest men
sn Wyoming, good shots, fine riders and
hard citizens, as good at fight as at q
drink, and always ready for either The
Teton basin wasn't SO well-known in
Ghose days as it is now, 1t wasn't so al
mighty safe for strangers to be dropping
'around there promiscuously. In fact,
ut was so little known that it was COM
Rnonly described as being just over be-
.yond the big Teton
"Wcll. when Billy Barsford made up
his mind to get Three Fingered Jack
iIle didn't say word about it to any
AJody, but just took his horse and lit
out for Eagle rock. He had to go way
ruund the Tctons and the basin to get
there, but he wanted to make sure of
the lay of the country before he tackled
the gang. There were heavy rewards
out for Jack and Billy didn't regard
chem with disfavor. although he used to
tell me that the main thing that started
flim was the desire to have the glory of
catching Three-Fingered Jack all alone.
Queer ideas of glory some men have.
BILLY got over to Eagle rock all
Eight-they call 1t Idaho falls now, /
9lelieve, and after fooling around there
awhile and finding out what he could
about the Tetons. he went out to the
ashoshone reservation and got an old
Ashief there TO make him map of the
Teton country. The old fellow drew 1t
son d single II was an almighty
rough map as you can mighty well
Imagine, but IL showed the lay of the
coUatry fairly wolL and Billy got a