The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1923-04-08


4 them the usual proportion of bad men
and outlaws, Three months after the rush
started bandid appeared so consummate
in skill and so cool in daring that all other
offenders against the law disappeared in
the shade Of his reputation He was pub
lie dread. His comings were unannounced
his gongs left no track. Men lowered their
voices when they spoke of him. His
knowledge of affairs in the town was SO I'M
canny that people called him the "Ghost."
The stages Inch bore gold to the rail
road 30 miles to the south left at the most
secret hours of the night but the Ghost
knew. Once he stuck up" the stage not a
mile from town while the guards were still
occupied with their TASKS of snakebite
Again, when the stage rolled at midday
80 miles south of Murrayville, and the
guards nodded from behind bush, shot the
near-leader and had the cargo at his mercy
in 80 seconds.
He performed these feats with admirable
finesse. Not single death lay charged
to his account, for he depended upon sur
prise rather than slaughter. Yet so heavy
was the toll he exacted that the miners
They organized vigilance committee
They put price on his head. Posses
secured the region of his hiding place, Hunt
er's canon into which he disappeared when
hard pressed, and left no more trace than
the morning mist when the sun diSperses
A hundred men combed the myriad recesses
of the canon in vain. Their efforts merely
stimulated the bandit.
While two score men rode almost within
calling distance, the Ghost appeared in the
moonlight before Pat Mcdonald and Peters
and robbed them of 10 pounds of gold dust
which they carried in their belts. When
the vigilance committee got word of this in
solent outrage they called mass meeting
so large that even drunken Geraldine was
enrolled.
Never in the history of Murrayyille had
there been so grave and dry-throated an af-
fair. William Collins the head of the vigil
lantes. addressed the assembly. He re-
hearsed the list of the Ghosts outrages,
pointed out that what the community need
ed was an experienced man hunter to direct
their efforts. and ended by asking Silver
Pete to stand up before them. After some
urging Pete rose and stood beside Collins,
with his hat pushed back on his gray and
tousled forelock and both hands Juggling
at his cartridge belt
"Men." went on Collins, placing one hand
on the shoulder of the man killer, 1--WE need
a leader who is born and trained fighter,
a man who will attack the Ghost with sys-
tenn and never stop after he takes up the
trail. And | say the man we need is Silver
Pete"
Petes mouth twitched back on one side
into the faint semblance of a grin, and he
shrugged off the patronizing hand of the
speaker The audience stirred, caught
each other with side glances and then stared
back at Silver Pete. His reputation gave
even Murrayville pause, for his reputed
killings read like the casualty list Of a
battle.
Il repeat" said Collins, after the pause,
in which he allowed his first statement to
shudder its way home, that Silver Pete is
the man for US. I've talked it over with him
before this and he'll take the job, but he
needs inducement. Here's the reward I
propose for him or for any other man who
succeeds in taking the Ghost prisoner or in
killing him: Wen give him any loot which
may be on the person of the bandit. If the
Ghost is disposed of in the place where he
has cached his plumber, the finder gets it ALL
It's high price to pay, but this thing has
to be stopped. My own opinion is that the
Ghost is man who does his robbing on the
side and lives right here among us. If
that's the case, We'll leave it to Silver Pete
to find him out, and we'll obey Pete's or
ders. He's the man for US. He's done work
like this before. He has straight eye, and
he's fast with his six-gun. l If you want to
know Petes reputation as fighting