The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1907-03-23
AFTER CUUNIERFElTERS
HOW CAP'N CASCn RAN oOWfI
TIE DARING suck GANG.

Two Bandits of ConeTs Who Had Kill.
ed Secret Service Agents Before
Took Them to Their Hearts and
Told Him AII-And Then He Sur
F. prised Them.
Among the pictures Of noted men
in the first part of The Story Of Mis-
souri," a book issued by the depart
ment OF publication Of the Louisiana
Purchase Exposition, is a striking one
entitled "A Missourian Of the Early
Days 1t is a likeness of Capt. John
r. Cason.
For 16 years Capt. Cason was en-
gagged, pistols handy. in restoring Or
der While 50 occupied he held com
missions as marshal, sheriff and secret
service afficer. This was after four
years of fighting under Jackson and
Lonsstreet.
In 1876 the town Of Marshall, Saline
county. was terrcrized by a gang OF
| hardened spirits from a billy district
! hLOwn as blind Pony" The saloons
were in a row in the main street, and
| it was the cheerful fashion OF the
sentlmen fr6rl Blind Pony to make
The tour OF all the disDensarles by
riding through them After Impartial
ly distributing their patronage they
! would then Shoot ont the town lights
! and peItorate such other things as
, pleased their fancy. To discourage
this the people OF Marshall unanimous
ly appointed Capt. Cason chief OF pol
| ice. giving him a free hand to shoot
peace and Cuiet into the rough riders
from the hill country.
Within three months the Blind Pony
ties hitched their horses TO the town
rack like white men
In 1854 Capt. Cason found himself
broke, with no job in sight. He went
to Washington ami through tAe in
fuence OF Senator Vest obtained en-
ployment in the secret service. He
was assigned to the bureau at Pitts
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?' he ask
ed
NO"
Like tor
Just as you say"
We'll" said McSwinney, there's a
gang up about Edenburg a ways. They
have been running Is 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 sort of assistant general about
Reynoldsville. You'll have to play
housebreaker and tramp in some plac
es, and be deacon and lead in prayer
meeting in others"
Il follow you," said the recruit.
1.-THE cOuntry's rough and woody.
and every man you meet carries gun
for federal officer. We want some
make it with and we want every man
manufacturing or showing the queer;
there's about 20 of 'em. If you want
to tackle the job. the government will
bury you as becomes a good citizen"
Cason rugged himself up as hobo,
showed 5000 in his pockets and shook
hands with his chief. He had with
him elaborate data which had been
compiled by agents OF the government
during the long siege of the counter
feiter gang. Cason's hair and beard
were black in those days. He looked
built like gladiator.
The agent got off the train at Eden
burg, hailed farm wagon for Licken-
vile, the nearest town to the counter
feiting gang, and headed straight for
Boss Bucks place. Instead of going
directly to the house, however, he hid
out in the woods a day or two. One
day Mrs. Buck met him near the
spring and invited him to come in. He
refused to go, and then Buck came out.
He was a tall. stalwart fellow, con-
structed a good deal like Cason. The
only advantage the agent hsd was
that Of fewer years.
Hello. strszys b" said Buck.
well, hello"
What might ylbur name bot"
1T might be q On. Beauregard. but
Il amt. What deT you care?"
"Oh, don't c'bre." said the boss,
but seems YOUTH on my place. you
ought to be civil enough to tell me
who you are" II
The agent looked cautiously around:
then approach ed rVhe counterfeiter.
I'll tell you ", u4t's the matter with
me-" he said. "Esfe been hunted for
the last three MI ths. and I've come