Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1913-10-15
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broad land with Sits countless herds
and tlocks to prey upon his food sup
ply was unlimited. Nor was dyna-
mite the most formidable weapon he
could use against them. Fire was still
more to be dreaded, and should he
use that in his war against them prac-
,tically the whole nation would be at
his mercy. And there would absolute
~ be no way Of protecting themselves
against the red scourge II he used
caution and Judgment. He could pick
out any place&o operations he chose
and any night he chose. Sweeping
down with gale from the blackness
above he could start blazes that
would wipe out a whole city, soar on
to the next place north, south, east
or west, repeat. and SO on and on, leav-
ing ruins and death behind him until
the whole nation would be in q frenzy.
His possibilities for property destruc-
ton were greater than those of a hos
tile army, and no city was 80 great
and no fortress SO strong that he
could not humble 1t. AS long as he
remained free million men under
arms could do not more than make
him cautious. and II his, powers Of
flight were sufficient for him to cross
the sea Europe would be as helpless
as America Unquestionably there
was but one thing to do. Some way
and somehow he must be either cap
tured or killed regardless Of cost to
Individual life or the expenditure Of
money. So greatly was Mayor Elktns
impressed with the gravity Of the stu
alton that the examination of the wit
nesses was scarcely completed than
he was on fast train bound for the
capital OF the state. An hour after
arriving there he was closely closeted
with the governor.
Governor MfNeill. Spanish war off,
Ger and veteran Of more than one
fight, was not man to be frightened
at q shadow, but his face was very.
grave when Mayor Elkins had finished
his recital. -All that you say is I'M.
doubtedly true, sir. We are in as great
danger as though hostile army had
landed upon our shores. This Flying
Man, II man he really isand he GER
tainly must be either that or an al
most equally dangerous ape thing
must be rendered powerless to threat
en- us. He has already tasted our;
blood, observed our impotence, and
no one can tell when he will take It
into his head to commit wholesale
crime think he Is proceeding with
cunning and seeking to draw out our
full powers against him by commit
ting single crimes first the compare
lively minor offense Of dropping a
stone through roof and then under
sudden impulse, child stealing. He
will probably reason that II we have
not the power to avenge such crime
as the latter he Is safe in assuming
that we are completely at his mercy,
and having waited little while to
see what we Will do, and finding that
we can do nothing. he will give full
vent to his desires. Now, he is already
an outlaw by reason OF what he has
done and IL the girl dies in his pos
session he may be made to suffer the
death penalty If caught. Already we
have enough evidence against him to
warrant any citizen in killing him
upon sight, and will SO state in a
proclamation to the people. But we
must do more than rely upon individ-,
uals. We must put the machinery Of
the whole state In motion and run
him down If we have to follow him
to the pole and spend a million dol
lars in doing it. Now you have
thought about this matter more than
1 have, and what do you think we
should do first, Mr.. Mayor"
Mayor Elklns passed his hand
across his forehead. $50 far have
been able to think Of but one way
which promises any hope of immedi-
ate success. We must run him down
and meet him upon his own battle
field-in the air."
You mean the flying machines"
II do. We must call upon the aero
planes and hound him as wolves do
deer until we corner him and either
force him to surrender or kill him
outright as those present at the time
think expedient-always bearing in
mind that captured alive he would be
OF incalculable value to US from q
scientific standpoint. Militiamen and
cavalry will only be useful as guards
and scouts, yet all our troops should
at once be called to arms and distrib-
uted as you think best: But IL we
can get squadron of aeroplanes after
him we will have him upon the defen.
sive at once" Governor McNeill
smote the table with his fist.
''And by the Great Horn Spoon we
shall have the best aviators OF the
nation here as quick as an immense
reward can get them. Withiha week
we will have score of them securing
the mountain peaks for leagues about.
with others arriving every day.
will at once issue a reward Of two
hundred thousand dollars for his dead
body and two hundred and fifty thou
sand II he be brought in alive and not
MORALLY wounded. will go further.
/ will call upon the surrounding states
to add to the prize and will also ask
the United States government to
grant us whatever assistance we may
require, I will take the matter up
this very hour and never leave 1t out