The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1895-02-07
FOR ONE MUST LIVE
STORY or THE DARING CAREER o.
PRETTY NELL PRESCOTT.

PRETTY NELL PRESCOTT.
The Extreme Poverty Of Her Parents N
duced Her to Take the Hishway-Sh.
Was Finally Run Down by n BloodhouoS
and Died With Her Boots On.
Nell Prescott. old Virginia's first high
way woman, was born and lived and died
within &C miles Of Parkersburg, anu
though her span Of existence only extended
over some 90 years she made things lively
in the mountains while she did live.
Nell Prescott lived and died ''Sefo' de
wah." She wss the pretty daughter OF
old Job Prescott, who lived at the foot OF
old Bald Top mountain. As schoolgirl
she was bright, Intelligent and srudicus
and ii is generally believed that it was The
extreme poverty OF her parents that drove
her TO the highway.
Early in the spring of 1858 cattle buyer
named Jennings reported TO Sheriff Null
cahey that while crossing Bald Top and
when near the county line he caught NJ
with a prepossessing, boyish looking fel
low or the trail, who said he had walked
from Linwood and was going TO Deering
little settlement nine miles this way
from the mountains Jennings offered
the wayfarer a seat behind him On the
horse. which offer was thankfully accept
ed. Thus mounted the pair rode merrily
on their way, chatting pleasantly as the:
proceeded. Jennings thought his compan
ion was a very entertaining fellow and
was al unconscious Of danger until, while
passing through narrow defile, he felt
the muzzle Of pistol pressed against his
head, and voice exclaimed from behind:
Give me your money, or else III
shoot
Jennings was dumfounded by the sud.
den and unexpected turn of affairs, but as
he heard the pistol click knew there Wa
nothing to do but to comply with the
command, and he &C once drew out roll
CT bills amounting TO $500, which WAS
Immediately snatched from his hand by
his boyish companion, who leaped lightly
from the horse 70 the ground and then said:
Stranger. you're broke now, and as
took the pistol from your belt to do the
Job I'll give you $50 so as to get another"
Then the robber disappeared, and Jen.
nings went disconsolately on his way 70
Huntley where he found the sheriff. Null.
cahey at once dispatched posse o! officers
In pursuit Of the highwayman, and al
though .hey secured the mountains fo8
three days could obtain no trace Of him.
Three weeks afterward peddler was
held up and robbed Of sos near tie same
spot where Jennings had been despoiled
of his money on the Linwood trail. This
deed was done by small, bewhiskercd
desperate. From, thence robberies wers
frequent on the mountains.
The inhabitants of the sparsely settled
country believed they were at the mercy
Of an organized band of highwa. men, foI
in no two cases did the descriptions of tie
robber tally. The fact, though, THAT TIE
crimes were always committed by one Per
son and in a certain locf 'ity at last led
the authorities to doubt the existence Of
band Of robbers and to believe tfat all
the Jobs" were the work of but one indi-
vjdUal. At once they set about effet ting
mis- capture. Many attempts were mads
In that direction, but all TO no effect. At
last, however, 10 was deemed necessary 20
have deputy sheriffs constantly ratrolhHS
the mountains, and $500 reward y rs offer
eel foT the capture and conviction Of any
highway rohber. This offer set many pIi-
vate citizens on still hunts, and 1T last
Gabe Unison and Al Wheaton devoted
al their time to the pursuit of tho uu'
known highwayman. One morning, &C.
companied by Gabe's bloodhound JeSnie,
they were On their way up Rattles make
mountain, when they met Hebrew pack
peddler, VINO an bour before had Eeen held
up by bearded highwayman on the ReEs
ley road and robbed of $50.
Tho paadiar onco,,,r,a 1faI CaIa and his
companion back to tie place where the
robbery OCCURRED. and the dog was placed
on the highwaynan's trail. The hound
was held in leash, so as to keep her co.,
stantly within range of her owners riAs.
Thus the trio of men, led By the dog, fol.
lowed the trail around the mountain side,
through the woods and across chasms and
brooks, Jennie baying loudly tbs while.
After two hours journ ~ and when near
Ing Huntley, Jennie began tdgging furi-
ously at her leash, and Gabe knew she
was hot on the trail, and 1T last he caught
O glimpse of human form fitting through
the trees ahead
Instantly Gabe Unison raised his rife
and fired, but apparently without effect,
for the chase was continued, but soon
ended at a fallen hollow tree, into which
the highwayman had sought concealmeDt.
Gabe and AL knew they had 'treed their
COON and that his capture was inevitable.
10 the hound was not allowed to enter tbs
aperture. Gsbe kicked the log repeatedly,
then shouted, Come ont o thar an s'ren
der ter tn law, er I'll smother yer with
smoke, for we uns has yer sho'."
There was no response to this stern com,
mand. Not sound could be heard from
within the log. Evidently the robber was
to surrender, so Cabs and Al
hsld a consultation Of war in whispers,
which ended In the latter going to sum-
mon assistance, while Unison remained
to guard the self imprisoned captive.
Ii was shortly after O'Clock when Al
returned, accompanied by three woods
men and Deputy Sheriff Strong. Strong
opposed trying to smoke out the robber by
q fire at the base Of the fallen tree and d.
rected another method OF getting hold o'
the robber. which was 10 split the log open.
SO, with axes and wedges, tho log was
split, disclosing within motionless hui
man form. The aperture was materially
while the deputy sheriff and
Gabe stood On the alert with drawn re-
and at last the officer reached
down and grasped the form By the shosa.-
der, saying at the same time:
81 arrest you in the name II the CON-
rnonwealth Of Virginia for highway rod
berry"
There was no response. With avigorcus
Jerk he turned the form over and then
Jumped back aghast The bearded facs
that confronted his was that Of the dead
Gabe's bullet had done its work The
robber had been shot through the back
In raising the body from the log the whis-
,-a-- -rr.-y, v-are dfs~ove-ed IN r. falSs and