The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-09-16

SNAsf tAANAt Ai1Ad lllt hodIQS ana the nd tion9 was fairly filled with bootleggers, horse thieves and lesser criminals.
 The old deputy marshals were fearless men. Some of them had doubtful repufa- tions ere they entegd the service of Une Sam. and in more than one instance tho deputy marshal's commission was given by the officers of the federal courts as | sort of compromise and treaty of peace with an especially troublesome, enterpris- ing and energetic law breaker Where such was the case the deputy who won his spurs in this peculiar manner became notably efficient and loyal to the powers he served.
 "Shoofy" Was Noted Character.
 Two decades ago there flourisned in the southern part of. the territory, says 1he Kansas City Stan a noted character who was widely known under tLe sobriquet of "shooflyn What his real name was and where he hailed from were mysteries that have never been solved lie had a pronounced Yankee twang aud all the mannersms of the regular Down Easter,
 He suddenly came to the notice of the territory officials as a bootlegger-one of the cutest, slyest and most successful per ambulating dispensatories that ever re- tailed liquid woe to the denizens of the nation" The fellow moved so rapidly and covered so much territory that he really seemed ubiquitous. For long time his only means of Identification were the peculiar methods that he employed in the transaction of his business of "introduc- ing and selling and the uniform success he had of evading the officers of the law or of giving them a glimpse of his per son.
 He was the Artful Dodger personified and in lieu of better name he was chris ened "Shoofly" by the officers who sought him-they paying him an unconscious compliment in so naming him. For while "Shoofly'' was content to break the law in the one particular of selling liquor to the Indians and such of the white residents of the nation as had gained his confidence. After a while, however, his criminal enterprise took a wider range, and he stole horses. held up trav- elers and in course of time was charged with practically all the offences on the calendar. It is known to a certainty that there were over forty warrants is- sued against him from the federal courts situated in Paris, Wichita and Fort Smith.
 United States marshals pitted their cum ming against his in their effort to capture him, but all without avail Practically all the old-time deputies in the territory had taken their whirl in trying to appre- bend him, but on their return from the chase they would have to confess that they stood no show whatever with the sly old fox they were after
 Nester Was a Deputy.
 At Atoka in those days there was a deputy named Bob Nester or Bob Nasty" as he was familiarly known. He was weazen faced, underslzed fellow, and the last person that one would pick out for an officer of the character of dep- uty marshal in that section of the coun- try. He might do for some third-rate district in Ohio, where the law breakers practically arrest themselves" would be the thought of the casual observer, but those who knew Bob realized that theso was no man in the territory more fear less than he, and there certainly was no officer more devoted to duty.
 Bob had a fine appreciation of the eff ciency of the deputy marshals of the ma tion" and it troubled him that Shoofly had so long remained immune from ar rest Practically all the other officers were married men and they could not af- ford to chase the arch criminal for months and months, as their only means of com- pensation was the fees they received for ndKl1R arrests anu dllenuluk lilt NdIiouS courts. Bob. who was single and who felt that he could afford to do so. under took to uphold the honor of his fellow officers and started out one morning in June with the determination of camp ing on the trail of Shoofly until he could bring the latter to just ice, even if it took all summer to fight 1t out on that line.
 By means known to himself he sent word to the object of his search to that effect and then took up the most persis- tent man hunt that has ever been record ed in the annals of the territory.
 Bob had a fine gray riding horse that had in it's veins some of the famous blood of the Barrel Denmark stock of Kentucky. Mounted on this magnificent animal, the man made a strange contrast, but what he lacked in physical attractiveness he made up in the cold. calm courage of his countenance and the fearless. stern ex- pression of hls eye. He was certainly the incarnation of Nemesis when he set out on the trail For months and months he followed every clew that would lead to the whereabout of the human prey he sought, but without avail. He almost gave up the hunt in despair, when one night, while he was camped in the open air near Cole Nelson's crossing on the Kiamitia river, in the eastern part of the Choctaw nation, he was awakened by some one who stood beside him.
 Figure Was Striking.
 Tn the dull glow of the small campfire the persons features were indstinct, but the carriage of the man, together with some plainly marked physical character istics made him a person who. once seen. would always be remembered. He had secured Bob's weapons while the latter slept He cooly informed the astonished and chagrined deputy, who had instinct lively missed his weapons, that he was the long sought after Shoofly and he gravely stated that the deputy, in pursuing him, was on a veritable wild goose chase. He advised Bob to return to Atoka and put in his time earning money by arr resting the less clever criminals who were numerous enough to make good and easy picking for an ambitious deputy marshal.
 Bob could do nothing else than act part ly on the advice given him, and he had to return to headquarters for new weap- ons and horse to take the place of the beautiful animal he had lost in so hu- a manner.
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