Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1910-01-27

boose might as we'll go out of com
mission so far as they were concerned
Saturday night came, and according to
promise the tie-cutters were on the street, nu-
merous and noisy. Seeing a commotion at the
rear of a cheap hotel, where a number of the
men had gathered, Mcdonald went over there
and found Reeves surrounded. Without hesi-
tation he showed way through with his pistol
until he stood by Reeves side. Reeves had
arrested man and a general riot was immi-
nent The prisoner was very drunk and dis
orderly and demanding that he be allowed to
go to his room. Catching the drift OF matters,
Mcdonald said:
"All right, take him to his room, if he's
got one; I'll take care of this crowd"
There was something in the business-like
confidence of that statement which impressed
the crowd And then he had such a handy
way of holding a sixshooter. Nobody quite
wanted to die first and Reeves started for the
back entrance of the hotel with his man. AS
they entered the door the fellow reeled against
the casing and fell to the ground. Then a
general stampede started for it called out
that Reeves had struck him. Mcdonald said:
stop you fellers! The fool fell down.
I'll kill the first man that interferes!"
That was another discouragng statement
from a man who had a habit of keeping his
word. 1t seemed to the crowd that an officer
like that didn't play fair He didn't argue at
all OOHleDOuy was likely TO get nuTL IL Jley
didn't get that gun away from him. Movements
to this end were started here and there, but
they didn't get near enough to the chief actor
to be effective. Finally, when Reeves and his
prisoner set out for the calaboose, the crowd
moved in that direction timing their steps to
chorus of threats and profanity. Reeves
and Mcdonald made no reply until they ar
rived at the lookup; then, the disturbers being
there handy, the officers began gathering them
m 4
prise party for the tie-men. They were too
much astonished for any concerted movement,
and when invited at the points of those guns
to step inside and make themselves at home
they did not have the bad taste to refuse
The turbulent tie-men were sober and SEN
sble by Monday morning and allowed to go,
under promise of good behavior.
Mineoa suddenly became a moral town.
Amusements of the old sort languished.
But by this time Deputy Bill Jeess was not
satisfied with the quiet life. He had found
his proper Vocation--that of active enforce
ment of the law-and he was moved to pursue
it in remoter places. A certain desperate ne
gro outlaw by the name of Jim Bean had CON-
mitted crimes in Smith county, whence he had
escaped to Kansas. There he had killed a
city marshal and returned once more to Smith
county, which adioins Wood on the south.
This was the kind of game that Deputy
Bill always enjoyed hunting 1t was worth
while. He made frequent still-hunts along the
Sabine river, the dividing line between
Wood and Smith, hoping to locate his quarry
He had heard a rumor that a certain
family of swamp-dwellers were in league
with the men, and, rejecting on the mat
ter, he concluded to visit this house both
for the purpose of investigation and to borrow
a shotgun, which he thought might be more
useful in a man-chase than his rifle. Arriving
at the suspected house, he told in his mldest
manner tale of wounded deer not far away
and borrowed a shotgun as we'll as the infor-
nation that the men and dogs of the place
were in the brakes. He now began careful
stillhunt for his game and presently came full
upon Jim Bean, who a horse with a
shotgun, guarding some stolen hogs.
Before Bean could move now Deputy Nc.
Donald had him covered and commanded him
to get off his horse or he would shoot him
dead. Bean obeyed and Mcdonald threw his
leg over his saddle and slid to the ground
still covering Bean with his gun. Suddenly
Bean made a dash for large tree turning
to shoot just as he reached this cover Nc
Donald was too quick, however, and let go
with load of buckshot, which struck Bean
in several places, causing him to make off in
the direction of a slough toward thick hiding
Mcdonald now mounted his horse and started
IN pursuit of the wounded Jim Bean. Blood.
stains made the trail easy to follow.
soon powder horn and then pair
OF boots lay in the path of flight. McDon
aid followed six miles to a cabin occupied by
negroes. Bean was not in the cabin, but bare
foot prints led into the woods The man.
hunter followed them and finally overlook
their owner. 1t was not Bean. The officer
had been tricked-Bean had escaped while his
pursuer had been following this false lead 1t
was dark now and further search was hope
less. Next morning the outlaws had vanished
frn fhG nfpYy TJ,N,,
were heard of no more until some time after |
when news came from Wise county that both |
the Bean brothers had been killed restating
arrest