The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-10-21

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member Of the com vfy before he was
Afteen years old. rs born in 1851.
near the town Of ..hche, Tex. and
began his wild cal before he was
twelve years old by Ing to death the
only two horses his I. fr had.
He refused to go to School. was caught
cheating at cards when he was fifteen
years old, and in the same year put out
the eye of a neighhor's son in quarrel
over a cock fight. Preacher Hardin died
soon afterward. and 1t is a tradition In
Comanche County that he died of brok-
an heart over the wickedness OF his fav-
orite son. In 1872. being twenty-one years
old. John Wesley or Yves Hardin establish
Cd himself on a part Of his fathers farm.
and began to assemble about the cabin
company of the widest young men in the
county. None Of them had means, none
Of the.n-sesmed tQ,work. and yet after
few months Of Midnight rides into adjoin-
ing counties their corrals were crowded
With cattle and the townsfolk Of Comanche
began TO fear and suspect Hardin and his
gang Not satisfied with ranch solitude,
and led by Yves Hardin, the desperadoes
soon began to make midnight raids upon
the town. II became their practice to
gallop into Main Street every night at
O'Clock. shoot up" the stores. carry on
what they wanted in the shapeof liquor
and supplies. and terrify into silence the
protesting storekeepers. II is current his
tory in Comanche to this day that Yves
Hardin and his men held the town almost
in bondage during the greater part of the
year 1873.
Many farmers who had suffered at the
hands of rustlers then began to assemble
in Comanche for the purpose of ''investi-
eating Hardin's layout. Whether this
visitation had anything to do with his de-
parture, or whether store footing and
ranch life became too dull, is not known,
but in August. 1873, he left home and iden-
titled himself with the Comanche county
gang Of Taylors then engaged in feud
war OF four years standing with the sons
and friends OF a man named Sutton who
was killed by one OF the Taylor family in
De Witt county in 1865 Hardin had 10
personal interest in the feud, but he was
chosen leader of the Comanche Taylors
and during the shor; period OF his leader
ship got credit for Staying three of the
Sutton faction. To show how ineffective
was the machinery of the law in punish
fog the perpetrators Of these border crimes
It is said that thirty-eight men, partici-
pants in the TaylorSutton feud, were
killed within six years In Gonzales, De
Witt, and Comanche counties. and their
slayers were neither punished nor posi-
lively identified. Report gives Hardin
credit for shooting many OF the Sutton
party. but he boasted always of having
got" three. and as he was proud and
Jealous Of his man killing record. 1t is
probable that he killed no more of the
Buttons.
February 10. 1874. Hardin reappeared
suddenly In Comanche with a crowd of
his followers. who Immediately captured
the principal saloon of the town, barred
the front door and proceeded to carouse
after the manner Of their class. Some
time that afternoon Deputy Sheriff
Charles Webb. of Brown County, arrived
in Comancbe with warrant for one of
Aardin's gang who was accused OF cattle
stealing. He soon learned that the des-
perado and his fellows were embatt;ed
In the saloon, but. nothing daunted, tied
his horse and entered the back door.
which was open. Hardin knew him and
the moment he put his face in the door,
way shouted.
Hello Webb! What do you want here?"
1--WE a warrant for Cal Shelby" the
Deputy was saying as he pulled the dncu-
mcnt half out of his pocket. But Hardin
SAot him through the heart. adding: x