The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1898-09-18
CHAPTER ".

~
moiIa To bagin with. the sudden, un-
heralded advent Of department in
spector IN those days meant something !
ominols, and from Frazier down to the |
drum boys the garrison scented mischief |
the moment that familiar old black
hooded, dust covered spring wagon,
drawn By the famous six mule team,
came spinning in across the mesa just
after retreat, no escort whatever being
in sight. Cavalrymen had trotted along
side, said Riggs, from two of the camps
on the way, but they had made that
long days drive from Crockett Springs
| all alone, trusting to luck that the FRI
day gang, so called, would not get wind
of it. Just who and how many consti,
tuted that array Of outlaws no man, in
Guiding its own membership, could ac-
curately say. Two paymasters, two
wagon trains and no end Of mail stages
had been Jumped" by those enterpris-
/ ing road agents in the course of the five
| years that followed the war, and not
: once had conviction occurred Arrests
had been made by marshals, sheriffs
and officers in command of detach-
ments, but a more innocent lot of vic
Tins, according to the testimony Of
friends and fellow citizens, never dwelt
in Dixie. Three only Of their number
had been killed and left for recognition
in the course of those three years One
only of these was known, and the so
called Friday gang managed to surround
its haunts, its movements and its men,
bership with a mystery that defied civil
officials and baffled the military. Es-
corts the size of a cavalry platoon had
been needed every time a disbursing
officer went to and fro, and a siZable
squad accompanied the stage whenever
it carried even a moderate amount of
treasure at three points along the road
from the old Mexican capital to the
outlying posts strong detachments Of
cavalry had been placed in camp, so
that relays of escorts might be on hand
when needed.
At three different times within the
past two years strong posses had gone
with the civil officials far into the foot
hills in search of the haunts of the band,
but no occupied haunt was ever found,
no band of any size or consequence ever
encountered, yet depredations were in
cessant. The mail stage came and went
/ Will uSAlUcIdllOu- 1u6
termaster's trains were accompanied by
at least a company of infantry. The
suffers wagons travelled with tho quar-
termaster's train, and the suffers mon
/; ey went to San Antonio only when the
quartermaster and commissary sent
theirs, and then whole squadron had
been known to ride in charge Anything
from a wagon train down to a buck
board was game for the gang, and SOL
| diers ranchmen and prosPectors told
, stories of having been halted, overhaul
ed and searched by its masked members
, at various times and whether found
! plethoric or poor having been hospita-
bly, entertained as soon as robbed of all
they possessed. Only four days before
/ Riggs made his venturesome dash thr. .
discharged soldiers, filled with impa-
} tience and whisky, had sought 10 run
the gantlet TO the camp at Crockett's ;
and came back i'll the robbers cast off
clothing to take on" for another term,
having parted with their uniforms and
| the savings Of several years at the So
licitation of courteous strangers they
met along the route. Nothing but an
= emergency could have brought Riggs
} full tilt, for he was getting along in
3 years and loved the comforts of his ar
r my home.
Emergency it was, as he explained to
= Frazier instantly on his arrival. The
, general had indubitable information
that ranches to the south had long been
/ buying government stores, bacon, feed,
-four, coffee, etc. The source of their
3 supply could only be the warehouses at
Worth, and Marsden was a ''swell"
t sergeant, whose airs and afhuence had
D made him the OBJECT Of suspicion.
Those were the days when cavalry reg
! iments had commissary, bnt congress
: did away with the Office, and Winn,
whom an indulgent colonel had detail
ed to that supposedly soft snap" when
regimental headquarters were stationed
: at Worth, had been left there with his
: bulky array Of boxes and barrels when
: the colonel and staff were transferred
o to more southern post, the understand
: ing being that he was to turn over ev-
erything to Frazier's new quartermaster
e as soon as that official should arrive.
S Frazier's appointee, however, was a
: lieutenant from distant station.
q The war department. had not approved
:. the appointment when made. Core
L spOndence had been going on, and only
r within the week was notification receiv-
q ed that the choice was finally confirmed
and that Lieutenant Trott would soon
q arrive. Meantime Winn remained, but
q the stores were going. Somebody had
/ money enough to bribe the sentrie.
II nightly posted at the storehouse at the
n northern corner Of the big rectangle
l. Rnd wagon load after wagon load must
have been driven way. Ouswardly, a:
Z developed by the count made early OF
II the morning following Riggs coming
{ all was right, bot Q veteran cavalry ser