The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-11-04
TAKEN FOB a HORSE THIEF.


James B. Cassada- CHEZ c:erk TO
Judge Spencer B. Adams ChoctawI
Indian court. recently had a hair
horse thief.
This statement may fall somewhat
harshly on the ears of IN cffete east.
but it is fully justified oy The facts.
The Choctow Indian court holds its
session in South McATIister. Indian
Territory. One day MIR. Cassada was
engaged in conversatiJ IN in one of the
streets OF South McAiIistcr when Mr.
Mcmillan, a friends, drove up witha rig
and pair and invited Mr. Cassada to-
drive with him to a small town about
fifteen miles distant. where Mr.. Nc
MILAN a some business to transact.
Mr.. Cassada accepted and the two
drove from the town at a good pace
the roads being in fine &C ndition. Not
only were the roads govd. but the team
appeared at once to be fine travelers.I
Mr.. Mcmillan had t~eieobcned to the
livery stable for a team ard he had
found them in front If his hotel. He
presumed the horses had been sent
from the livery stable because they
were the only ones in sirht-but he
was mistaken. AS Will be seen in al
moment the mistake care very nearI
being a fatal one. AS a result of a mis-
understanding the boy from the stable
had driven Mr.. McMilIJn'S team to an
other hotel, and when tre Uwner of the
horses came out Of Nj. Mem Hans no.
tel and found them gone &c sent a mes-i
sage to police headquarters, saying OIL
ficers should at once rack the trail of
the supposed horse thieves. This theyI
did. Along the road the farmers de-
scribed Mr.. Cassada and Mr.. McMilianI
as desperate looking mel. who wereI
driving hard. This was credited as al
matter of course, for no Oh binary horsel
thief would drive off j team. in broad
daylight. When the offer rs reached
the town they were told TIE thievesI
were in a restaurant at dinner. Thisl
also seemed a cool proceeding and theI
pursuing party took a firmer grip onI
their revolvers. Then ,einforcementsl
were conscripted, from farmers andl
store keepers standing about Marshall
Lee was chosen to enter The restaurant
first, because OF his luck in killingl
eight or ten horse thieves. and this isl
how it happened that Mr.. Cassada andI
Mr.. Mcmillan found themselves look-l
ing into the barrel of a Colts six
shooter-this without an insrant'sl
warning. with the cold steel only a fewI
inches from their noses. When theI
abrupt command, hands UT" fell fromI
the lips Of the marshal the hands of
Mr.. Mcmillan rose before the sound oil
the officers voice had died out. Mr..
Cassada is from Maids On county. wherel
a little gun play is not so rare, and
therefore did not act according to the
traditions Of a tenderfoot. He reached
down instead OF up. BESIDES, he had
recognized the Officer, and thought the
scene a practical joke, IS he was not
awore of having stolen any horses.
This act came very near costing both
men their lives as the officer said af-
terward that he was lust in the act OIL
pulling down on the trigger when hel
recognized Mcmillan. II was then time
for the officer to be frightened, andl
they do say he wen white as he low
cred his revolver with trembling hand.l
Mr.. Cassada is here to pal ticipate inI
the election. but he says Judge Adamsl
will not return for the present.
Charlotte Observer.