Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1894-05-03

MIN TO deatn. Ren1rO belonged 10 une
Clanton gang. After the murder Renfro
took to the mountains and ran into Brigh-
ton and posse who were hunting for stolen
stock. Brighton ordered him to throw up
his hands, but Renfro instead reached for
his six shooter, but before he got it out
Brighton shot him through the heart.
Clanton was killed by the detectives some
weeks before. Ike Clanton had been in
dcted for various felonies by the Apache
county grand jury and was dodging the Off
GERS in the mountains. Brighton still hunt
cd him and finally came up with him on a
ranch on Eagle creek.
At sight of the officers Clanton pulled his
winchester from it's scabbard and tried to
gallop off. They ordered him to halt, but
his answer was to bring his winchester to
his shoulder. Before he could fire Brighton
shot, and the rustler fell dead ON the trail.
For months Brighton was member OF
the gang of outlaws led by Frank and Jesse
James. He was in the employ of the rail
roads that had suffered from the depreda.
tions of the bandits, and eventually he led
them into a trap that resulted in the ex.
termination of the gang. This was after
the killing of Jesse James by Bob Ford.
/ w iei ouSh olCIOius ~ 10 uOO ludl
the Southern Pacific should engage Brigh-
ton to play that dangerous game with Chris
Evans.
He was in Visalia when Evans and Son.
tag were playing hide and seek with the
sheriffs in the mountains and was one oi
the intlmates of the wife and children OF
the outlaw. AS modest man of all work
with wife willing to do anything to help
out living, Brighton made his advent in
Visalia. He went to live near to Evans
house, and, as women will, Mrs. Brighton
and Mrs. Evans became quite neighborly.
| When Mrs. Evans asked Brighton to per
form small service for her husband, he
readily consented and thus entered the
wedge that enabled him to work into the
confidence of the family. The two families
became quite intimate, and Evans soon got
to regard Brighton as one of his sincerest
friends. These relations continued for
months before Evans capture, during his
Imprisonment and after his escape and
Brighton was never suspected of treachery,
although he was in constant communica-
tiOn with the sheriff.
Finally Brighton induced Evans and Nor
rell to visit his house in Visalia. To do
this the detective worked upon Evans feel
ings as father. He told him that one of
his children-the youngest-was sick, and
that if he cared to see it alive he should Wis
1t his home. Evans was considerably
worked up and promised to make the trip.
He kept his word and fell into the trap that
means stripes and stone walls for the term
of his natural life. After playing the part
Of host to perfection Brighton went out
and notified the sheriff's posse, had himself
arrested as blind, and the capture of the
desperadoes was accomplished without diff
fculty.
Brighton is the most unsophisticated
looking chap alive. He is of medium height,
with rolypoly shape, twang to his voice
that sounds like down east Yankees, a
slouchy hand-in-his-pockets-and-s scrape-his
acknowledgement gait, threadbare suit of
clothes, large hands, ungainly feet, shod in
muddy brogans, and the most innocent
looking blue eyes His wife looks like a fit
mate for hardy mountaineer and is in
reality very able assistant to Brighton in
his detective work.