Condon globe. (Condon, Gilliam Co., Or.) 189?-1919, 1903-11-26
He Knew Tom Horn.

n. r. Orr, the wasco resident, Nho IL
here doing the piastering work on the
court honse and other brick buildings
which have been built hers this season,
was we'll acquainted with Tom Horn.
the Wyoming desperado who was hang
ed at Chyenne last Friday lot seflss OF
cold blooded murders which are said to
haye been iastlgated by . coterle Of
Wyoming cattle kings BY whom he was
employed.
Mr.. Orr lived q ttelghbor 70 the Horn
family, near Memphis, Mo. Tor many
years soIEg there in 1873 when yonnR
Tom WAS only thirteen years old. He
says the published stories to the effect
that Tom Horn or. the desperado's faith.
or, WAS member Of the james gang aud
that he drove the boy from home when
fourteen years old. are en- tirely false.
The elder Horn was good citizen and n
man Of considerable prominence in his
part Of the state. lie was engaged In
tho cattle business in Scotland county,
No.. aud also owned a cattle ranch IN
southwestern Kansas. Young Tom 70.
inained at home until he was sixteen
years Of age when he went TO the Kan
sas THncib with his brotiler Charlie, vino
WAS manager OF that branch Of his faith.
ere business. Tom was OF rather a wild
and rowing nature and while yet at
home was known a. dead shot and
pretty Wild boy. soon after going 10
Kansas he took trip 10 Denver and
while there he joined q party Of pros
pectors who we're going into the Ute In.
dian country TO search for gold. The In.
dians happened TO be In an ugly moOd
and, going on the warpath. they were
about 70 cut the prospectors of when
they we're rescued by U. 3. troops and
taken back 10 Denver. This experience
only served TO whet young Horns appe.
tite for adventure and he soon pursuad.
cd four other young fellows TO join him
and they returned 10 the Indian country
This time they were attacksd, part Of
their number killed and Tom and one
companion we're captured. They were
held In captivity for year but finally
escaped and started on foot for Denver.
Before proceeding far they cams TO a
creek in which they discovered Nuggets
Of gold. Delighted with the prospect OF
sudden wealth the boys killed some
prairie dogs and making sacks Of their
skins they gathered up as much gold as
they could conveniently carry and start
ed once more for Denver Unfortunate.
ly, however, the Indians overlook them
and, alter making them carry the nugA
gets back to the plscs where they had
found them, they tOok the boys back 10
their camp where they were> held rs
prisoners two years longer. Another op
portunity for escape finally presented
itself and they took advantage Of il bat
were again pursued, overtaken and
Horns companion K illed. By good luck
however, Tom evaded the red skins and
after various adventures finally made
his way back TO Denver Here he was
employed for some time by the Pinker-
tons and later made the celebrated cam
paign as scout with the party that
captured Geronimo. The resi- Of the
story, as published. lie about correct so
far as our Informant knows and he has
been kept posted OF Horns whereabO
pretty regularly by relatives Of Horn
who reside on this coast. As stated
above, Tom Horn sf. was respected
citizen and Mr.. Orr is positive that he
had no connection with the James gang.
The James boys home and STAN ping
ground was In the southwest part OF
Missouri while the Horns lived in the ex.
treme Northeast portion OF the, state.
The old man, however, met with hnan-
cal reverses through law suits which
grew out out Of shipment OF Texas cat
tie which he brought to Missouri, by
which the Texas fever was brought into
that state and he died in comparative
poverty at the home OF his dau ghter,
Mrs. VIM. Williams, at New Whatcomb,
Washington, about eight years ago.