Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1916-03-19
When Brave Deputy Marshals
TrOd the Old Indian Country
Some of the Famous Officers Who Killed and Were Killed

/ ted the hiding places and there was
n roundup, in which the bad men
Jared badly. though there were tunes
when an Officer, or scevral of them
would be killed.
The criminals and outlaws who
sought congcnial places in which ;C
scout in the Indian country were
from all over the union. white men
and black, and there We're some bad
Indians-some Creeks, t'herokees
Choctaws Seminoles and Chickasaws
in instances where Indians had killed
white men. or had introduced whis-
ky into the territory, they were
auenable to the United States court
and as consequence the marshals
upon their return to Fort Smith, from
trip into the territory, usually took
back with them number of the alb
origines. a courageous and nervy lot
OF men were required to carry out
the requirements OF the court in so
far as Indian Territory was con-
cerned, and as general thing the
old-time Fort Smith deputy filled the
bill.
For number OF years there were
several eX-soldiers Of the civil war
who carried commissions as deputies,
and having been often "baptized' in
fire during the prevalence of that con-
flict had but little dread Of the VIM
chesters and siXshooters of the ter
ritory outlaws. Some OF these old
time marshals were cool to an aston
ishing degree. As an instance, may
be mentioned Deputy Joe Peavey.
Joe Peavey had writ for the arrest
OF a bad white man named bradley
Collins, n Texan, who conducted a
trading post, and raised race horses
near old Gibson station, soon after
the Katy railroad had been built and
placed in operation. Peavey had
reached Fort Gibson, which was then
occupied as a military post, and was
walking along the street one day
when unexpectedly Bradley Collins
made his appearance. He knew the
marshal wanted him, and he had no
intention of surrendering. He had
the drop" OH the officer, who, new
erthclcss, reached for his weapon,
whereupon Collins began to back
away, shooting as ne went. Peavey.
despite his disadvantage. would
doubtless have killed or wounded the
outlaw, but in the midst of the des-
perate situation the marshais pistol
got out of order. He was using the
old-fashioned cap and ball revolver
OF the war time period, as in 1872
there were no cartridge pistols in ex-
istence. Right here was where most
men would have given up the fight,
but Peavey had no such intention.
With the utmost doliberation he held
the weapon in one hand and picked
the portion of percussion cap from
where 1t was clogging the cylinder.
Collins continued to back away and
fire, but he was excited and failed to
mortally wound the marshal, though
one of the officers fingers was shot
away. By the time the marshal had
his revolver III working orocr the
outlaw was quite "A distance away and
running rapidly. The officer emptied
the siX-shooter at the fleeing man,
but he made his escape. Later on ha
attempted TO rob a store near Gibson
Station in company with his brother,
hut both We're killed by the propri-
etor, who used double barroled gun
with buokshot with deadly effect
Quick Shooting.
Deputy Marshal Cole left Fort
Smith one day with the intention Of
going to the territory, but as he stood
upon the ferry boat which piled be-
tween the Arkansas and territory
shores of the Arkansas. II bad man
also showed up on the boat, and
drawing his pistol, shot point blank
at the officers head, cutting off one
end of his mustacbe. The marshal
was very quick and before his op-