Waterbury evening Democrat., 1894-10-29
COOK GANG CORNERED.
The Entire Gang Fortified In a
 Cave Near Fort Gibson.
THE ENTIRE TERRITORY AROUSED.


 Small Army of National Militia. Cher okee Police. Dspuiy sheriffs and De- tectIves Is Hunting the Desperadoes. Rewards Amounting to sIo,5oo Offered. FoRr GIBSON, I. T., Oct. 29.-The Cook gang. or part of 1t at least, Is still in this vicinity. A runner just in from West Grand River reports to the Cherokee mi. litia that the gang is in hiding In a cave three miles northwest of this place. Cher okeo Bill, half bred negro and one of lho most desperate men in the gang, was seen in that vicinity about o'clock Sun day afternoon.
 The runner states thero arc 16 horses staked in a pasture near this caye, and this fact leads to the belief that tho entire gang is fortified in this cave. Tho con struction of the cave Is such that two or three men thoroughly supplied with ann intuition could stand of the entire force now in pursuit.
 There has never been a period in the history of this country when the citizens were aroused to tho pitch that they are to- day over the repeated attacks that ti,e mo- torious Cook gang has made upon tho peace and dignity of this country.
 Cocks Aids Arrested.
 The Cherokee authorities have at last awakened to the necessity for prompt and decisive action and have now in the fold nearly 300 well armed men thoroughly equipped for a continued campaign.
 The Illinois division of tho national militia, composed of about 30 men under the command of Captain John Brown, came into this place and mado six arrests of persons who are supposed to be aiding the Cooks and keeping them posted. They then loaded their horses saddles guns, etc, on a freight train on the Missouri Pacific and proceeded to Tlawa where they mounted and rode into Claremoro.
 At that point four moro men were ar rested, two of whom were at one tims with the Cook gang. From that point their line of march is toward Sapulpa. where the day before n man was arrested by Deputy smith, supposed to be ono of the men who robbed tho depot in Clare- more as the gun and watch taken at that time were found in his possession.
 Rewards for the gang now aggregate Sl0, 500, the Cherokee nation having dou- bled the amount offered by the govern ment- One report Is that tho gang has broken up into small parties, one of which Is led by Jim French. French is one of the handsomest and best educated full bloodcd Chcrokees inS the nation He Is
 
 fluences. He Is particularly proud of the fact that not a drop of Caucasian blood flows in his veins. and he has adopted his wild life. it seems, out of n puro spirit of recklcssness and love of adventure.
 Jim French Leads One Gang.
 He and Cook arc not the very best of friends, or perhaps it would be better to say that they havo little except thoir pen chant for robbing people in common.
 Of the two, French is certainly n man of loftier instincts If there can be such things as degrees in the character of such as they. French was never a rowdy, a whisky drinker or n common thief, and Cook has been all of these, his first break wish society being when he rode off with another mans horse.
 If caught, the robbers will be tried in Fort smith, Ark, in tho United States court of tho western district of Arkansas. This court has had jurisdiction for moro than 20 years over all crimes committed in the territory wherein whites arc the pros ecuting parties-that is to say, if an In dian kills Q white man or steal from him he must answer in this court.
 Tho Indian courts havo jurisdiction over crimes committed in the territory by Indians against Indians. Twenty times Rs many men have been hanged in Fort Smith as at any other one place in the country. One judge, Parker has sentenc- ed them all, and one hangman has exc cuted them.
 Louisa Cook, sister of Bill Cook and general spy for the gang over which her brother rules, is n character in her way. She Is 20 years old and has grown up in the territory, where, like her brothers sho received fairly good education. She rides liko a devil and can lift n walnut thrown Into the air with her navy revolver before 1t returns to earth.
 Louisa Cooks Adventures.
 Like most Cherokee girls, there is not 0 breath of scandal against her She will marry some day, and it is probable that she will make loyal wife and bring up q set of boys that will Do proud of their Cnclc Bill.
 Aftcr Louisa rodo into Gibson tho oth- sr night she proceeded to riddle the depot with bullets. 4 bout a dozen deputy mar shals were in town, and brandishing her murderous looking six shooter around their heads she doficd tho officers to take her. After running he frightened citi- 1ens into their houses and firing a few parting shots in close proximity to tho marshals the bandit queen left town in the direction of where tho Cook gang is supposed to be hiding.
 There is no doubt that sho wont direct to them and gave them all the informa- ton they wanted of the preparations made tor their pursuit. Cooks sweetheart bas not yet succeeded in joining him under circumstances that would not jeorardize her good name