The Hartford republican. (Hartford, Ky.) 18??-1926, 1921-12-16
OFFICERS IDENTIFY
BODY OF SLAUGHTER
Corpse Of Escaped Bandit And Con-
Wet Exhibited To Crowds
In Denton, Ark.

Little Rock, Ark, Dec. 1o.>-Any
doubt that the body of man found
dead in the woods twenty-nine miles
from Benton, Ark. this morning. Is
that of Tom Slaughter. outlaw, who
escaped in sensational manner from
the state prison here Friday morning.
was removed late today.
A positive Identification was made
in Benton by Edward Dempsey. of
the penitentiary, and Burl G. Rotten
berry, Little Rock chief of police,
Both of Them recognized the dead
an as Slaughter and Chief Rotten
berry further added to the identifi-
cation by means of fingerprints.
The body is being held at Benton
by Saline County authorities. The
inquest is set for Monday afternoon.
During the late afternoon the corpse
was placed on exhibition on wagon
on one of the principal streets OF the
own, and was viewed by large crowds.
The position of the body indicated
that the fatal shot had struck
Slaughter while he was reclining be-
fore the camp fire he and his six fell
lows had built in the woods.
According to Towards story the
group of seven men. two white and
five negroes. after abandoning the
automobile in which they escaped
kept together-al Of yesterday and on
several occasions heard members of
the posse searching for them. They
eluded all officers, however, and late
In the afternoon came to the seclud-
ed spot where they camped. Howard
said that Slaughter was slightly paler
than usual. but betrayed no sign of
emotion. He occasionally warned the
other members ofsthe party that he
would kill them if they "sIackened. .
Howard said he watched his
chance and got the promise Of Jim
Wells and Clifton Taylor two of the
negroes, to frame up" on Slaughter
and the other negroes. The plan was
carried out as arranged. The negroes.
watching their chance, disarmed ths
other negroes rs they slept. Howard
then shouted and as 5.augh.er start
ed to rise - mis- :-c,, shot him three
times7 The negroes who were not in
the. plot fled and Howard said he and
Wells and Taylor attempted unsuc-
cessfully to capture them. He them
returned to the fire, he and the ne
groes gathered all the pistols they
could find and went to the farm
house where they surrendered last
night.
End Like jesse James
ST. Joseph. Mo-. Dec. 10 The
shooting OF the bandit Slaughter by
Howard. the man to whom Slaughter
had given chance for liberty, par
allels somewhat the death of Jesse
James. the Southwtsts most famous
outlaw James, however, was shot (
by a relative and old friend, while
it is understood, was not a
former associate OF Slaughter.
With the gradual scattering of the
James boys band thru relentless ac-
tiyities of police and state authorities
Jesse James retired to his home at
st. Joseh, where for a time he re-
NAMED undisturbed, his pursuers
tearing to follow him.
Bob Ford. cousin of Jesse and one
Of the band and most intimate of the
feared leader. was persuaded by the
IL is said. for the promise
If immunity and the large rewards
offered.
While in apparent friendly con-
Fersation with the outlaw leader,
FORD shot Jesse in the back as the
after was standing on chair to
ldjust a picutre on the wall.