The Logan Republican. [volume] (Logan, Utah) 1902-1924, 1904-11-09


where west of the Missouri River. The
ground was his bed, his saddle his
pillow. The crack of the siX-Shooter
was his lullaby; the whistle OF Win
chester ball many times sounded his
revellle. The outlaw and bronCho
were his playmates; the pralrles, caves
and pine-covered buttes his play
ground. Civilization put price upon
his head-a price that tempted brave
men into the then almost UNEMPLOYED
country where this famous bandit
lived, to take him dead or alive. The
boldness and magnitude of his cattle
stealing operations and the unerring
aim of his sX-shooter made him the
terror OF and the foremost character
in the great West for many years.
AN OUTLAW LEADER.
Middleton was the leader of band
| of Outlaws--cuttle ana horse thieves
that in 1850 had headquarters in Mo
brara County, Nebrask He had come
up from Texas, the authorities there
being anxious 10 lay hands upon him
to answer to the charge of killing
ranchman. His band had for several
years been terror TO stockmen, driv-
| ing of entire herds of cattle and
horses, aud killing many members of
posses sent out to capture the bandits.
The depredations of the gang became
holder and holder. State authorities
had signally failed to accomplish any
| thing, SO the Union Pacific Railroad
took hand in the chase under the di-
rection of j. Il. Clark, who was then
managing the Nebraska branch of the
road. Clark went to North Plat sta
| ton, where Middleton anI his gang
usually drove their stolen cattle, Or
ganized posse, and evolved a plan of
action. c. n. Groner, sheriff of Lin.
coin County, suddenly discovered that
Middleton knew every detail of Clark S
plan, told to him by some one vino
had the confidence of the railroad
and who was acting as spy for the out
law chief. Clark, discouraged, re.
turned TO Omaha, the bandits continued
| their depredations, and both the State
and the Union Pacific offered large re-
wards for his capture, dead or alive.
Docs escape from Clark was fol-
lowed by one of the most exciting
events in the famous cattle-rustler S
history, and which was not closed until
Middleton had been landed in the peni.
Tertiary. 1t was this story which is
told as follows:
NEW CAMPAIGN PLANNED.
"You remember how Clark fizz!ed
out at North Platte, don't you. when
somebody 'peached and put Middleton
wise on the whole campaign? Well
not long after Clark got back Ia
Omaha, mad as hornet, and at his
wits end to know how to connect with
the willy outlaw, breezy young West
erner came blowing into the office one
day with an imperative request to see
the Union Pacific manager on import.
ant business. Clark was busy fellow
In this days, and 1t was mighty hard
TO get an interview with him. This
young fellow, w. III. Llewellyn, was
II magnificent specimen of Westerner, &
stranger to fear, and who knew every
canon, cave and timber strip from
North Platte to DeadwoOd He finally
secured an interview with Clark ant
unfolded n plan for Middletons cap
ture. lie gave Clark some valuable
pointers on the trailing of cattle
thieves, and convinced Clark that HI
WIS trustworthy.
"Llewcllyn proposed to take his llfC
In his hands, join Mlddleton's band
, learn the habits and haunts of the out
laws, gain Docs confidence and finally
: hold him up. Clark was to be KEEP
Informed OF every movement and hay,
several trusty men Mt the appointed
place to capture Middleton alive II pos
sible, dead If necessary. Lleweilyi
was appointed an agent OF the United
States Secret Service with power t,
summon military aid II necessary.
THE greatest obstacle was the Stat
law requiring sherlffs and other officer
to resort to posse in making an ar
rest before calling for military aid. T,
evade this law, General Crook, thel
commanding the Department OF III
; Platte, was induced to place an orde
4 at every post under his control instruct
I Ing the commanding officer to Civ
Y Llewelyn a detail of soldiers when
] ever needed, Ostensibly to search 70
deserters.
o "Charlie Sweezy and Billy Hazen o
= Omaha were to be Llewellyn's confed
,. crates, and after getting an order iron
/, W. A. Paxton for some horses on hi
n ranch, they started for North Platte
b At Paxton's ranch the foreman was IN
quisitlve and greatly interested. Ii
2 said Middleton was In the Republlca
A Valley, SO Llewellyn and his men start
!. ed in that direction. But Llewellyl
a knew thing or two about Western
A ranch foremen, and when night cam
4 he took an entirely different direction
n Sweezy was left at Buffalo Bits ranch
forty miles from Paxton's. and Haze
, and Llewellyn kept on.
u MIDDLETON is FOUND.
:: ut was not long before they me
h Middleton and kid Wade Date
| T.