Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1904-12-06
A HUNTER OF couNTERFEITERs
How cap'n cason Ran Down the Oar.
ina Buck Gang.


| ing Buck Gang.
Kansas City, Mo-, Oct. 2s: Among
the pictures Of noted men in the first
part Of "The Story Of Missouri" a
book issued by the department Of pub
lication of the louisiana Purchase ex-
position, is a striking one entitled "A
Missourian Of the Early Days" 1t
shows the head Of a man wearing q
large, aggressive slouch hat, and be-
meath It white hair rolling down a
massive neck. The eyes are keen and
fringed by tiny wrinkles, which rein
force their intensity. Long, piratical
moustaches and goatee. white as snow,
suggest wind swept plains and Win
chester rifles.
To the picture prize was awarded
by the art commissioners az being the
most typical representation OF the
pioneer Missourian. Not a line re-
garding the original appears In the
book, not even his name. For all the
world knows he might have been
peaceful woodsman, whose ambition
was a wind proof log cabin and sack
Of duck. But 1t happens in this In
stance that It was a cactus Instead
Of an olive branch.
For 16 years Capt. John r. Cason
was engaged, pistols handy, In restor-
ing order. While 50 occupied he held
| commissions ais marshal, sheriff and
secret service officer. This was after
four years of fighting under Jackson
and Longstreet.
In 1875 the town of Marshall, Saline
county, was terrorized by a gang OF
hardened spirits from a hilly district
known as Blind Pony" The saloons
were in a row in the main street, ana II
was the cheerful fashion Of the gentle
men from Blind Pony" to make the
tour of al. the dispensaries by riding
through them. After impartially dis
tributing their patronage they would
then shoot out the town lights and per-
Iforate such other things as pleased
their fancy. To discourage this the
people of Marshall unanimously ap-
pointed Capt. Cason chief OF police,
giving him free hand to shoot peace
and quiet into the rough riders from
the hill country.
Within three months the Blind Pony
ties hitched their horses to the town
rack and drank from the bars like
white men.
About this time '"Dutchy" Shultz.
alias Vosse, landed in Marshall, with a
price Of s1,400 on his carroty head for
killing the marshal at Versailles. Leo
pold Fessler was running a saloon on
the row, and he agreed to tip the Of
ficers when "Dutchy" came in there,
The signal was to be slight cough
when the murderer sat down at ia
BILE across from the bar.
Cason was out Of sight behind the
counter, and his deputy, Salemon Al
ger, was on the lookout from the stair
way. The quarry came with part
ner, but instead Of going to a table
they walked to the bar. "Dutchy
called for whisky straight, and cough
ed in drinking It. Thinking 1t the
signal from Leopold, Cason and AL
ger appeared with pistols ready.
"Dutchy" and his pal were well
prepared, and for the next five min
utes the saloon was thick with pow
der smoke. Then the lights went out
and all was still. Capt. cason struck
match.
"sufrerin' Moses, Cap! Vas you
krazy"
It was the voice Of Leopold from
some beer kegs in the corner. Cason
coolly lit the lamp and surveyed the
wreck. "Dutchy" was on the floor
dead. Deputy Alger was down, but
only wounded. "Dutchy's" pal had
departed. -.
In 1884 Capt. Cason found himself
broke, with no Job in. sight. He went
to Washington and through the in
fuence Of Senator Vest obtained en-
ploSment in the secret service. He
was assigned to the bureau at Pits
burg. Dan McSwinney, a man OF
parts and Of steady aim. was chief
there. McSwinney's interrogation OF
his new assistant was terse but COM
prehensive.
ever hunt counterfeiters?" ne ask
ed.
mo"
Like to-"
Just as you say"
well" said McSwinney, there's a
gang up about Edenburg ways.
They've been running 1s years and
have killed two Of our men Boss
Buck, 6S, a giant, is the main guy
and he about runs things on his land.
He's got a sort of assistant general
about Reynoldsville. You'll have TO
play housebreaker and tramp IN some
places, and be a deacon and lead IN
prayer meeting in others"
"I follow you," said the recruit.