The Tomahawk., 1916-06-08

NEY, BUT is THAT GUN LOADED?"
, With my left hand I unbuckled my
captive's belt and removed it. 1t con-
tanned the holster with the Colt AT
that moment Bonnell entered. I in
structed him to put handouts on the
prisoner and take him to the GALA
| boose.
When the next train stopped at
Vinita there descended from it, not
Colonel Eddy, but Captain Sam Six
killer, who had arisen from his sick
bed and gone to Vinita to assist me
in making the arrest.
81 wouldn't take him through Mus"
kogee if 1 were you," said the In
dian.
"Why not?" 1 asked.
'The railroad men there don't like
Sweeney" answered the captain.
They've come to the conclusion that
he is a fraud, and that it was he
and not the other fellow, who shot
Chick Warner They'll probably
lynch him if they can get hold OF
him. Chick is a fine fellow and
very popular among the men,"
Accordingly we boarded the north
ward bound train and took Sweeney
to st. Louis transferring there to the
Iron Mountain for Little Rock, Arkan-
sas. Here another change was made
for the Fort Smith and Little Rock
| road, and thus Fort Smith, Arkansas,
| was reached in safety, without any
interference on the part of the rail-
road men.
From the moment of his arrest
Sweeney appeared stunned. He ola
not utter a single word until he was
on the St. Louis train, and probably
twenty miles north of Vinita. Then,
being seated beside Captain Sam Six
killer in the smoking car, with myself
in the seat Immediately behind, ne
turned his head round.
''Mr. Foster" he said, still address,
ing me by the name which had given
on the occasion of my arrival at the
farm house, "I wish you would please
show me that gun you stuck into my
mouth"
l took the cartridges out of the der
ringer and handed it to him. The
weapon was of Al calibre, and not
more than five inches in length. The
prisoner took the pistol and examined
it critically. Then, without turning
his head again, he handed it back
over his shoulder, saying in dis
gusted tone Of voice:
II thought it was foot long!"
| Sweeney was in due course lodged
in Jail at Fort Smith. He was in
dicted and finally tried, but was &C.
quilted since 1 was never able to dis
cover the identity of the slain farm
hand or the motive for the murder.
Sweeney came into collision with
me on an occasion subsequent to this
episode. After his release from jail
he returned at once to Clay county,
Missouri, whence he wrote a letter to
Mr.. A. A. Talmage, then general man
ager of the Missouri Pacific railroad
demanding ten thousand dollars i'm
mediately, and threatening that If this
sum was not received he would blow
up the bridge on the Wabash railroad,
also stating that he would kill me on
sight in any event. This letter being
handed to me, I obtained warrant
for Sweeney's arrest and went to his
fathers farm near Missouri City, Clay
county, accompanied by deputy
sheriff. It was night and Sweeney
was in bed. My companion and l
raped at the door, which was opened
by Sweeney's father.
I'VE are officers and have war
rant for the arrest of your son Bar
ney'," l said.
| At the head of the stairs stood Bar
ney," shotgun in hand.
q am here" he shouted, !@and will
kill any man who attempts to come
up those stairs"
In an instant the deputy sheriff had
bounded up, I following him. Bar
ney" was thrown to the floor and cap
tured without a shot being fired. He
was taken to st. Louis and sentenced
to three or four years in the peni-
Tertiary.
After his release Sweeney held up
and tried to rob Wabash passen-