Tombstone epitaph. (Tombstone, Ariz.) 1887-current, 1916-06-11

Sweeney was man of sinister repu-
'a,ion. He was Of middle height, about
thirty years OF age. with black. luxuri.
Gus hair. and the dropping mustache
which the bad man" affects. Like
most bad men" he was a coward and
a braggart. He was 1.-the and agile.
and never failed 10 talk OF his wonder
| Jul craftsmanship with revolver and
rife. In Clay county. Missouri. he had
| passed for horse thief. a treaCherous
| coward. and a notorious liar. He had
been arrested and tried for the muir
der OF a reputable farmer. who was
shot dead one evening while sitting on
| the porch OF his house with his infant
in his arms The shot was fired from
hedge across the road. and Sweeney
/ had been seen going toward the farm
| er's house a short time before the
murder occurred. and returning after
ward, carrying n rife on both occa-
/ sions. He was known 10 have thTcG:
oned the mans life; but, since there
was no direct evidence against him. he
was acquitted. The episode had made
| Sweeney so unpopular. however. that
he had been forced to leave Clay coun-
~ and make his home with his sister
and her husband near Little Cabin
| Greek. Indian Territory.
II was evident TO me that. whatever
/ greater degree OF guilt might rest with
/ Sweeney, he had been lying TO the eX-
press agent. The dead man could not
have been Ed Miller. as Sweeney de-
Z ~ Ia4arrea haI L a
| while attempting to rob a bank in a
little town in Missouri. / knew, too,
that the James boys we're living reput-
| able lives in Tennessee, and that Dick
| Little. another member of the old-time
gang, was in another section OF the
country. Accordingly resolved TO ar
rest Sweeney, on the charge of having
| murdered the dead man, and also for
having shot and seriously wounded
Conductor Warner: there was some
uncertainty as TO whether the dead
man had done the shooting or not, and
Sweeuey's arrest on both charges
would at any rate suffice TO hold him
pending inquiries.
During the afternoon preceding the
affair Sweeney had been al Vinlta
and. while standing on the platform Of
the railway station there. he had seen
special train go by. The telegraph
operator had informed the men on the
platform that Colonel Eddy. the gen
eral manager. was aboard her This
furnished me with an idea which
put into operation when subsequently
arresting Sweeney.
The chief OF the United States In
dian police at this time was Capt Sam
SiXkiller. a fuilblooded Cherokee In
dian. living at Nuskogee. The Indian
police was q federal organization, and
consisted of Indians OF good reputa-
ton, whose duty was TO patrol the In
dian Territory. They were armed and
mounted, and were there 10 protect
the law-abiding Indians and other resi-
dents and their property. especially
from the whisky peddlers, OF whom
there were 4 number plying their ne
farious trade, selling the Indians cheap
whisky at exorbitant prices. which was
prohibited by the federal laws govern
ing the Indian Territory. Sixkiller had
authority to arrest any person charged
I d
ly / telegraphed him, requesting him
10 meet me at Vinita for the purpose
OF arresting Sweeney, without. .ow:
ever, mentioning the mans name.
The reply, which came from Sixkil-
lers physician. stated that Sixkiller
was Ill in bed with fever. ! there
. upon called Up Luke Sixkiller. the
. chiefs brother, who resided al Vinita
and was 4 member of the police force.
Sweeaey's house.
Luke Sixk!ller was Mortified at my
: proposal.
! Why" he said. this man Sweeney
; is a terror. lie Is a wonderful sho;
with either rife or pistol. and it will
. take at least a half dozen men, we'll
armed, to capture him. He is a des.
: perate man, and we will have TO wait
, until the chief gets well enough TO
come and help take him"
had been accompanied to Vinita by
: William H. BonneIl, one OF any most
trusted assistants, a little man, but
) noted FOR his fearlessness. Upon
learning of the detection OF Luke Six
D killer, Bonneii at once asked permits
D sion TO join me in the arrest of Swee
: ney. After sleeping over the PROPOSE
) ton. however. / decided to make the
Z arrest single-handed I had seer
{ Sweeney a year before in Kansas City
I when the man was pointed out to me
:, by an officer. but felt sure that Swee
0 ney would not recognize me. and that
e could take him by a stratagem. If
= went single-handed. whereas, IL were
o accompanied by my assistant, Swee
d ney would become suspicious of oui
y motives and would open fire. ] knew
e that the bad man" becomes a very
d good man indeed when he is confront
p ed BY a man over whom he has M
II treacherously acquired advantage
e Bonnell demurred strongly. fearing fol-
d my life. but refused TO allow him t.
e join me.
hired a horse from a livery stabl,