The Lamar register., 1914-12-30
BANDIT STARR PAID PENALTY
Avenging Brothers of Man He Is Be
lieved to Have Murdered Strike
Upon His Trail Till He's Slain
According to the Report
(By James R. Noland)

buried in a shallow grave in the wilds
of the Oklahoma hill country, accord
ing to the belief of many people in
that state. He was shot to death,
it is reported, by two avenging broth
ers of former member Of his gang
Of desperadoes and bank robbers.
They took his trail, it is stated, sew
eral weeks ago, after taking an oath
not to quit it while Starr lived. They
returned to their home last week.
The discovery of the body Of their
brother in a shallow grave at the head
of deep ravine in a secluded, noun
famous section near Blocker, about
fifteen miles northwest of McAlester,
Okla, started these avenging Nemeses
upon Starts trail. The dead man,
known to the officers of the law as
Tom Spencer, had been a member of
Starts gang and the indications were
that he had been murdered for his
share of the loot obtained in different
bank raids last September
Spencer was known to have had
$4,000 in a money belt about his
person when he started out on the last
ride with Starr and a member of the
band known as Joe Davis. They were
bent on robbing another bank the lead
err had "staked out" This was the
last seen of Tom Spencer alive.
The body was discovered quite ac-
cidentally, hunter stumbling upon
it. Identification was made through
an examination of the dead mans
teeth and of certain scars on what
remained of the limbs. Wild beasts
had torn and mutilated the features
beyond recognition. Wrapped about
the corpse was slicker raincoat,
identified as the property Of Henry
Starr. No money or valuables were
found.
The two brothers, in common with
many persons, knew that Tom Spencer
was with Starr. They knew also that
he had a large sum Of money with
him when he started on his last ride.
They made their own deductions, and
they concluded that Starr had turned
traitor and assassin to gain this extra
pile Of gold.
"You needn't bother about looking
for Starr" they are quoted as de-
claring to the men who were for or
ganizing a posse to hunt down the
bandit. "We1l find him all right and
when we leave him this slicker he left
wrapped about Tom Spencer will be
about him, and he'll be in just the
same sort of scratched-out grave he
left Tom in"
Whereupon, the two avengers, both
dead shots, both fearless, both heavily
armed, both knowing every inch of the
rough country where the bandit made
his haunts, started out on their mis-
sion of vengeance. They We're well
mounted, and they rode tirelessly day
and night.
They kept to the hard trail for near
ly a week, picking up just enough
information now and then to con
vince them that they were not far be
hind their quarry. Then, one day
down in the hills where the Choctaw
Indians live, and where Henry Starr
was born, they came upon squaw
man well known to them. He had
seen Starr, yes, and he was glad to
testify to the fact. And why not, the
bandit had been liberal, paying him
a 500 gold certificate for a nights
lodging.
The brothers had not seen a $50 bill
for so long they would like to examine
it, they said, jokingly. And in that
way, without arousing the suspicion
of the squaw man, they looked over
the gold certificate, finding that which
they had hoped, but hardly dared to
expect they would find. This was
dull red blood stain, comparably fresh
in one corner of the paper money, a
mark indelibly stamped there, they
agreed, with the life blood Of their
brother.
They followed the lead like blood
hounds on live scent. They located
other gold certificates bearing the
same dull red stains and given to the
holders, they said, by Starr or Joe
Dayis Rut the avengers were unable