The Neihart herald. [volume] (Neihart, Mont.) 1890-1901, 1899-07-22

Of the killing of two horse thieves
the story of a woman's dream, thrill
Ing In the extreme and yet faithfully
true in every particular, as attested by
the criminal record of the West. The
story deals principally with Alex
Ramsey and his wife, and is located at
Hayes City, Kan, the time being the
fall of 1875. Ramsey, at that time, was
about IS years of age, and as fine a
specimen Of manhood as is met in a
days journey. He was thoroughly
a Western man-frank, genial and lib
eral to a fault-as brave a nan as ever
put spurs to a horse" when duty
called him to action. He was a good
detective, excelling especially In his
dealings with desperate characters. A
few years before the date of this story
he had married a coniding, impress
sionable little m down In the MIS-
souri, Valley, who loved him devotedly.
She depended upon him implicitly, be-
lieved in his proves in all matters,
and really worshiped him. Soon after
their marriage they removed to Hayes
City. near the Colorado line, and then
the terminus of the Kansas Pacific
railroad-a live, bustling town full of
life and Astounding in the rough char
acters, such as accompany the building
of railroads in the West.
Ramsey had not long been at Hayes
City, when his courage, as we'll as his
many other manly qualities, became
known to the people of that place, for
he frequently had occasion to aid in
the handling of the violent spirits con-
gregated there. Hence it came about
that when the people of that place
wanted al executive officer in whom
they could trust, they selected Ramsey,
Gen. Cook, as chief of the Rocky
Mountain detective agency, heard of
Ramsey, and in 1871 invited him to be-
come a member Of his association. The
offer was accepted, and Ramsey be-
came one of the most active officers OF
the organization, always conducting
himself SO as to win the appreciation
and maintain the confidence of his
chief. Ramsey had served one term
as sheriff Of his county, and in the
summer Of 1875 was reelected, vir-
SuoAy "ilhOul OppooiIiOu. Doing III
Denver soon after his reelection he
told Gen. Cook that he was the first
sheriff who had aver lived to be elected
to a second term in Hayes City, his
three predecessors having been killed
before the expiration of their re-
spective terms Of office. Il have gone
through one SIEGE" he said, "and l am
going to try it again. The chances are
that / shall be killed, but l will take
the chances"
1t was in October following his visit
to Denver that Mr.. Ramsey was called
upon to go In pursuit of two horse
thieves. A character we'll known on
the frontier in those days as Dutch
Pete" and known by no other name,
accompanied by a pal" whose name
is not known at all, and one night
made a raid upon a band of horses be-
longing to a man living in Colorado
and stampeded thirty-five head of
them. When the owner awoke the next
morning he found his animals gone,
but he was able to ascertain that the
thieves had taken their booty in the
direction of Smoky Hill or the Repub-
lican river. His first impulse, as he
afterwards explained, was to pursue
them himself, but remembering the
skill and courage of Ramsey in run
ming down such characters he changed
his mind and went to Hayes City and
put the case in his hands.
Ramsey cheerfully took charge Of
the matter, securing Frank Shepherd.
q friend in whom be had confidence.
as an assistant in the work before
him, and, kissing his wife good-by,
rode off in company with Shepherd,
going toward Smoky Hill with the in
tention Of cutting off the retreat of the
thieves. Mrs. Ramsey somehow seemed
to feel an unusual desire to hold him
back, although she said nothing to
him, for she knew that he would at
tend to his duty in spite of any fore
bodings Of hers, which he would con-
slider childish, womanish fear.
At midnight the entire household
was startled into wakefulness by a hor-
rifying scream that seemed to come
from the direction of Mrs. Ramsey's
room. All were astir ina moment and
all rushed pell-mell into her apart
ments. They found her out of bed
IN her night clothes and her two chill
drsn. n Of them a mere baby, cling