Year: 1877

OShpOCu MS dllSsL, W blllS u6 do-
sented, and asked them into the
house to dinner before leaving for
Fort Smith. With four revolyers
pointing at his head he coolly
walked into the house with them,
| placed chairs, and ordered dinner
quick for three and went about
making preparation to leave. Sud
denly he reached under his low
couch, brought out his six-shooter,
sent one ball through the thigh of
one deputy and another through
the eye of the other and drove
them from the house. He ordered
them to throw up their hands and
down their arms, and then coolly
asked for the writ. This he de-
stroyed, compelled the outwitted
and conquered officers to 90 in and
partake of the meal prepared for
them, and let them 20 back to re-
port their failure. He vowed never
to be taken alive, and he kept his
vow.


He lived for a part of the time
on Cane Greek, midway between
Muscogee and 0cmulkee, built a
block-house, surrounded himself
with set Of desperate criminals,
and bid defiance to all the marshals
of Texas or the territory. Here,
for fifteen months, he had been on
the scout. During the day he
never, for a moment, laid down his
arms He slept always with his
belt of arms on the bed before HIM
and the shooting Henry
rifle in his hands. A fresh horse
was always saddlcd near the door,
and no man was ever permitted to
approach him unless he was covered
by the inevitable rifle. Stimulated
by the heavy reward offered by the
State of Texas, many attempts were
made to arrest and numberless
traps laid to catch him off guard.
Nearly every deputy marshal in the
territory had tried his best to get
the "drop on him." but failed.
They have often met him in the
streets of Musccgee and Ocmulkee
when they were three to one, but
were afraid to attempt his arrest.
His reckless bravado led him, out Of
pure cussedness, to put in an ap.
pearance amid crowd of men,
visiting stores whenever supplies
were needed, or taking seat in
church amid the worshipers, armed
and taking care to keep the saints
always to the front. So great
was the fear he inspired,
that when he appeared at any cabin
in hurry the best the house af-
forded was always placed before
him, and no questions asked. His
name was not even spoken above a
whisper, and when the Indian
Journal dared to connect his name
with the robbery of eighty head OF
cattle up the river, the Office was
visited by an armed lieutenant
(since shot to death in Texas),
bearing orders from his chief to
apologize, and containing threat
to visit the Office in person. An
audacious invitation to visit the
Journal Office, and offering him the
freedom of the sanctum, amused
him till other events raised the
siege. The United States marshals
and deputies had given up all kcpe
of taking him, and gave him a wide
berth in their rides through the
Territory for criminals. A. few
weeks since the governor of Texas
made a requisition Oh the chief of
the Greek Nation, through the
United States Indian Agent, for his
arrest and return to the Texas
officials. Chief Ward Coachman
placed the necessary papers at once
in the hands of Captain Shun-thar-
pee, of Utechee Town, with orders
to bring in "Bill POsey, alive or
dead"


On Friday last the captain
learned that Posey had visited


0kmulkee that day and had a
wounded finger amputated, and had
left, going toward the Arkansas
: river. All that night, with a posse
of two picked men, they followed
on his trail, and on Saturday even
ing they came up with him near
Concharte town, on Pole-cat creek,
driving some stray horses ahead Of
him. He was well mounted, as
usual, and disdained to run from
three Indians. The captain ordered
him to surrender and throw up his
hands. The fight commenced.
Posey reached for the ever-present
: rifle, but his lost finger was in the
way, and before he could bring it
to bear a load of buckshot went
crushing through his right arm,
! breaking it above the elbow. AS
it dropped limp at his side he drop
ped his rifle, drew his revolver with