The Elbert County tribune., 1910-04-15
TIE 6OHL0LR
7NR/XED ms ENCE

In, and lodged in Jail. The against them
was clear. They were found with the stolen
property; some of them did not even attempt
to make denial Their examining trial was
held at Plemons, the county seat of Hutchin
son county, and the settlers gathered from far
and near for that event. The trial was held in
a big barn of place. and the prisoners were
bound over to the district court. The Rangers
were preparing to take them to Panhandle
City. where there were safer and more commo
d1ous quarters, when the sherin-who had al
ready distinguished himself by setting free the
prominent young outlaw first captured-ap-
peared and demanded the prisoners, the
ground that being sheriff Of that county, they
could not be removed without his consent The
Ranger captain promptly informed him that
sheriff sheriff, he had shown his disquali-
fcations for that office, and that these prison
ers would be taken to more secure quarters
than he seemed willing to provide. The Off
Ger departed, and presently mustered a crowd,
armed with Winchesters Then he appeared
once more before Capt. Bill. produced the law
which under proper conditions might have sup.
ported him in his demand. and again declared
that he would have those prisoners or that
there would be bloodshed and several Ranger
funerals. Capt Bill promptly called his men
together.
I'VE are not going to stand any foolishness,"
he said "If an attempt is made to take these
prisoners cut down any one who takes a hand
in It Come. let's move on now. and get these
men In JAIL"
The crowd that had gathered expected bat
tie, then and there. but nothing OF the kind
took place. The sheriff's armed BLUM Ind been
called. Later In the day. he obtained a writ
of habeas corpus, but 1t was not effective for
the reason that the men had been committed
under bond. At all events 1t was not effective
SO long Mcdonald and his Rangers were
in charge Of the jail
1t was now evident that conviction of these
offenders was not to he expected in that cOun-
ty. Most of them had official influence of
kind or another. In fact. there appeared to be
nobody except those whose property had suf-
fered who seemed concerned In bringing these
bandits to Justice.
With such overwhelming evidence Mcdonald
was determined If possible to secure their pun
ishment, and eventually instrumental in
getting their cases distributed and sent to 9TH
counties for trial. Even so. they managed
to evade the law. Through influence Of one
kind another. and the cooperation of off,
cials-former associates, perhaps, In the busi
ness Of crime-their cases were by
dismissed: this in spite Of the fact that
of the confessed and gave direct test
mony against the others OF the gang
Notwithstanding this miscarriage of justice.
the general effect of McDonads vigorous pros
ecution was wholesome The members of
that band either left for remoter territory. or
decided to reform
1t was strange indeed that Mcdonald did not
happen to get killed" in those busy days of
the early nineties. One of the favorite vows
of the "Panhandler" to shoot Bill McDon-
aid sight But there was suddenness and
vigor about Bill McDonad's manner and meth
cd that was very bad for vow like that when
the moment for its execution arrived Still,
there were those who tried to make good. and
one OF these, duly assisted, came near being
successful He would have succeeded. no
doubt, II he had had time.
That mans name was John Pierce Matthews.
which became simply John Pierce after its
owner got the drop on a steamboat captain one
day In Louisiana and shot him dead. He took
his new name with him to the Panhandle
where. in due time he got the drop on another