Year: 1869

He Sketches His Own CRrecr-IIe Is Driven to
Dcsperution and Murder by OutraRes In
aicted on Him and His Family-Iiis Brothers
arc Killed, and His Home DestrOyed-The
Spirit Of Revenge.


Sam Hndebrand, the notorious Missouri outlaw,
writes as follows to the ST. Louis Times OF the 26th


AS 'ifair play" is one of the jewels Of American
character and as It is considered right and proper
to give even the "devil his due hope you will not
refuse TO give to the public, through your widely
read paper, Sam Hildebrands own statement OF his
history since the beginning of the late terrible war;
to the end that fair-minded men may Judge whether
there was not some good reason and strong provo
cation for the desperate deeds charged against me.


When the war began was leading quiet, peace
ful life, trying to provide for my family in an honest
affairs in my part of Missouri, had made up INV
mind to keep out OF the troubles and take no part
IN the war in 1862, my brother, Frank Hlldebra1d,
went into the State Guards under Jen. Thompson.
ON FIank's return to see our mother aud family, he
was captured by mob headed by young McElvane.
by McElvanes order Frank was killed after his cap
ture-his head was mashed, his body mangled and
cut to pieces in such shocking manner, that the
most barbarous savage would have blushed to have
been guilty of the deed. bis body was then thrown
into mineral hole fifty feet deep, and left to rot


The next outrage committed on my kindred and
family was the murder Of my brother, George Wash
ington, and the Canadian named Eustache Ian
Mary. The last murders were perpetrated by men
in uniform, and who were soldiers in the Federal
army Two weeks after these outrages my sister
Mary died of trouble and broken heart.


Two weeks later these men came TO my mothers
house and loaded several wagons with her property,





best stone dwelling in the settlement. My poor,
dear, broken hearted mother seng the house burn
ing, sent my little brother Henry to those heartless
wretches and asked for the family Bible, as relic to
be kept when all else was gone. Not dreaming of
harm to the little, tender boy what can express her
horror and agony when these demons shot my little
brother, not twelve years old, through the bowels,
and end then put his foot on his head and cut his
throat? Thus were these atrocous deeds of blood
and cruelty and robbery committed on my Kindred
scb . orages @ Wod @ no avs no m @
TO desperate retaliation at time when the law no
longer had power to avenge mans wrongs for him
and for the sake or justice. And yet even then
bore these accumulated outrages without lifting
hand to avenge my brothers and sisters blood.
Loving my darling wife and little children better than


did anything on earth, forced my heart to bear on
in silence. Though crushed like worm, refused
sting The foot that crushed me-


During all these outfageS had resolved TO not go
in the Southern army, nor to NEEDLE in the troubles
in any way. | removed from Red river TO Flat
Woods, distant twenty-five miles, hoping that no
harm would befall me or my wife and children, il
would get out of the immediate neghborhood of
those who had murdered and outraged my family.


But, to my surprise, about the middle Of May, just
when my crop was looking WELL and hope was strong


a wG@a @ hNnse DE el a IN 0 w one
and his crew Of some thirty or forty men, all well
armed.


remembered the fate of my brothers and friends,
slaughtered in cold blood, like sheep, after their cap
ture, and knew there was no hope of mercy or JUS
courage and strength that God had given me.


They die with me was cast; | had sought peace
and quiet but the bloodhounds had trailed me.
was at bay. The conflict that had fed from was
forced upon me- The alternative was life or DEATH


Imet my pursuers at the door. | shot down two
OF them in their tracks, made a rush for the woods
and escaped. Finding it impossible to live at or
near home, went to Arkansas, and afterwards got
my wife and four children. The two men killed in
my door was the first blood ever shed by me. Then,
when price was set on my head, determined to
revenge the death Of my brothers. | rode several
times from Arkansas before could get to shoot
McElvane, the infamous butcher who had murdered
my brothers and sought my life. Then l meant to
harm no one else if they would leave me undis-
turbed, but some of the soldiers, piloted by Jim
c Src- very meddlesome spy, undertook to have me
Killed.


In self-defense turned loose on them and made
many OF them who sought my life bite the dust. l
often met them in the woods They all knew me,
and would offer TO assist me, Thev would make an
appointment to bring me provisions to my hiding
place, and would pilot soldiers there to try to have
me captured. / always killed that kind OF men. |
have captured many Union soldiers but never hurt
or treated them unkindly unless it was one who
had brutally treated Southern prisoners and
knew 1t.


have had hundreds of hair-breadth escapes for
my life but know there is merciful God that
knows and does all things right-an all-powerful
hand has protected me. | have twenty times been
suddenly walked, and fied from my bed, when a
shower of Yankee balls would riddle the bed l had
sprang out OF. have had my clothes torn from my
body with Yankee bullets, but two only ever drew
blood from me-