The Southern herald., 1916-08-04

back to Pennsylvania, and with his
aid speedily rounded up all the mem
bers of the gang with the exception of
| Wess Watts Through the help OF
sister Of Mrs. Watts, who was in
correspondence with her, / learned
that Watts had last been heard from
at Paducah, KY. went to Paducah
and found Watts wife there, intro
ducing myself to her as friend of
her husbands.
"You get out of herew shrieked the
woman, "or I'll throw a kettleful of
hot water over you. amt got no
use for Wess nor none of his friends" :"
1t appeared from the woman's fur
ther explanations that her husband
had deserted her and their child and
had run of with another mans wife.
Thereupon quickly dropped my dis
guise and explained to the woman the
purpose of my visit. l learned from
her that Wess and a man named Oil
yer Brooks had opened a gunsmith's
shop at Shawneetown, ILL.,, and had
their shingle out for repairing, but
were in reality committing burglaries
and thefts almost nightly in the vi
cinity of that town.
Shawneetown is on the Ohio river
some fifty miles from Paducah. l
started for this point under circum-
stances which will be described later,
but was compelled to abandon my
first plan. l now took a boat and
arrived at Shawneetown very early in
the morning. l had no difficulty in
locating the gunsmith's shop, and.
having done so, seated myself upon
an empty box outside a general mer-
chandise shop across the way and
awaited developments. / had been
seated there for about an hour when
/ noticed little cloud of smoke com
ing out Of the stovepipe chimney in
the gunshop shanty. A few minutes
later the door was opened, and it be-
came evident, that some one was
sweeping, though who this person was
| | could not determine. Accordingly,
feeling curious, got up to investi-
gate.
When reached the spot the sweep
er had disappeared and there was
nobody in the front room. l knocked
at the door leading into the rear room
and was answered by man who came
out carrying the broom. He was clad
in blue overalls, knit undershirt and
a pair of rubbers. From his resemb-
lance to other members of his family
1t was evident that this was Watts
himself.
Are you a gunsmith?" / inquired.
'Well, l have job for you. l have
an old gun here, but l don't know
whether you can do anything with 1t
or not"
l awkwardly drew from my pocket
the Al Colt double-action revolver
which had brought with me, holding
it about the middle. Watts turned
around in a leisurely manner to set
down the broom. AS he turned again
and extended his hand to take the
weapon he found it pointed at his
head.
Hands up" I ordered.
Watts hesitated for an instant.
Throw up your hands or I'll blow
your head off," continued, and
Watts obeyed.
At that moment a man with a bushy
head Of red hair peered through the
door leading into the rear room, but
when he saw what was happening, he
ducked his head and disappeared.
Paying no attention to the second
man, commanded Watts to face
about and step forward to the door
which he did, keeping his hands up
AS he stepped down and out of the
door | took a pair Of handouts Out
of my left-hand coat pocket and
snapped them on my prisoners wrists
which were held above his head.
Now you can drop your hands,
said.
marched Watts to the door Of the
village hotel, Watts obeylng all my
commands In a mechanical manner
and uttering not word. On arriF
ing at the hotel l found the nigh
clerk in charge asleep in a chair, apt
he seemed to be terrified at the sigll
of his visitors. He quickly recog
cred, however, and upon instructions
brought US something to eat. Watts
managed to make a pretty goot
breakfast in spite of his irons"
On arising from the table 1t oc
Cured to me that my prisoner wal
not very well dressed for making
long journey. l had espied large
sized old fashioned linen duster ant
big brimmed straw hat hanging OF
the wall of the hotel sitting room
which, after some dickering with th'
porter, l purchased for seventy-hv'
cents and placed upon my prisoner
The addition of these garments mad
Watts more like the leader of husk
ing bee than the outlaw he really was
1t was only six in the morning whel
we stepped aboard train bound To-
East st. Louis. After we had beel
In the car for about half an hou