The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-08-14
CHALK SHOT HIM
Story of Kansan'S PrOwess as
Officer Is Told.
Fatally Wounds Desperate as
Woman Brings Gun.

Many stories are told of the nerve
and fearleSsness of the late Chalk
Beeson, whose death occurred recently
at Dodge City. As a sheriff of Ford
county and a deputy United States
marshal he had many thrilling adven-
lures in the days when there were
still desperadoes in western Kansas.
One of the acts typical of the N
trepid character of "ChaIk" Bees n,
as an officer Of the law is related by
the Dodge City Globe. 1t was his
pursuit of the Doolan gang which rob-
bed the Spearville bank in 1896.
The headquarters of the gang was
in Oklahoma and from there they
made depredations on Kansas banks,
slipping back to cover until pursuit
died down. Their bold daylight rob-
berry of the bank in his territory pro-
voked Beeson and against the advice
of friends he set out alone to. bring
them to justice. He went to Oklahoma
under an alias and when he found the
headquarters of the gang near Ingal lis
he went to Guthrie and was appointed
a deputy United States marshal, as
he was far out of his jurisdiction as
sheriff.
Defying a Desperate.
The man he had determined to ar
living with a woman in a cabin five
miles from town. Accompanied by
man whom he believed he could trust
Beeson rode to the Yantes cabin at
selves in by the path Yantes must take
in the morning to go to the barn TO
care for his horses.
When Yantes appeared Beeson or
dered him to throw up his hands but
instead of complying the bandit at
tempted to run. The plan had been
for the deputy to shoot the desperate
If he offered resistance while Beescn
watched the house for fear other
members of the gang might be there.
The mist had damped the caps OF the
deputy's gun and when he failed to
fire BeeSon believed he had been be-
trayed. He fired at Yantes just as the
woman ran from the house with the
bandits revolvers Yantes was fatally
wounded and died before the officers
could take him to ingalls,.
He Got the Reward.
Rewards had been offered by the
state, the banks, the railroads and the
insurance companies, for any mem
Der of the Doolan gang, dead or
alive. But Ives, the Populist attor-
ney general of Kansas. refused the
state reward to Beeson because ne
claimed the Identification of the dead
bandit was insufficient. The ident1-
hcation was by means of a picture
of the dead man identified by CaSh-
Ter Baird of the Spearville bank and
two other employees
Iyes'S refusal caused BeesOn to write
the governor, 81 have either killed
member of the Bill Doolan gang and
am entitled to the reward, or have
murdered an innocent harmless citizen
and am amenable to the law. 1 Will
give your attorney general five days
to change his decision after which
1 will appeal to the public"
The reward was paid by the state
and the companies followed suit. This
was the only killing Beeson was con-
cerned in but he never failed to set
the man he went after.
From the time Yantes was killed
until the Doolan gang was exterminat-
ed Mr.. Beeson never ceased to receive
ANONYMOUS letters threatening MIN
with death, and his life and the lives
of his family were in constant danger.
Several years ago Mr.. Beeson was
severely injured when his revolver
was discharged as he was craving
under wire fence. The bullet
struck him a blow on the temple ana
he suffered from the injury for some
time.