The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1893-11-30
HUNTING OUTLAWS.
BY A DETECTIVE OFFICER.

self, bat because [ was assigned to the
duty OF hunting down outlaws and 10
Que else. Il is line of work still in ex-
istence with several agencies, but1 is one
IL which few men care to engage. no mat
ter what the salary. It is all right when
I You are hunting the outlaw, but vastly
/ different when he turns and hunts you.
Had fniiy understood what would be
/ required of me. would not have engag-
/ ed IL the work for any salary the agency
could have named, but, once engaged,
pride and circumstances kept me bound
/ to the work until imperatively obliged to
/ reiinquish it.
/ For two years previous to my start, a
man known as Bill Gibbs had been out
! lawed in Arkansas. He was q robber and
murderer, had price set upon his head,
and had taken refuge N Boston Noun
tains. and from his lair defied all author
ity Of law. He was terror to a large dis
trict, and the plan to get rid of him was
discussed and arranged like an ordinary
! business transaction.
What sum in cash, will your agency
take to hunt down and kill Bill G1bbs?"
was the query.
'We will do it for - dollars
"All right, go ahead"
When the prelIminaries had been ar
ranged with the committee, I was called
in for orders.
you will proceed TO Huntsville, Ar
kansas, from thence locate Gibbs. Do
not attempt to take him prisoner. The
whole state wants him killed. Take your
time and make your own plans, but do
not return until you have disposed of
| him"
Inside of five days l was in Huntsville,
but | tramped over the country between
the town and the base OF the range for a
week before | secured any definite infor-
nation regarding Gibbs. Every farmer
knew him, and almost every one paid him
| tribute, but such was the fear Of his ven
! geance that only an occasional person
dared admit having seen him. The out
law was entirely alone, and he had been
| left unmolested SO long that the adyan-
tage would be on my side He was de-
scrbed to me as man OF forty, -fery pow
erful and vindictIve, and of Ii natural
! bloodthiTsty disposition. When he came
down out of the mountsins he was sure to
do some devihsh thing, although unpro-
| voked and among people ready to bofriend
HIM. / found several negroes who had
an ear slashed Off by HIM, and haIf doz-
en- white men who had been shot at or
otherwise lntimldated. 1t was over two
weeks before [ got any information Of
direct value. l then stumbled upon a
negro squatter to the southeast of Hunt 8
vile aud near the foothills, who panne,i
out at lively rate. [ encountered him on
a trail in the woods, and had hun covered
with my rifle before he knew of my pres
ence. By threatening and coaxlng and
| bribing | induced him to yield up the in
formation | was after. He was then three
miles from his cabin and on his way TO
Huntsville 10 procure supplies for Gibbs.
He had bundle of coon and fox skins,
which he was TO exchange for coffee.
crackers, powder and lead. He had been
a compulsory agent for year. aud such
I was his fear OF the outlaw that when !
/ brought the muzzle OF my cooked rifle
down to within foot Of his breast and
/ threatened to fire he walked OUT .
You kin dun kill me, mars white man.
bat Izs afraid of Mars Gibbs jist de
same!"
/ Gibbs was to wait at the negro cabin IN
! til the owners return. ] ordered him to
go forward and say nothing to any living
soul about meeting me. and when he had
/ disappeared I started for the cabin. l
had no idea that the outlaw would re-
main in the hut or close to it. While he
1 probably trusted the negro as much as he
/ trusted any human being. his OUTLAW life
would render him suspicious of every
! body, and be would take no chances. I
! reasoned that he would QUIT the cabin as
soon as he obtained bite to eat, and that
ne would &c into hiding at some point
from which he could command a view.
Therefore. when within a mile of the spot.
made circuit to the right and came
out mile or more to the south OF the
little clearing. [ found that ravine led
down the mountain in the direction of
the cabin, and after an hours search up
and down | discovered evidences that
some one had traversed it but recently
Weeds were broken down, stones dis
placed, and at certain moist spot found
plain footprints. The outlaw had come
down from his lair by this gloomy trail,
ana he would doubtless return by 1t.
met the negro about 9 o'clock in the
morning. He would have time to do hls
trading and return by four or five in The
afternoon. Gibbs might go off on an ex.
peditlon after receiving his supplies, bu,
the chances were that he would at 'once
return 10 his lair. | followed the rayine
back to point where it narrowed TO q
wldthof six or eight feet, aud where the
path was III semi-darkness even at high
noon, and there l prepared my trap. Had
i met him face to face / could have shot
hlm, but [ could not lie in ambush anC
do It. outlaw though he was. It was toe
much like murder. Iuside of an hour ]
had my lille set as spring gun. to be dis
charged as the mans legs pressed small
cord running across the path. and ther
/ retired TO thick clump OF pines about
forty rods away, and went into camp te
await results. If my action seems cold
blooded let the reader condemn 1 hac
in my pocket list of five men whom