Year: 1876

The St. Louis Republican saws:
Years ago Harrison counry, in Texas,
was the haunt Of about as desperate a
gang of ruffiaDs az ever infested any
district west Of the Mississippi. Their
number was so great and their organ.
ization 30 complete that they set the
but half,administere0 law at defiance,
carrying on a career of daring crime
with impunity. and making the region
an undesirable place of abode for all
honest citizens. Ostensibly hunters or
setraders, the desperadoes really
made stock stealing their chief occu-
patton, never hesitating to commit
murder when necessary to their own
safety, or for the execution of any Of
their rascally plans. The controlling
spirit in this desperate organization
was a giant named Dick Reddett, who
from his exceptional fsrocity and dar-
ing exercised almost despotic control
over his followers. A special pride of
this man was in his extraordinary
skill in the use of the rifle, no one of
the band being able to compete with
him in what was at that time consid-
cred the chief accomplishment of
western man. 1t was>a favorite prac.
tice with his band to \congregate at
some one of the small stores scattered
through the country and there engage
in shooting matches, and il was upon
one of these occasions that Sam Long
CHANGED to be present. long was a
quiet, modest fellow, who lived with
his wife and child in a small cabin in
the neighborh lod, and made hunting
his chief occupation. He never ap.
peared at the store save to exchange
skins and furs for provisions and
ammunition, and was widely and ia.
vorably known for his sobriety and
honesty. Upon the occasion just re.
ferred to, when. Sam Long chanced to
come while the desperadoes we're en-
gagged in one of their shooting ma atches,
it was demanded that he should take
part IN the sport. The hunter hesi-
ta:ed at first, but finally, not wishing
to incur the i'll will of the ruffians con-
sented. His skill with the rife was
known to be something remarkable,
and the desperadoes were not greatly
surprised when he defeated them all
save the captain of the band. This
man had not engaged in the sport, hut
when Long had vanquished all the
others, came forward with the assur-
ance of au easy victory. The shots
were made and to the surprise of every.
body Long gained the day. The rage
of the leader of the ruffians knew no
bounds at being thus defeated iE the
presence of his followers and, althou oh
refraining from any violence on the
spot, he intimated darkly to the. hun
ter that he would "get even with him -
Long paid little attention to the threat
and soon afterward returned to his
cabin.


At just dusk, some days later, Sam
Long having come in from a long
hunt, was lying or the floor of bis
cabin and playing with his child, while
his wife was getting supper The wife
busy with her cooking, asking Long
to go to an adjacent spring and bring
some water,a request which he prompt
ly complied with, leaving the gun in
the house, somewhat unusual course
with him. He had reached the spring
and was stopping to fill the pail he
carried, when he was horne down by
au attack from behind, bound secure
lv, and dragged some yards into the
woods. When he recognized his as
sailants he knew what to expect He
had fallen into the hands of the Red
dett gang, and the leader was about tn
| "get even" Long was stripped by
order Of the captain, and bound to a
tree. A supply of hickory switches
was obtained, and then the captain
took one of them up and began the
whipping, announcing with an oath
that no man could beat him or his
men shooting and stay in the country


The sufferings of the victim were ter.
rible. The flesh was cut from his back
in strips by the blows, and when the
leader of the ruffians had gratifed bis
rage, others ofuthe hand continued
the punishment. But one man among
the number showed any mercy, and


his assertions that Long had been pun


ished enough were received with deri


sion Finally the hunter tainted un


der the pain, and the rufiiaus having


satisfied their grudge, departed. leav


ing the object of their spite still bounC
| to the tree. In this position he wa


found by his wife, who had becOm'


alarmed for his safety, and who


searching for him, had been attracted


to the spot by faint moaning. Sh
| oss;stad him n, raaeh the cabin 1hicl