The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1894-12-13
THE BANDITS OF OKLAHOMA.
Bad Men and Women With Terror-In-
spring Names.
From the Oklahoma Star.

From the Oklahoma Star.
If late reports from Washington are
true the war department has at length
come to the conclusion that affairs in the
Indian Territory are in a deplorable con-
dition and it is proposed to send in
troops, not to quell an Indian uprising or
to guard Geronimo, but to put down with
a strong hand the bandits which have
been infesting this country for the past
fifteen years.
passed the James gang, the Barr outfit,
the Daltons and now the Cooks have full
possession. Either the marshals and dep
uties are powerless, or stand in with the
robbers. The interior of the Arbuckle and
Washita ranges of mountains are made
almost inaccessible by the rocky nature
of the country and the many hiding
places It affords. In view of these facts a
little history of a few of the chief actors
in this rapidly fitting panorama of border
history might be of interest just at this
time. The outlaw class do not come en-
tirely from the ranks of the male mem
bers of the community, but are often re-
cruited from the female portion of the
population.
one great point in favor of these out
laws has been the friendship shown them
by the "squaw" man and the boomer ele-
pleted forces are REINFORCED as years go
by, until now they are stronger than ever
before in their history. There are scenes
of panic in full operation at the present
writing, chief among which are the STAIRS
and the Cooks. Bill Doolan and "Slaugh-
ter Kid yet live, and are either leaders
or prominent members of one or the other
of these outfits.
Many cowboys, whose occupation has
passed away with the opening and settle
ment of the country have taken their
horses, arms and knowledge of the conn
try into the service of the Cooks and
STAIRS.
In the latter part of the '70's Sam Bass
started in as a gentleman of the road
by single-handed stage robberies. His
name became a very terror to the travel
ing public, and the James boys were only
secondary consideration on the border
But Bass did not last long. and was An
ally shot, captured and executed His
career ended the lone highwayman" fad
IN the territory, and since his demise the
work has been carried on by bands of from
two to a dozen in each raid.
Close upon the heels of Sam Rass FOL
lowed the O'Copnen gang. Organized ana
raiding through the Chickasaw country
Ihey were not very particular as to their
sort of booty, and would stoop from the
hgh-toned crime of holding IN a STAGE
coach or robbing a wagon train down 10
stealing sheep and cattle pair of tbie
band were killed by officers and SETTLERS
and the leader, Dan O'Connell was can
tured, tried at Wachita, sentenced to a
long term in the penltentiary, where he is
now delving in the coal mines for the gov
ernment
A unique member of this band. who has
lately been sent to prison, was Bill Wade
Bill was a most unromantic outlaw ana
after his pals were laid by he took to
stealing hogs along the border of the ter
rltory and Kansas. Wade's personal an
pearanee was on the swine order and the
most ultra-romantic desperate living. a
female would find it a very hard task to
fall in love with him.
A really romantic and picturesque fig
ure was that Of George Stevens. He was
an educated southerner on the Chester
heldian order, who would apologize 70
you While cutting your throat or turning
your purse inside out. Not strange to saw
he had a beautiful wife, who preferred
TO follow this mans exciting and dis
graceful career to wedding some resnect
able man. Their end was a tragic one in
ueed. FOR year or more Capt. Stevens.
assisted ny TWO burly negroes named
July Monday and Burly July, terrorized
the territory. They stole horses cattle
robbed stages and trains and waylaid lone
travellers Suddenly, without any apnar-
ent cause, these depredations ceased. and
peace ana quiet reigned. This calm was
unaccountable to the officers and the ,,,h
lie until one day July Monday was found
murdered at Rucel and his Indian mis-
tress informed the officers that his death
lay at the door of Burly July, and also that
George Stevens and his pretty wife had
both been murdered by these fiends and
the podles cast into snake den in the
mountains.
RMS den was located and visited by
posse and sure enough the bones of the
dead couple were found as the sauaw had
said. The negroes had first killed their
captain then ravished his wife and after
wards consigned both to a grave among