The Fulton County news. [volume] (McConnellsburg, Pa.) 1899-current, 1903-07-15
NE of the most remarkable

who was killed on April o. 1901. The
defendant is Fred VI. Hans. known
throughout the West and Southwest in
the early days by the sobriquct Of
Lone Star" This name was be-
slowed upon him by the Indians be-
cause of the fact that in all of the cam
paigns against them in which he par
ticipated; in all the raids made upon
outlaws. cattle rustlcrs ard train rob.
bers in which lie took part he always
separated himself from others engaged
in the conflicts and fought his way
alone. 1t was this characteristic which
has gotten him into his present trouble.
No character of the West has exhib-
tied more of brave'y': none-ard there
Is no exception to be made to this state.
ment-has passed through the vicissl-
tudes. participated in as many battles.
received so many honors from Gov
rrnment and States. saved more lives
from destruction during Indian massa.
res. broken UP more gangs Of cattle
rustlers, outlaws and desperadoes than
has Fred NJ. Hans, Lone Star" now
facing charge of murder alleged to
have been committed more than two
years ago.
The murder which is charged against
Hans was the result of as thrilling
situation as ever novelist imagined.
Haus claims the killing was done in
self-defensc. OF the killing of Luse by
Hans tEcre is no question. 1t Is for the
Jury 10 determine whether o. nos the
killing was iustifablc These are the
particulars, us related br both sides:
According to the States position.
Hans. who has been for several years
chief of the secret service of the Ere.
mont, Elkhorn ana Missouri Valley
Railroad, laid trap for Lusc. Hans
sent his brother-in-law, one Duquettc,
to the Luse ranch, situated not far
from Ainswortl. to ingratiate himself
with Luse and learn whether or NOT
Luse was, as Hans suspected. the
leader OF or member OF n gang of
train robbers, which. according to in
formation obtained by Hans. was about
to hold up an Elkhorn train. The
State claims Duquette reported to
Hans such information as to lead Hans
20 believe. or profess to believe in
Luse's guilt. Hans obtained Il war
rant for Luse. charging him with cattle
stealing. rs a blind. ard. accompanied
by Duouette and Il man named Hill.
started toward the Lusc ranch on April
y, 1901. When some distance from the
house Hans announced that he would
proceed 10 the house alone to arrest
Luse, ard he left the other two men in
the buggy. He shortly aftcrHard re-
turned and reported that Luse had re.
sisted arrest. and had drawn his shot
gun upon Hans. In order to save his
own life. Hans reported, he had killed
Luse. firing two shots. as tie first
failed to wound Lusc sufic.cnt!- to
prevent his further Attempting to slay
Hans. Hans story was believed. and
little more was heard OF the story until
the recent session of the Grand Jury.
The Stare claims that relatives Of
Luse have followed up the case. how.
ever, and now have sufficient circum-
stantlal evidence to prove that Hans
killed Lusc without Just cause. 1t is
asserted that Luse'S hands were up
when Hans shot. This contention is
based uDon the medical proposition
that If a man is shot While his hands
are raised the skin will slip back over
the hole maze by the bullet and that
this happened in Luses case. 1t is
furthermore contended that Hans
claim that he fred two shots in quick
succession is disDroved by the fact
that the two bullet holes in LuSe's
body indicate that the shots were fired
from two different points in the room.
Hans story, told a the time and
later repeated by him, is this: That
the authorities OF Brown County want.
cd Luse on tie charge of cattle steal.
ing; that he had such a reputation as n
"bad man. that the authorities were
afraid to attempt to arrest him, and
that Hans offered to 90 the trick He
said that when lie approached the
house he did not want his companions
placed in danger, so lie advanced to the
house alone. He knocked at the door,
and Luse opened II. Immediately rec.
ognizlng Hans, says the detective, Luse
sprang into bedroom and emerged
with shotgun, which he drew upon
Hans. Hans thereupon fred the shots
which took Luse's life.
Hans was born in Bremen County,
Iowa, July ~. 1861. His father was
German minister; his mother an Eng
lish woman.
The family moved to Omaha In 1874
and TO the vicinity of Blair. Neb., IN
1876. Here began the troubles which
resulted in Hans, the younger, becom-
ing Government scout, Indian fighter.
outlaw pursuer and terror to the West
ern evildoer. =, woman living alone
one mile from the Hans homestead
was murdered. Hans father, the min
lister, put his higher intelligence upon
the ease and discovered evidence that
resulted in the arrest, conviction and
execution of Willard Randall. son of
Miles Randall. 4 nelghboring farmer.
At the scaffold side Miles Randall
swore vengeance upon the Hans family
and few days later he disappeared.
simultaneously little Johnnie Hans.
aged two years, was missing. and later
reports located him among the Sioux
Indians, to whom Randall had deliy-
cred him.
This was in July, 1S7G. Fred Hans
was then but iiftse1 years old, short.
but sturdy and strong for his years.