Abilene weekly reflector., 1895-04-18
THEY WERE 'TlRR0RS.
Outlaws Ct tho Southwest Who
Committed Dark Doeds
An Old-Tlmcr Who Killed over Seventy
Men. Som, OF Them with Ills Mighty
Tist-Dcsperatc Cherokee
Raiders.

Tist-Dcsperatc Cherokee
Raiders.
The recent commitment Of Bill Cook
to the Albany penitentiary for term
Of forty-iive years has called attention
anew to the depredatlons Of the desper-
ADDE'S Of Indian territory, and few
"reminiscences of the old-time outlaws
of that section will be interesting,
writes correspondent Of the St, Louis
Globe Democrat. These outlaws, like
the present maraudcrs, were nearly all
Of mixed Indian and white blood, but
so much more daring were their ex-
ploits, SO much more desperate their
character, that the exploits Of the Cook
gang appear us mere boys play when
compared to their deeds Of outlawry.
The most notorious Of these old-timc
outlaws was Henry Starr, long since
dead Much Of the story Of his life Is
shrouded in obscurity and other parts
greatly magniaed by tradition but II Is
known positively that he alone killed
over seventy men, fully u dozen Of his
victims having been felled with a single
blow Of his mighty fist lie was a
Cherokee, with tinge Of Seminole
blood, nearly seven feet tall, massively
built and with an arm and fist like a
sledge hammer.
He tcrrorized the whole Cherokee
nation for years, and so great became
his power that the Cherokee council
finally entered into regular treaty Of
peace with him, granting him amnesty
from all past deeds II he would cease
his outlawry-the only instance on
record Of nation entering into n treaty
Of peace with single individual. 4
At one time ten thousand dollars re.
ward was offered for Stars head and
five thousand dollars for the head Of
one Of his lieutenants. One day the
lieutenant was killed by the accidental
discharge Of a gun at the outlaw camp,
and Starr cut off his head, and putting
1t In Il sack went to Tahlequah the
Cherokee capital, and walking boldly
into the Office Of the national treasurer
covered the officer with revolver,
took the CORY head from the sack, and
laying 1t on the table compelled the
officer to pay over the five thousand
dollars offered for the head, then
walked ont, mounted his horse, and
escaped.
After the treaty Of peace the old man
lived quietly for number Of years and
died a natural death
In later years one Of the most cunning
Of outlaws was Bill Starr, u grand
nephew of Henry and father II the no.
torous Belle Starr. lie did not turn
outlaw until well along in years. but In
Il short time became the leader OF one
Of the most adroit gangs Of thieves that
have ever infested the Indian country
lie was not n common thief, and In one
sense was not actively In the business,
being rather superintendent or gen
eral manager. His gang was large In
numbers and he had spies In every
town, trading post and community In
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 = large re-
turn for the work, but, once making up
his mind to steal a thing, there was
nothing 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 member Of the gang
in n nclghborhood would take fine
horse, ride It n few miles and turn II
over to confederate, who would do
the same, which procedure would be
repeated in turn by dozen different
men, and as each one would be ut home
the next morning detection was almost
impossible
The gang had cipher language
whereby they could converse intel
ligen'ly among themselves about their
worN' ana III ou'S'aer listening "oulo
'hinn 'heih cohVcrs'ng noo"' some
ordinary 'opic'
OCCASIONALLY when There was some
particularly valuable horse to be stolen
starr himself wonld do the work lie
was an expert blacksmith would carry
shoeing tools along with him, and after
riding the horse half day would take
the shoes on ana put Them on back
ward. Thus those in pursuit were
fooled, and 1t was a long time before
they discovered his strategy They