The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-05-03
TERRIBLE CHASE
|fOR HORSE THIEF
Julius Waterstadt Was Com
PEELED to Give Up From Thirst
DROVE OVER HILLSSO STEEP
That Buggy Had to be Held
From Tipping Over.

Two weeks ago tonight the family
horse of Julius Waterstadt OF 2404 East
First street was stolen from the barn,
and Mr. Waterstadt has just returned
from a strenuous and exciting chase az
ter the thief Mr. Waterstadt has un-
dergone hardships which very few men
Of his age would ever think of attempt
ing and was compelled to turn back
without his horse of the thief, on ac-
count of his health.
Mr.. Waterstadt and his family moved
here three months ago from Moonlight
Dickinson county They brought with
them horse which had been pet in
the family of a Mr.. Long, neighbor.
The horse was stolen with two others
in this city the same night and the thle1
procured a heavy spring wagon ana
started north. Mr.. Waterstadt searched
Wichita and the surrounding country for
his horse and the Wednesday after IL
was stolen received a telephone message
from Mr.. Long saying that his horse
had appeared at the old home. Mr.. Long
stated that the thief drove into the farm
ward driving the two horses answering
the description of those stolen here ana
leading Mr.. Waterstadts. When the
horse saw his former master he whin-
MED and pTanced around with joy. Nnen
the master came up the animal laid MS
head on his shoulder, licked his cheek
and gave every evidence of being glad
to see him.
The thief wanted to sell the horse, tell
ing Mr. Long that he purchased him In
Missouri. Mr.. Long would not buy the
horse but allowed the man TO go on and
Immediately notified Mr.. Waterstadt.
who left Wichita on the night train for
Moonlight He obtained the description
of the horse and wagon and journeyed to
Clay Center, where ne secured the COM
pany of the Clay county sheriH and
drove across the country in an effort to
head off the thief.
They obtained the general direction
which the thief had taken and started on
the shortest way to Chester Neb- on the
line between Kansas and Nebraska. The
thief had obtained nearly two days start
OF the pursuers.
The country between Clay Center and
the state line is very rough. It is hills
and hcllows all of the way. The roads
were almost impossible. In fact in many
places there were nothing more than cat
tie paths The road in many places was
alongside of high bluffs where a move
ment of a few inches would have thrown
buggy and horses over the stony precl-
pice. Rocks and ruts with plenty OF mud
made travelling exceedingly difficult for
both men and teams, and the nature of
the country made the trip very danger
Gus.
During part of the trip the Clay coun-
tv sheriff laid on one side of the buggy
while Mr. Waterstadt walked along the
other side holding it to prevent the rig
from tipping over and throwing them
down an almost perpendicular hill. by
changing off the two managed TO reach
the lowlands after travelling in this fash
ion for three miles. This is certainly
most narrowing experience. Think of
travelling alongside high bluff where
the road was pitched at such an angle
that a buggy mad to be held to keep IL
from slipping over the brink
For forty miles the two men Travelled
over the worst of roads, picking their
way as best they could, in order TO save
distance and thereby time in an effort
to head off a horse thief only TO ma
when they reached Chester that their
quarry had gone before them. Chester,
Neb. was the only town the thief avoid
ed He drove half a mile east of the
town and then turned west. He was go
ing west all Of the time and this was the
only instance of his turning 10 the east
Immediately north of Chester the thief
turned TO the west and toward what are
known locally as the BAD Lands Some
ten or twelve miles west of Chester is
large area OF broken country. 1t is made
up of sandhills covered with underbrush
Except in certain places water can not
be found unless IT a great depth These
hills are the rendezvous for hundreds OF
horse thieves and bad men. The road
winds about the hills and in places the
underhrIish is so heavy that II is almost
impossible to drive through IT. 1t is an
ideal robbers nest. There are some
/ springs where water can be procured
but for ten miles there is not a place
whore water can be procured for either
man or beast Neither Mr.. Waterstadt
nor the sheriff knew much Of the coun-
try and made no preparation for drive
of any length over very sandy roads
They did not take any water with them
and before they returned TO Chester
both the men and the horses were nearly
dead from thirst.
The sheriff had heard of the country
and how Il was infested with thieves and
/ robbers. and after driving into this sec