The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1901-05-10
NhfRemofrat-S Star
HAS HIS OWN GRAVEYARD.

Kansas City Journal.
Hec Bruncr, a United States mar.
slial OF Indian territory in the early
days, enjoys the rare distinction OF
having "A cemetery named after him.
And the strange part OF it is that nc
n is buried there but his own vic.
tins. There are twenty-eight mounds
In the cemetery. Under each lies the
bones OF some bad man who brushed
up against Bruner and got the worst
OF II.
When Bruncr was marshal the Ind.
Ian territory was about as wild as tile
country ever gets. 1t was filled with
horse thieves, cattle thieves, train
robbers and ~desperadoes OF all kinds.
A law-abiding citizen did not stand
much show. Murders were so common
that they were not considered news.
Thefts attracted no attention what.
ever except from the ones who suffer.
ed loss. The country was run as near
along a%narchistic lines as the most ar.
dent anarchist OF New York or Mad.
rid could hope. Little attention was
paid to the consent Of the governed"
The desperate with the quickest
movement Of his shooting hand and
the most nerve ruled the roost.
That was the condition until Hec
Bruncr WITS appointed marshal. When
he took charge Of the Office he decided
to rcvOlutionizc things and make the
Indian territory IA good place to live
In" His friends laughed at him, al.
though they had nerve. 10 20 up
against the notorious gangs of the
country, they said, was f0olishness.
1t might result in cleaning out a gang
or two, but in the end would result In
the marshal being wiped of the map.
what was the use to cndanger ones
own life in order to make trouble for
the desperadocs, they would ask. To
this Bruner replied that he would
drive the opening wedge toward clyl.
lizlng the territory II it cost him his
life the first day.
He stuck to his resolution, and he
didn't lose his life either. But he had
several narrow escapes. He was
punctured with bullets until his
frame could be used for a sieve, and
be had his blood spilled In many a
fight, but not enough OF it at any one
time to make him blight the dust.
While the desperadoes were making
It interesting for Bruner he was keep.
ing them busy. lie was a dead shot.
and whenever he pulled q trigger on
his man 1t meant a separation of soul
and body. There was no discount on
that. Bruner began to hunt down the
despcradocs. The first one he killed
was buried In a grove south OF Tahle.
quall. The second one was laid there
also. And 81 1t went until the car.
casscs Of t~wcnty.elght bad men who
had met death at the hands OF Bru.
ner while he was acting in the line Of
duty were buried in that grove. A
rail fence was u around the graves
and the cemetery was named "Bru.
ner's graveyard" Only one grave 10
the yard is marked with a marble
headstone. That is the grave Of a
noted horse thief. His pals Clipped
In and bought the tombstone because
be was a good fellow" All the rest
OF the graves are marked with wooden
slabs. Many are inclosed with slab
fences, while others are Enclosed with
rails laid in hog pen fashion.
After Bruner got his graveyard
pretty we'll filled up the d%esperadoes !!
began to realize that he meant bust.
ness, and whenever one would hear
that Bruncr wanted him he would
come to town and give himself up.
rather than run the risk OF being the
next one TO occupy space in Burners
graveyard. From that time on Bru.
ner had an easy time. He had &C.
c0mplished his object. He had driven
the entering wedge in the civilization
OF the toughest country the sun ever
ShOne on.