Evening star., 1937-07-22
BY JAMES Z. DENTON.

BY JAMES f. DENTON.
OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla, July 2.
| .A.N.A) Il came very nearly goins
riding with Pete Traxler and Free
Tindol without my pants. 1t hap.
pened this way. l went to Kingston
from my home in Asher to visit my
father, w. M. Denton.
We were all asleep. The first thine
I knew l heard my father talking
| Then I heard some one pounding al
the screen door on the back porch.
l craWled out Of bed in my night
clothes to see what it was all about
Just as walked in the kitchen these
two fellows came bursting through
the door. Tindol had rifle over his
arm, and Traxler held revolver il
his hand. I had pretty good idea
who they were, because l knew 8
big hunt was on for them l knew
too, wasn't going to take any chances
with them.
You could see they had been having
a time of it. Their clothes were in
rags and awfully dirty. Their shoes
were stuffed. They smelled of sweat
They hadn't shaved for several days.
Traxler opened up the conversation
We've got to have that car out
there" he said, Ito get out of here"
| 1t was my car he mentioned, so
spoke up.
Il guess you can have it." I said
although knew blamed well he could
where's your keys?" he said.
Puts On His Pants.
He trotted right at my heels as !
went to the bed room. I took time to
put on my pants. He kept after me
to hurry up.
When had my pants on felt down
in my pocket and gave him the keys.
He tossed them in his hands mo-
ment and then he said;
I'm afraid we're going to have to
take you with US"
I went along without any trouble.
although I was scared to death they
get me killed.
| We all got into the front seat, with
! Traxler driving and me in the middle
They didn't talk much, guess because
they were too tired. You could smell
liquor on them.
We drove along side roads mostly
and I haven't the slightest idea now
where all we went. We hadn't gone
so very far when the thing I feared
happened. We saw some officers. We
drove right up to them They knew
me by sight and didn't try to stop US.
I guess they just didn5 suspicion a
car with me in it. Whatever the rea-
son. I'm mighty glad they didn't. ANY,
thing might have happened.
| We drove along maybe three hours.
| Finally we got onto a road with sandy
mud. Traxler speeded up. He liked
to drive fast apparently, and We Slip
ped off into ditch
1t took only one look to tell us that
We couldn't get the car out Of the ditch
without help
Come with u.s." they told me.
Take Trimmer and Car.
We walked about half mile down
narrow, rough road through the
woods. Then We came to farm house
one of those affairs of logs you find
in the neighborhood.
man and his wife-Frank Trim
mer, I learned he was later-were
putting something in his car
We all walked up to them and Tindol
| jammed his rife against Trimmer. He
told him he had to have the car
| Trimmer said he guessed they could
have it. but it was about out of gas
and it didn't run good anyway
| Tindol hardly stopped He kept
pushing him toward the car. Mrs
Trimmer got tired of it and tried to
interfere, but they just swept her aside
and We went on.
Traxler took the wheel again, with
| Trimmer beside him I sat Just back
Of the driver with Tindol beside me
Both the outlaws when We got started
kept revolvers lying in their laps.
Iraxler drove the car a ways, then
he said: This thing handles hard
Here, you drive"
That's where we really got the break
Trimmer got under the wheel and
Traxler took his old seat.
Captives Exchange Winks.
We hadn't gone very far when I
saw Trimmer cycling me in the rear
view mirror. I could see he was a
cool sort and didn't like what was
going on. I blinked my eyes at him
several times, real fast, and he Winked
back.
That was all we ever said to one an
other, but it was plenty.
| We knew for sure that if we got a
chance we would have it out with
those fellows.
| They gave us the chance. Along
about noon they were getting more
and more tired. We could catch them
nodding almost to sleep once in q
| while.
Finally, Tindol said: Drive up there
under that big tree on the hill and
let's rest Bit"
| Trimmer drove where he was told
and stopped the car. We Just sat
there, nobody saying a thing. Then
Traxler nodded. He came to with a
jerk, but in another minute he nodded
again and this time his chin fell down
on his chest.
Make Grab for Guns.
Trimmer looked at me again. He
looked like the cat that ate the ca
nary, and winked. I winked back and
began to keep an eye on my man. His
eyes were heavy, but he wouldn't 20
to sleep. Finally, however, he did
turn his head to look out the back
| window
That was his mistake. Trimmer
nodded his head and we went for
those guns. We were lucky. We got
them. shot Tindol without any
monkey business. He started out of
the car.
Just at the same time Trimmer
let Traxler have it. Then he whirled
around and sent one after nv man