The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-11-30


tie cabin to go into hiding, and although
I the men neither displayed weapons nor
called upon him 20 halt, he fred upon
! them with revolver. wounding one in
/ the shoulder and the other in the side
/ He then started up the ravire, and had
not been ten minutes in hiding before I
heard the spring gun discharged. l wait
! ed few minutes and then carefully ap-
/ preached the spot, and it was to find
/ Gibbs dead across the string. He had
been instantly killed by the bullet. When
We camo to get the body out to have it
| identified we found the facial expression
to be as savage as that Of an enraged
tiger. He had been living the life Cf a
wild beast until he resembled one. His
/ nails We're like talons, his flesh covered
with hair, and he had the odor OF a Gagged
| panther.
Ny second adventure with an outlaw
! lasted much longer. A half breed Choc-
taw named John Flint, who was resi-
! dent Of Doaksville, Indian Territory, and
who had killed several men IN the year
after the close Of the war, was run out of
the neighborhood by a vigilance commit
tee and he took up his lair IN the noun
tain spur to the south, and swore that he
would never be taken alive nor make
| friends with human being. He was
represented as a quick shot, fighter to
| the death, and a man Of such vigilance
! that he could not be surprised. He was
outlawed and a price set upon his head,
but 1t was hoped he might be taken alive
! and hanged. Our agency was offered
81 900 more to capture him alive than to
furnish proofs Of bis death, but it was at
| the same time admitted that over a dozen
men had spent weeks IN vain in trying to
! either kill or capture hIm. Three Of the
number had been killed while pursuing
| tho enterprise. The outlook for me was
therefore very dubious, but l determined
| to see what could be done.
As is the case with every outlaw, Flint
! had his friends and admirers in the coun-
| try about him. I reached Duaksville to
| learn that he was around with a Win
| chester and two TeyOloeTs, and that peo-
! plo for twenty miles around were intimi-
dated by him. He levied toll on the far
mers with high hand, obliging ono to
furnish meat, another flour, third car
/ triG ges, and such was the terror his pres
/ ence inspired that no one dared betray HIM
| though all yearned to hear Of his death
or capture. He was put on his guard
against me on my arrival, and he sent ne
/ word that If did not at once leave the
country he would have my life. When |
| finally got ready to begin my hunt for
/ him, he was hunting me as well. When
! [ had secured such particulars as [ de-
sired, bundled up what necessity de-
manded and cut loose from civilization.
| That is, I headed for the mountain, de-
! termined to pursue the man day and
! night until [ Lad run him down. 1t was
no use to plan to catch him about any of
! the farm houses, as lie knew that | was af-
/ ter him, and he would, as a measure Of
! prudence. forsake his cid haunts for the
! time being. It seemed to me the best
way to hunt for his lair and have it out
with him on his own ground.
/ For the first threedays I got neither
! track nor trace Of Flint. It was ike
hunting for needle in a haystack, as the
mountain was thickly covered with YER
dure, and split up with many ravines and
Rulches. Nobody had ever found his hid
| ing place, but from some remarks dropped
once when he had liquor in him it was
supposed to be cave in the rocks, and
to be approached only with the greatest
difficulty. If met him abroad it would
be entirely by accident, so / carefully
avoided crossing any bare places where
he might espy me from his lookout.
About mid forenoon on the fourth day
came acrass a snare set for rabbits by
some human hands. An investigation
proved that it had been IN use for some
time, and had held several victims, al
though empty at this time. This must
be the work of the outlaw, since his pres
ence on the mountain had driven all
hunters away. Two hours later and q
mile away L discovered a snare from which
partridge had lately been taken. / felt
that [ was in the neighborhood of The
outlaws den, but | had TO move slowly
| and exercise the greatest vigilance.
built my fires in ravines and with the
least possible smoke, and when eves night
came down | crept under the pines anC
rolled myself nnder blanket. On The
fifth and sixth days [ did not cover over
/ two miles of ground, and most Of that dis
tance was covered on hands and knees.
On the evening of the sixth day | hac
TO descend the mountain to renew m!
my chagrIn to learn from negro tha
Flint had visited the place for the same
purpose only the night before. He gave
me The direction taken by the outlaw
but when [ reached the base of the noun
tair [ could go no further in the dark
| ness ,ard had to camp down. I was astI
at day h.!ht, and at once made my way t.
the ere st of the big hill, believing tha
Flint, hav ing supplied himself with pro
vision 5. wo uld be quiet for three or fou
days. Whe ther he did or not, [ hunte'
for him anot her week without findID,
further trace than a third snare he hat
set for game. On the thirteenth day n.
hunt came to al end in & singular man
ner. was following up dry ravine
so fl III of bushes and loose rocks that
had to creep most OF the time, and [ wa
rest, .ng uuder some very thick bushe
whe | heard a movement on the ban
abo ye. 1t might have been caused by
deeI or bear, but [ felt pretty certain ths