The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-24
OKLAHOMA
SHERIFF HAS
EXCITEM EN- I
Snatches Indian Off Horse and
PursueS Thieves
ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE
Sheriff Has Them Looking
Down a Gun
ATTEMPTED TO ESCAPE

Guthrie, o. T, May 23.-Of the capture
of brace of horse-thieves in Blaine
county, the Watonga Herald has the fol-
lowing dramatic account:
Last Friday Deputy Sheriff Sam Suth-
erland brought to close keen hunt of
several days duration in the capture of
Bert Colby and VIII Eckert. Sheriff
Marion has for weeks beeen drawing the
Gordon closer about a set of outlaws who
have ravished Blaine county for years,
and with the results above mentioned.
Bert Colby is a brother of Henry Colby,
who is wanted in this and other counties
in Oklahoma for grave offences. Deputy
Sutherland trailed the outlows to the
home of Colby's father, Segar Colby, and
knowing they We're in the house. bolted
right in, but the outlaws evidently saw
the deputy, for when Sam got in they
were not there. Colbys father tried to
detain the deputy. but Sam had no time
TO talk. He made straight for a gate
leading out from the yard, and saw fresh
horse tracks. Sam followed the trail as
fast as he could go, but his horse was
worn out and he saw he could not catch
the fugitives. Meeting some Indians who
had fresh horses, Sam told them he
wanted a horse to follow thieves, but
could not make them understand With
no time to waste he threw an Indian off
the best horse, jumped on and again
started in pursuit. At a cross road he
lost the trail, but having gone some dis
lance before discovering his mistake, he
thought best to go on and turn at the next
cross road, and then take the direction
they must certainly have gone.
After making the turn he wacs pushing
on at the horses best speed, when. run
ming up a short, steep hill, he came face to
face with the outlaws at the top of the
hill. Both deputy and outlaws were sur
prised, but Sam threw his gun in their
faces without ceremony and ordered
'hanoJ up which was peremptorily
obeyed. The outlaws had seventeen head
of horses and mules, some harness and
other property in their possession, much
of which was stolen out of Blaine county.
1.-The morning after the capture the
prisoners made an attempt TO get away
from Sutherland, but Sam was again too
much for them. Sam had them in buggy
taking them to railroad point. During
the trip they complained of the hand
cuffs hurting and asked that they be
loosened. After much complaining Sam
complied with the request, standing up
in the buggy and unlocking the irons.
The two men were chained together, and
at the click of the spring they jerked
apart and Colby caught the deputy
around the neck, at the same time hit
ting him with the loose hand-cuff. Sam
threw himself out of the buggy and slip
ped from Colbys grasp and in an instant
had his gun ready for business, and had
not Eckert's nerve failed, there would
have been nothring further than coro-
ner's inquest and funeral. Eckert threw
himself between Colby and Sam and
begged for their lives. All this time Colby
was fighting to get to Sam, and declared
ne wanted to be shot. When Sam told
him he wouldn't do anything more than
bore a few holes through his legs, Colby
decided he would rather go to joil. When
ever man falls in Sutherland's hands he
is up against it. Sam has just as much
nerve tucked up his coat sleeve for re-
serve fund as any other man who trots
the sandy soil of Oklahoma, and he
knows where and how to use it. Colby is
desperate man; Eckert is simply a
would be-"