The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1910-04-14

man. somewhere up IN the northern usr nj
counties, with the same result This was a
good while before he came down to Childress
county and got to be sheriff. but there we're
those who had not forgotten. and among them
was Capt. Bin Mcdonald. then stopping at
Wichita Falls. Matthews, or Pierce as he was
called, frequently came down to the Falls for
spree, and on one such visit made application
to join secret society. Mcdonald was a prom.
inent member of that society and Matthews did
not get in. This stirred the animosity OF
Matthews and he began to clean his six-shooter
daily and to practice sudden and accurate fir.
ing, which he knew would be necessary In
case Of show down
Matthews also had another enemy, one Joe
Beckham sheriff of Motley county. an officer OF
his own kind, who presently got as short as
possible In his accounts absconded and set
out for Indian Territory. Matthews had no
right to go outside of his own county after
fugitive, and no business IN this matter any
way. but he had an itch for Beckham on his
own account so he picked up another enemy
of Beckham. named Cook. n citizen of Motley
with an ambition for leckhams office, and
the two came with peaceful attitude and fair
words TO Quanah whore Capt Bill was then
stopping. requesting the loan Of a Ranger to
go over into the Territory after the dcfaulting
officer Mcdonald refused. but said he would
send a man as far as the Territory line
Ranger authority not extending beyond that
border. He did send one Ranger Mcclure who
being strongly persuaded, overstepped at the
same instant, his authority and the state line
captured Beckham, whom he lost through a
writ OF hnbeas corpus fell into plot devised
by Matthews and Cook to get rid of him, and
was finally brought back to Quanah by Capt.
Bill, who drove 100 miles on q bad night to
get him out OF the mess; after which Mcclure
was wiser and better Ranger.
Beckham, meanwhile, had fallen a victim to
remorse, or moro likely had been promised
immunity, and now hurried over to Quanah
and gave himself up again TO Ranger Mcclure
Capt Bill being absent from Quanah at the
time, Beckham asked TO be taken to Matador,
county seat OF Motley for trial. and begged
Mcclure to see him through Chldress. where
he expected to be killed by Matthews and
Cook.
Mcclure assured Beckham that he would
see him hafely to Matador, and they set out
by rail for Chidress. at which point they
would take the stage for the Motley county
seat
Matthews was on hand at Childress. He de-
manded Beckham of Mcclure. who refused to
deliver his prisoner.
II Matthews wanted TO commit suicide he
lie gave 1t out openly that he was going to
wander over to Quanah some day and kill Bill
Mcdonald. Just as matter OF pastime, and he
sent word TO the same effect by any of Capt.
Bits friends that he found going that way.
1t was in December, 1895, at last that Mat.
thews and his pals came down to Ouanah for
the declared purpose Of killing a Ranger cap.
tain. 1t was cold, dreary day and they Wis
tied one saloon after another, getting a supply
of courage for the job and explaining what
they were going to do. Then they took to fol.
owing Mcdonald always In a group. evidently
waiting the proper opportunity, confident
enough that Mcdonald would not take the Of
ensive. Finally. however they pressed him
20 close that he suddenly turned and told
hem to quit following him or trouble would
,nsue. Perhaps 1t did not seem a good place
o do the job-there being no sort of protec-
ion: perhaps there was something disquieting
n the manner of Capt Bits warning. They
lropped away. for the time, and Mcdonald