Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1912-09-27
THREE eUARDsMEN in LIFE.
oklahomans Who Fought Bad Men and
Desperate Gangs

okIahomans Who Fought Bad Men and
Desperate Ganga
Heck Thomas is dying at Lawton
and letter from him to Chris Madsen
bore the farewell message Of one Of
Oklahoma's Three Guardsmen, which
designation has been given frequently
to Thomas, Madsen and Bill Tilghman,
trio Of early day deputy marshals
and bad man" hunters.
Don't you and Bill come over, and
don't send any flowers" writes the
dying Thomas. The letter came in
Thomas name, but evidently II was
written by his wife, for the old war
rior has been too sick for many weeks
to write.
Tears coursed down the cheeks Of
the veteran Madsen as he read the let
ter from this friend Of more than a
quarter Of century. Madsen, hero
Of Sedan and during the siege Of Paris
and later in Algiers, complained that
the old timers are all passing.
Many have been the battles against
outlaws in which the Three Guardsmen
participated. They fought the Doolins
and the Daltons, the Bert Casey gang
and all the others that have terroized
the southwest during the last twenty
five years. After Madsen captured Bill
Doolin and brought him to Guthrie It
was Thomas who took the trail when
Doolin broke jail and again captured
him.
Thomas heard that Doolin might be
hiding in a certain place and he went
there. He concealed himself In fence
corner near the house. Early In the
morning Doolin came out. He went to
corral, from which he took a horse
which he had stolen in escaping and
led 1t down the lane approaching the
waiting Thomas.
When Doolin came within hailing
distance Thomas stepped out and COM
manded Throw up your hands" Dool-
in was carrying his revolver In his
hand, breast high he fired at him with
a shotgun loaded with buckshot. II
was said that Doolin died Of blood
poisoning.
Thomas was relentless pursuer Of
the Dalton gang and was so constantly
on their trail toward the end Of their
career that they were desperate for
lack of funds. It was this, It is said.
that caused them to make the daring
raid on Coffeyville, Kan, In which all
except one Of them was killed.
Heck Thomas, who Is native Of
Athens, Ga, turned up as courier at
the age Of 13 on the stan Of his uncle.
General Edward L Thomas of the
Confederate army, and through many
a bloody engagement he carried the or
ders of his relative.
His first employment after the close
Of the war was messenger for the old
Texas Express company. 1t was while
in this service that the train on which
Thomas was messenger was held up
by the Sam Bass gang Of outlaws.
There was consignment Of $4,000 In
the express car. Thomas had an ink
ling Of what might happen. He took
the. money from the deposit box and
hid It in the ashes of the car stove. In
the box he placed dummy packages Of
paper along with sack Of silver coins.
perhaps 500.
Sam Bass in person demanded Of
Thomas that he open the money box.
Thomas tossed the outlaw the key, but
under the gun was forced to pick up
the key, open the box and then throw
the money in the outlaws sack.
AS result of the fight with the
outlaws Thomas had one cheekbone
shattered with a bullet and another
went through his neck. After the
outlaws departed with the decoy pack
ages Thomas rushed to the engineer
and told him to hasten out Of that vi
cinity. No person knew. he had saved
the money until the end Of the run was
reached at Houston and 1t was turned
over to the express company. Thomas
had continued the run, although weak
from the loss Of blood. For his brav-
cry he was rewarded and made express
agent at Fort Worth.
Thomas was deputy United States
marshall for many years, working out
Of Fort Smith, Ark, during the days
that Judge Isaac d. Parker held su-
preme sway over the old Indian Ter
ritory country. Thomas helped break
up the worst gangs that 'terrorized the
him value recived-Louisville Cou-
rier Journal