Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1894-01-11
A NERVY CAPTURE.
How Billy Barsford Arrested
Three Fingered Jack.
The Deputy Sheriff Went Alone Into the
Teton Basin and Brought Out tho
Horsethief and Two of
His Pals.

81 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
little town down there with u lot of
other bad men, and got filled full of
fine, little holes.
well, sir, there was horsethief
for you. He lived simply to steal horses.
1t wasn't business with him, it was
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 a 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
he was honest as the day, and there
wasn't a man wearing u siX-shooter
who'd go further or risk more to help a
'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 Fingered Jack couldn't COM
prehend fear when he saw it in others.
rather guess, though, that fear is a
question of stomach, much as sea sick
ness is. Jack never would have been
sea sick III 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 q rule so brave
is simply that their stomachs are well
behaved.
But what started out to tell was
about the only time l ever heard of
Three 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, |
think But somehow he always man.
aged to come out first best Barring
perhaps Scott Hyde, there wasn't a
quicker man with "a gun in all Wyoming
or Montana, and when he shot he
usually shot straight.
"Well, sir, knew man at Cheyenne,
when was stationed al Fort d. A.
Russell, whose business was catching
thieves 1t was passion with him,
lust as stealing horses was with Three
Fingered Jack, only, if such thing
was possible, it was a - sight bigger
passion. His name was Barsford, Billy
Barsfold, and he was deputy sheriff OF
Laramie county. He was fine, big
fellow, unusually quiet and the quick
est man TO move l ever saw If there
was anything Billy Barsford was afraid
of he never met up with it, as they
say out there.
zone day Billy Barsford made up his
mind he'd get Three Fingered Jack
Thered been big bunch of ponies run
off ufrom some ranches in the Sweet,
water country. and the job was laid to
Three Fingered Jack Jack had regu-
larly org anized band, with headquar'
ters over in what was then called the
Teton basin, but see they call 1t Jack
sons hole now. 1t is just below where
Robert Ray Hamilton's dead body was
found in the creek. Jacks band was
made up of some of the toughest men
In Wyoming, good shots, fine riders and
hard citizens, as good at fight as at
drink, and always ready for either. The
Teton basin wasn't so well-known il
those days as it is now. 1t wasn't so al
mighty safe for strangers to be dropping
around there promiscu ously. In fact
it was so little known that it was com
monty described as being just over be-
yond the big Teton
"Well, when Billy Barsford made VI
his mind to get Three Fingered Jack
he didn't say word about it to any
body, but just took his horse and Iii
ont for Eagle rock. He had to go way
round the Tetons and the basin to get
there, but he wanted to make sure OF
the Law of the country before he tackled
the gang. There were heavy rewards
out for Jack and Billy didn't regard
them with disfavor, although he used tc
tell me that the main thing that started
him was the desire to have the glory OF
catching Three-F Fingered Jack ali alone
Queer ideas of glory some men have.
BILLY got over to Eagle rock al
ripht--they call it Idaho falls now,
believe, and after fooling around there
awhile and finding out what he coult
about the Tetons, he went out to the
Shoshone reservation and got an ole
chief there to make him map of thu
Teton country. The old fellow drew i
on q shingle 1t was an almighty
rough map, as you can mighty wei
imagine, but it showed the lay of th'
country fairly well, and Billy got