Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1914-01-29

produ tanu WIN luS countess nerQe
and focks to prey upon his food sup
ply was unlimited. Nor was dynat
unite 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
ly be no way Of protecting themselves
against the red scourge II he used
caution and judgment. He could pick
out any place Of operations he chose
and any night he chose. Sweeping
down with a gale from the blackness
above, he could start blazes that
would wipe out a whole city. oar 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 a frenzy.
His possibilities for property destruc-
ton were greater than those Of a hos.
tile army. and no city was so great
and no fortress so strong that he
could not humble 1t. As long as he
remained free a 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 Elkins
impressed with the gravity of the stu.
alton that the examination of the wit
nesses was scarcely completed than
he was OF a fast train bound for the
capital Of the state. An hour after
arriving there he was closely closeted
with the governor.
Governor McNeill, Spanish war off,
Ger and veteran Of more than n
fight, was not a mar to be frightened
at a 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 a hostile army had
landed upon our shores. This Flying
Man, II man he really is-and 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 n can tell when he will take 1t
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-irst the compare
lively minor offense Of dropping a
stone through a roof and then under
sudden impulse, child stealing. He
will probably reason that II we have
not the power to avenge such a crime
as the latter he Is safe in assuming
that we are completely at his mercy,
and having waited a little while to
e what w 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 II the girl dies in his pos
oCoolOh hC hoy NC hlduC " III IN
death penalty If caught. Already we
have enough evidence against him to
warrant any citizen In killing him
upon sight, and I 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 II we have to follow him
to the pole and spend a million dol
lars in doing 1t. Now you have
thought about this matter more than
| have, and what do you think we
should do first, Mr.. Mayor?"
Mayor Elkins passed his hand
across his forehead. $50 far l 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 W battle
field-in the air"
you mean the flying machines"
Il do. We must call upon the aero
planes and hound him as wolves do a
deer until we corner him and either
ioiCc hlm " 5uiiChucI vi MIL ulul
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 a
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 II we
can get a squadron of ae%roplanes after
him we will have him upon the defen-
sive at once" Governor Mcneil
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. Within a week
we will have a score Of them securing
the mountain peaks for leagues about,
with others arriving every day. III
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.
I 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. / will take the matter up
this very hour and never leave It out
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