The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-31
HELP AT HAND.

hbLE Al HAND
Aunt Kate was at the door to inquire
what was going on, and as soon as | told
her, she clapped on her bonnet and shawl
I'd we started for my fathers house on
tn run. When half way there we met
whole wagon load of men who had been
down to Concord to a political meeting,
and all eagerly volunteered to go back
with us. By the time we got lights and
reached the barn Mad Dick had cooled
down somewhat, but stood before the
stable door like a watch dog and reared
| up and struck it every time the men
within made movement. They could
not get out on the main floor and dared
not open the door an inch in the face of
the horse, and they were thus neatly
trapped.
When the crowd went in on the barn
floor the fellows fred several shots from
| their pistols and drove us out. They
| probably hoped to pry off the planks and
make their way out, but they found moth
| ing to work with and were in midnight
| darkness besides. A messenger was sent
! after the sheriff, several rifles were OBJ
tanned from the nearest farmhouses, and
before daylight there were forty men
about the barn. just as day was break
| ikg climed the post to get look at the
horse. He had backed off about thirty
feet, but was still watching the door.
| The men in the stable decided to make
| d lsh for It, and of sudden the door was
sprung open and one rushed to the right
an the other to the left. With a scream
of fury the horse dashed at the one try
< to dodge him on the left, and plainly
slw all that happened. He caught the
an as dog picks up rabbit, and ne
no only shook him about, but bit him in
zee after place, and then rolled over
| hi and crushed him to pulp.
T he other man might have escaped had
he kept on the fence, but he lost his nerve
auu retreated to the stable for safety.
After Mad Dick had made sure of his vic,
tim, he stood sentinel at the door again,
and then the fellow in the stable called
out that he would surrender. The men
had to saw hole in the partition to get
him out, and though he had two pistols
he made no attempt to use them. He
proved to be the chap who had done all
the talking to Aunt Kate. He was a mid
dle-aged, good-loOking man and evidently
well educated, and was an entire stranger
to all. Like many another criminal he
was willing to talk when first captured.
He said the trio had come over 100 mile
to steal Aunt Hates horses. They could
have got the two without alarming any
one at the house, but they did not want to
pass the tollgate below us until after the
gatekeeper had gone to bed. Having
couple of horses on their hands, and hav-
|
about, they had entered the house and
conducted themselves as described
1t was desired to get the mangled re-
mains of the two men out of the paddock
for burial, but after q dozen different
plans had been tried without success it
was decided to shoot Mad Dick He was
crazy for another victim. and his fury
had been so fully aroused that it was
feared he would break through the fence.
He was kicking at the boards when a bull
let was fired into his heart. The man
who was captured gave his name as Will
lam White, but that was probably an
alias. He would give no other informa-
tion about himself and when asked about
his companions he claimed not to even
know their names. After he had been
sent to prison it was said in the papers
that he had been recognized as horse
thief who had made himself a terror to a
large district in Minnesota.
Aunt Kate got breakfast for the crowd
of men who had participated in the cap
ture, and when the prisoner was ready to
be taken off to jail she said to him.
you are evidently bad man, but
must say you were civil enough to me
when you visited the house,
'And why shouldn't have been?n he
queried, as he smiled and bowed. s'My
profession is that of horse remover, and
ladies and children are as safe in my com
pany as if at prayer meeting. Should [
happen this way again shall be delighted
to call and renew our pleasant acquain-
lance"