The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-03-01
OLDTIME OUTLAWS.
Dill Cook Was an Amateur COM
pared with some of These Men.


Oklahoma Special in New York Advertiser
just now. while the attention of the
whole country seems conferred on the
Cook gang of outlaws, whose chief has
Just been sentenced to forty-five years
Imprisonment, few "reminiscences Of the
old-time outlaws of that section will be
interesting to everybody.
These outlaws, like the present maraud-
ers. were nearly all Of mixed Indian and
white blood. but so much more daring
were their exploits, so much more des-
perate their character that the exploits
of the Cook gang appear as mere boys
play when compared to their deeds of out
lawry.
The most notorious of these old-time
outlaws was Henry starr long since dead.
Much of the story of his life Is shrouded
in obscurity and other parts greatly mag
nified by tradition but ii is known posi-
lively that he alone killed over seventy
men, fully "a dozen of his victims having
been feled with a single blow of the
mighty fist. He was a Cherokee with a
tinge Of Seminole blood. nearly seven
feet tall. massively built and with an arm
and fist like siedge hammer.
lie terrorized the whole Cherokee nation
for years, and so great became his power
llldt the q HtIDhtt tOuiiNlA lilAlAN tuAtlt
into a regular treaty of peace with him,
granting him amnesty from all past deeds
IL he would cease his wry-the only
instance on record of a nation entering
into a treaty OF peace with a single in
dividual.
At one time $4,000 reward was offered
for Starts head and 5000 for the head or
one of his lieutenants. one day the lieu
tenant was killed by the accidental dis
charge Of "A gun at the outlaw camp. and
Starr cut off his head. and, putting 1t in a
sack went to Tahlepuah, the Cherokee
capital, and walking boldly into the office
OF the national treasurer. covered the
officer with a revolver. took tho CORY
head from the sack. and laying II on the
table compelled the officer to pay over
$1,000 offered for the head. then walked
out mounted his horse and escaped
After the treaty of peace tho old man
lived quietly for a number OF years and
died natural death.
In later years one Of the most cunning
Of outlaws was Bill starr grandnephew
az Henry and father of the notorious
Belle starr He did not turn outlaw until
wen along in years but in "A short time
became the leader of one OF the most
adroit gangs Of thieves that has evog in
tested the Indian country. lie was not a
common thief. and in one sense was not
actively in the business, being rather a
gang was large in numbers, and he had
spies in every town. trading post and
community I'm the territory and adjoining
states. lie did not make practice Of
stealing for fun or excitement. but was in
II for business. and would take only the
best and when he was sure OF a large re-
turn for the work. but once making up
his mind to steal "a thing. there was moth
ing at which he would hesitate There was
not much ready cash IN the territory to
steal in those days, and they confined their
work mostly to stealing horses. A mem
ber of the gang in a neighborhoOd would
take fine horse, ride it a few miles and
turn il over to "A confederate, who would
do the same, which procedure would be
repeated In turn by a dozen different men,
and as each one would be at home the next
morning detection was almost impossible.
The gang had cipher language whereby
they could converse intelligently among
themselves about their work and an out
slider listening would think them convers-
ing about some ordinary topic.
Occasionally, when there was some par
ticularly valuable horse to be stolen,
Starr himself would do the work. He
was an expert blacksmith, would carry
shooting tools along with him. and after
riding tho horse a half day would take
the shoes off and put them on backwards
Thus those in pursuit were fooled, and It
was a long time before they discovered
his strategy. They would he on the trail
all right following the horses tracks,
when suddenly the footprints would be re-
versed, indicating that the animal had
been travelling in the very opposite dtrec-
tion. Had they followed the trail suf-
hcently long they would have come to
place where the tracks changed, but they
seldom went far enough, and gave up the
chase in disgust.
Belle Starr was TT successor to her
father, and led gang equally as daring.
The narration of a single one OF their ex-
ploits viii serve to show the character Of
the work they did One day about eight
years ago, while Maj. Neal was agent Of
the Sac and Fox Indians, Belle Starr and
her brother Frank and Bill and John Wade
drove up to the agency with barrel OF
whisky, and in plain view of the agents
quarters. and the officers of the Indian
police began selling the fiery liquid to the
Indians two Of the gang keeping up
constant firing into the agency building
with Winchesters. They sold as long as
any Of the Indians had money TO buy and
then drove leisurely away. The Wades
were captured soon after and bought their
freedom by turning traitor and delivering
Frank starr to the officers, who turned
him over TO the Texas authorities where
a life sentence for murder was given him.
The last Of the old school Of outlaws was
Ned Christy and Bill Pigeon, both Chero-
KEGS Christy led many a daring raid
years ago. but for nearly a decade has
been wholly on the defensive living in
stone fort in the mountains Of the Creek
country, defying the deputies and repuls-
ing attack after attack only to at last fall
a victim Of treachery. 1t was less than
a year ago when he was shot down by a
traitorous member OF his gang, who,
Judas-like. agreed 10 deliver him to the
officers for a monetary consideration
4safr furfrr frsa
northwest Of Muldrow in the Cherokee
nation, still lives Hill Pigeon, over 50 years
Of age. and the only surviving member Of
the old-time outlaws.
The story Of his life and adventures
reads like a sensational romance rather
than the account of everyday life. For