Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1914-07-11

OIIUMW
yond the hue and cry, had gotten EN-
ployment as a section foreman on the
Central Pacific, at Humbolt Wells
Nevada.
But since the friends of the vigil
antes had put a high price on his head
few weeks had passed before posse
Of nine men, including three Cheyenne
officers who had been slowly working
out his trail, and six other local gun
experts, rode boldly up on Cox late one
afternoon, never dreaming their mum
Der could fail to bluff him to a sur
render.
But they did not know my old mate
and, in fact, only three OF them lived
long enough to get acquainted.
For, seeming trouble at the first
glimpse of them, but waiting quietly
until they had come well up within
close pistol range, standing un.
sheltered on the open railway grade
through the level Humbolt Valley, Cox
opened fire on them before they mad
time to explain their errand.
And such was his marvellous cool.
ness and dexterity that he had killed
outright six Of the posse, and had put
the other three to fight before they
realized they had him riddled like a
seive, a sure victim if they had pos
sessed the nerve to wait until he fell
unconscious, as he did. of his wounds.
OF course he had all the advantage
in being firmly afoot while the posse
were mounted, but still I think the
reader will agree that, with the odds
against him heavy as they were, it
was two-handed mans fight Cox
put up.
Brought into the Wells by the men
of his section gang. Captain Smith. or
the Eighth Cavalry, learning OF his
desperate condition, took him in
charge, spirited him away into some
safe hiding, and had his wounds
dressed and cared for to his full con-
valescence by an army surgeon.
In all which good samaritanshlp
Captain Smith was honestly repaylng
good turn done him by Cox some
years before in old Tucson days.
There. one night, when the captain
was returning to his camp from town,
he was set upon by four thugs Tiger
Bill. Jack Briston, Pete Bean, and Pat
Marley, bent upon robbery.
Providentially for him, at the mo-
ment of the attack, Cox, unnoticed by
the others, was passing. Always light
ming quick to take in situation, and
seldom guilty Of false play from his
point of view, old Cox cut into the
game so promptly and effectively that
Captain Smith escaped with a few
cuts of the scalp that a surgeons nee
die soon remedied, Briston and Tiger
Bill fell into their last sleep, while
Bean and Marley split the scenery into
ribbons on wild stampede to get out
of range of Cox's pistols.
Of course the captain was grateful
rightly enough, too, for doubtless
Cox had saved his life-but when he
offered Cox q hundred dollars and
Cox declined it, his debt had to remain
unpaid. So it stayed until Cox's fight
at Humbolt Wells gave the captain
his chance.
found Green River City highly
capable understudy for Cheyenne, both
in respect of general lawlesness and
of dominant control by vigilantes.
Courts and legally constituted peace
officers the town boosted, but It was
seldom they. found, or were permitted.
any form Of occupation in the line of
the duties such authorities are sup
posed to perform.
All lived under the corrupt influence
or in deadly fear Of the vigilantes.
Meantime, crime and violence ran riot,
limited only to the available number
of victims.
Two Of their most notable victims
were DR.. Johnson a nephew Of Brig
ham Young, and his wife, a niece of
Heber C. Kimball-kinfolk Of the two
brightest lights of Mormondom.
3 Enroute from Omaha to Salt Lake,
they were camped alongside the rush
ing current of the Green, just outside
of the town, and near to my camp.
Returning to my camp early one aft
ernoon, 1 passed gang of the lead
ing vigilantes marching into town,
some packing the limpdangling body
of one of the most prominent members
of their organization, others dragging
along DR.. Johnson, his hands bound
and a rope around his neck.
AS the row, whatever it might be,
was no affair of mine, and as my ex-
periences among them years before
had left me with no love for the Nor
mons, l continued toward my camp.
But, passing near the Johnson tent,
my ear caught the sound of low sob
bling within, plainly the voice Of a
woman, a note of distress no man
could ignore Entering, l found Mrs.
Johnson bleeding and weak of blow
on the head from a six-shooter, and
only semiconscious.
Quickly fetching cold water from
the stream, washed and bathed her
head until, presently, she was able to
sit up and tell me the Wretched story
of her troubles. ..-
An hour before, while her husband
was down by the river fishing, near at
hand but out of sight below the steep
bank, two of the town tOughs had en-
tered her tent and grossly insulted
her.
At her first scream the doctor came
so quickly on the scene that, entering
the tent behind her assailants, he was
able to snatch the pistol from the belt
of one of them and to kill the other,
when the disarmed man rushed from
the tent and fed. Directly she had
tainted.