The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1898-04-09
DICK WEST Is GA|N
While Fleeing From a Posse
of Officers.
ONE OF THE VERY LAST
Of OkIahOma'S 0nCe-Dreaded
Outlaws PeriSheS.

Guthrie. o. T, April .-(Special.)-Dick
West. a member of the Doolin and Jen-
nings gang of outlaws, was pursued and
shot to death by posse of United
States officers fou7 miles southwest Of
this city Just after sunrise this morning.
His body was brought to the city and
placed on exhibition at an undertaking
establishment, where it was viewed by
hundreds Of the morbidly curious. Whhe
perhaps not having borne such prom
inence as Bill Dalton, Zip Wyatt Dyna-
mite Dick and other notorious characters
who have been assisted to that bourne
from whence no outlaw has ever returned,
by the deadly aim of the deputy mar
shaLs, West could rightfully claim the
title Of thirty-third degree outlaw through
long association with the different gangs
that have at various times been the ter
TOT of Oklahoma and the Indian Territory.
He was originally a cowboy and by easy
transitions glded into the more adven-
furious calling of train-robber and all
round outlaw, successfully following the
fortunes Of the different outlaw leaders
whose obituaries have been SO sensation
ally and so inaccurately written up for
the eastern press.
With the killing of Bill Doolin and Zip
Wyatt there was a temporary scattering
of the band until AL Jennings appeared
on the scene, and among the first to en-
list under the new chief was Dick West
Jennings. while Of Insignificant physique
possessed a barb-wire nerve and a collie
giate education, the latter being an &C
compIshmert which none Of his predeces-
sors could lay claim to. Moreover, he
was a lawyer of more than ordinary abil-
ity and he had served a term as prose-
cutting attorney of Canadian county.
While holding office and attempting to
dictate the politics of Canadian county,
his career was a stormy one. marked
with almost daily brawls and gun en-
counters.
It was after quitting Ell Reno that Ed
Jennings and his brother John became
involved in an impromptu duel with Tenn
pie Houston and Jack Love and when
the smoke cleared away and the lamps
were relighted, John was lying dead on
the floor Of the saloon and Eds left arm
was shattered by a pistol ball. Al Jen-
ninEs was in town at the time of the duel
but took no part in it beyond swearing
vengeance against Houston and Love.
1t was shortly after the sanguinary
affray at Woodward that a Santa Fe
train was held up near Edmond and the
holiness of the plan and the ease with
which the bandits eluded the pursuing
officers was evidence that no ordinary
plug outlaws were in charge
The officers had hardly returned to
headquarters from their bootless chase
when word came of the daylight hOd-up
Of a Rock Island train a Chickasha. The
Edmond affair had created the suspicion
that Jennings was the outlaw leader,
which was confirmed at Chickasha
through his recognition by the train con-
ductor. Spurred into activity by large
rewards offered by the railroad and ex-
press companies and by the government,
the officers relentlessly pursued the out
laws from hiding place to hiding place,
killing. wounding and capturing, until the
leader was shot. wounded and captured.
being now in Jail at Muscogee awaiting
trial
Among the outlaws who escaped death
or capture was Dick West. and after
wandering aimlessly through the country
he finally made his appearance in the vi
cinity of Guthrie. Two months ago the
marshal's deputies made a raid on far
mer's house, expecting to find West, but
without success.
Night before last, however, Sheriff
Rbinehart received information from a
secret source that West could be found
either at the house Of Ed Fitzgerald or
that of Harmon Arnett, farmers living
four miles southwest Of Guthrie The
sheriff in turn notified the United States
marshals. and at o'clock this morning
Sheriff Rhinehart. Chief Deputy Fossott
and Deputies Bill Tighlman, Heck
Thomas. Al Thomas and - Miller started
after the game. The first stop was made
at Fitzgeralds just as the first glimmer
of the approaching day dawned in the
east. Fitzgerald strenuously denied hav-
ing any knowledge as TO West or his
whereabouts. The officers separated.
Rhinehart and Fossett going towards
Harmon Arnett's house. half a mile dis
tant Tghlman and Thomas taking diff
fereut direction and the other two depu-
ties being left in charge Of the team. As