The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1909-09-07

crime that had been committed, and a
posse Of armed men who knew the
hills thoroughly started In pursuit.
The bandits, knowing that the spirit
Of vengeance must have been SIN
Ieashed upon their track. lost no time.
In making for the mountains through
which they rode for several days.
camping by day and doing most OF
their travelling by night. Finally, be
lieving that they had thrown their
pursuers OF the trail. they canspesa
within 20 miles OF Benson and there
their fate found them Both were
sleeping heavily when noise OF
shouting and the firing of guns
aroused Pearl from her ssiumbefs.
Springing to her feet she beheld n
circle OF dark, stern faces around her
and the grim muzzles Of several Win
chester rifles covering her and her
companion. A posse under the com
mand Of Sheriff Truman OF Pinal
county had tracked the bandits 10
their lair and the long chase was at
an end.
Pearl, always good loser, submit
ted with a gamblers grace to the In
evitable. and she and the ex-prospec-
tor were taken to Benson and then 10
Florence, where she was separated
from her companion, brought to Tue
son and lodged In Jail 1t was there
that ! interviewer her In her cef, and
after some trouble succeeded In OBJ
tanning from her a written confession
covering the whole OF her eyentfuI
career Her adventures had not, how
ever, quite come TO finish at this
point.
Pearl Hart did not approve of her
quarters in the Tucson Jail and had
no intention OF remaining there any
longer than was necessary. Fortune
favored her by turning up friend In
the person Of fellow prisoner who
had but one day more to serve In the
jail This man was at first looked upon
BY the girl as deadly enemy, but cir
cumstances eonspired to change her
opinion.
While in the jail the girl bandit
made pet Of young wild cat. She
kept the animal In her cell most OF
the time but occasionally 1t roamed
into the corridor and visited the other
prisoners. One day 1t entered the
cell of the short-term prisoner He
picked up the cat and 1t bit him saw
agely inflicting deep cash In hss
hand. With howl OF rage and pain
he dashed the animal upon the steel
floor and killed it.
For hours Pearl rat In her cell
cursing the man who had slain her net.
but later, when he had AN opportunity
to speak to the young woman, he told
her he would get her out He was a.
trusted prisoner and the next day he
climbed TO tie top floor of the Jail
and cut hole nine inches wide and
twelve inches long through a grated
window. Through this window Pearl
Hart made her exit and escaped.
Fer freedori vas of short duration.
however, for 70 days later she was re-
captured, again disguised in mans
clothing, at Denisng, N. M. and taken
back to Tucson. When brought to trial
she was convicted and sentenced so
the Yuma penitentiary for, FIVE years.
If Pearl Hart knew, as It Is probable
she did, what the real name of her
confederate in the stage hoidup was,
she kept the information loyalty TO
herself When the prisoners were
arrested the ex-prospector refused to
reval his identity, and Sheriff True
man went to the young woman to at
tempt to learn the mans name At
the time Pearl was pulling on one Of
her high boots.
What's that mans name?" inquired
sheriff.
joe" responded the girl.
Joe who7' asked the sherif.
why, Joe Boots" returned Pearl.
with mocking grin
He was indicted in that name and
under 1t was sentenced to the peni-
tentiary for 80 years. but afterwards
made a wonderful escape from du-
rance vile. While working with a gang
of convicts he made break for lib
erty. An alarm was sounded and the
guards turned gattling gun upon
him. Nearly thousand bullets went
hurting past the fleeing prisoner, but
not one reached its mark and he es-
capped unhurt.
Pearl Hart served part Of her time
and was afterwards paroled. She is
now in Kansas City, Kan, where she
owns cigar store and makes no at
tempt TO conceal her identity. she
has reached her thirty-sixth year ana
has two children who live with their
grandmother in Toledo. o. The cali
OF the road no longer holds any fas-
cination for her and she leads quiet,
uneventful existence after having
passed through as strange and thrill
ing series Of adventures as ever fell
tO the IOf nf one Of har nav