The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1896-12-03

ullll all OulluN III lLli lfstlAAAr hllii DihtttN
10 hunt hlm down and kill him He replied
by word OF mouth that If tlidn sllrren
der to hm on or before the same date lie
would proceed to eXternilnate my com
mand. gave him ten days, having not tile
slightest hope that he would come in, On
the morning OF the eleventh day | had a
call from d native, about twenty-five years
old, who announced himself as Dan" and
who SAID he had called on little business
matter. Isupposed tito be about permit,
or to make complaint, but after bit he OBJ
served
"Captain, them ten days ar up, an |
reckon Bill Dade haiu't shown hisselfn
No, he hasn't come inv
"An' he won't, nuthern
II don't expect he will.m
"Wal, ar you gwine ter let him an his
gang keepu up thar whoppin an shottiu' an
lnlhnp'
mo. Bill Dade and his gang are now out.
lawed by proclamation. lam gong to hunt
them down and wipe them out
"Rght of, Captainw
"As soon as can arrange for itn
"You kin arrange right now Captain.
That's what I'm yere fur, How much a
head if wipe ont the Dade gangrn
sIIow many are there?h
Just five, an' every one of EN- has COM
mittcd murder an wuss a dozen times
overn
lean offer reward for their heads. l
have ouiawed them, and the iuMtary au-
thorilies have the right to shoot them on
sight"
At that moment word was brought me
that Dadc's gang had come within two miles
OF headquarters and murdered two of thG
command who were stationed at q freed
man rendezvous to preserve order Half
an hour later the man called Dan departed
on llis man hunt, and he had my agreement
in writing that neither the law nor the mill
tary should trouble him for shooting down
any Of the gang.
This daring man-hunter stepped into his
canoe Gnl padded up the river about five
miles. Then he entered a bayou to the
right, and carefully made his way to biz of
high ground about two miles from the
river. All the low lands were then un-
der overflow for ten miles back, nd he
knew Of but Que spot where The outlaws
could rendezvous. This was larger island
about half mile away, and bearing log
house and some farm improvements. At
( this time the place could bcapproaehed only
by water, and Dade was not buiting when
he deficl me 1t is doubtful II any offer Of
reward could have induced Federal sol
dier to follow Dan. Tho overflow had driven
the reptiles 10 take refuge IN the bushes
and trees, and as his canoe moved in and out
the hiss Of the cotton-mouth and the warn
ing of the rattler came 10 his cars almost
continuously. Half dozen times in the
course Of half an hour hideous serpents let
go Of the branches and fell into the water
with a loud splash and swan for the canoe
perhaps hoping to be carried to the high
ground, and at such times the man had to
lay down his paddle and beat them on with
pole. There was danger with every rod
Of the journey and the semi-darlmess and
the utter stiffness would have taken the
courage from an average man.
Dan did not land upon the island, but
made the circuit Of il in his canoe, and
satisfied himself that no sentinel was cs.
tablished here, as he suspected might be the
case. Ifone had boen posted there he had
been forced to abandon his position by the
thousands Of reptiles which had beendriven
in for shelter. Any craft seeking the other
island must pass here, and any craft max
ing for the river from the other island must
uset this channel Satisfied r'4t he had lott
no danger behind him, and tnat hs way Of
retreat was open II he wofe forced to fall
back, Dan cautiously proccclei On his
way. II was not yet mid afternoon. 1t
was a hot summer day, anil there was
abg1lIte silence in tic great swamp The
outlaws, returned from their rad would
expect pursuit, and, therefore, be watcAful.
coyeries. One Of the men came TO the doc,
yawued, threw up his hand, and locke
about him in sleepy manner There wa
aug Of WHISKY outside the door, and alte
taking long drink the fellow stlggrrC,
over to the fire, tlireW on a few iaggot:
and then lurched into the house. The 9TH
discovery was that the hack water Ia IT,
bayou was rising He got the hlHt from th
action VI cUOns, RABBITS aud tho snakes. The
were pressing toward inc hlgner ground Ol
which The house stood, and none Of then
seemed TO mind his presence.
Taking advantage Of such shelter a
was afforded, and beng ready at any nc
nent TO open the lght, the man final
reached The cabin, " was stout structure
with a heavy door opening outward. 0l
the pant floor wtlIl, sNAWled ont II