Rensselaer Republican, Volume 16, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 September 1883 — VAPTURING A DESPERADO. [ARTICLE]

VAPTURING A DESPERADO.

In the far West, particularly in the far Southwest, the newly-arrived settler often finds that he has strange neighbors—not only Indians, but w hite desperadoes, who are more to be feared than even Utes and Apaches. Two young friends of mine—good, steady, New Eugland-born young men—were so unfortunate as to buy land in the vicinity of an especially-ugly member of this outlaw fraternity. — : These young men, had been brought np to obey the law, and to respect the property and rights of their neighbors. They could be brave enough in the defense of any just cause, yet they dreaded and shrank from the use of deadly Weapons against a feilow’-being, from ji keen sense of the sacredness of human life, and the criminality involved in such acts. Such were Gilbert and Charles Small. Plain, farm-bred boys, they had, by steady labor and economy, saved up a capital*of $1,700. With this they had emigrated to Colorado, and started a small stock-farm, fifteen miles from Alamosa. , By availing themselves of the Homestead act and tliePre-emption law, they secured a tract of 320 acres of land, lying upon a creek, with a range extending back over the hills, which was not likely to be taken by other settlers. At a point a short distance below, where a mining-trail passed them, and ■where they judged there would in time be a railroad, they built a frame house, whioh they also kept a stock of groceries. For, like many,other enterprising young emigrants, they had an ambition to found a town and grow up with it. Some eight or ten miles from them lived a man named Peter Hergit, who professedly worked a mine, but whose place really was a rendezvous for renegade “cow-boys,” and v other desperate characters of the Jesse James type. It was intimated that several daring trainrobberies had here, been planned, and also that “Clate Walker” made it one of his stopping-places. This Walker was a notorious gambler and degd shot.. He was supposed to be the leader of a band of train-rob-bers, and was supposed to have killed not less than ten men in various affrays. It was said, too, that occasionally, when times became too monotonous because of the lack of excitement, he would kill a man “for fun,” just to keep bis hand in. He had a habit, also, of riding through small towns and camps, shooting promiscuously at everybody he saw; to keep up the terror of his name? a matter he appears to have been vainV»f. It will seem well-nigh incredible to people in the East that such a man should be allowed to escape justice and run at large. Such is the ugly fact, however, in scores of cases, owing probably to' the circumstance that no officer bices to-attempt the arrest of these desperadoes, who generally carry twe and sometimes' three heavy revolvers* and are marvellously quick and sure of aim. As an example of the wonderfully rapid and accurate shooting of some of these frontiersmen, the w riter remembers .seeing a “cow-boy” at Eaton, N. M., ride his horse at full gallop past a telegraph-pole, to which was pinned the round white cover of a paper-collar-box, and lodge four balls from his Colt’s pistol in this small mark while passing. Afterward he entertained ns by throwing’up into the air, one after another. a handful of pig-nuts, and cracking each as it fell with a single bullet. Then he did the same thing again, tossing the nuts up rapidly and twirling the revolver round his forefinger after every, shot. Finally, throwing the nuts up more slowly, he replaced his pistol in its sheath at his hip after every shot, drawing it for each succeeding nut, and did not miss one out of six. This shows the accuracy and quickness of aim of many of these lawless fellows, and such a marksman was Clate Walker; who added to his reputation, moreover, the more murderous one or being a “killer,” which in the phrase of this section means a desperado who will shoot a man upon the least provocation.

Oar two young stockmen had heard of this border monster, but their first *ctnal acquaintance with him began the "alfer putting up tlieif sign of Sm&llßros., Hotel and Grocery.” Walker chanced to pass one morning, •nd seeing the new sign, reined in hia-, hone, and, by way ol calling the attention of the landlord to hia arrival, drew Bis revolver and opened lire on the iltooting the first letter 8 to pieces. Then dismounting, ha kicked the door open, and walking in, demanded a “cock-tail.” v , Gilbert, who chanced to be inside at IBs time, told him civilly that there waa

PJ ■ ■ v no bar connected with the house; for, true to their home principles, the young men had determined to keep a “temperance house”—a greater anomaly in the West than many at first suppose. h “A temperance house!’’shouted Walker, and lie vented his astonishment and disgust in a burst of oaths and revilings. “No man shall keep a l ©tel Wfith nothing to drink in it Jn these parts,” he said. “If you don’t have liquor, and good liquor, too, the next time I call, I won’t leave a whole dish or a whole bone here!” And, as a foretaste of what he would do next time, he kicked over the table and smashed three or four cliair.% by way of leave-taking. - With such a customer on their,hands, it is a little wonder that our two young friends felt very ill at ease. Still, they were field mep, and were determined not to be bullied into keeping rum; so they went about their business as usual. Nothing further was seen of Walker for a fortnight, when he again appeared early one morning, while Charles was getting breakfast—Gilbert having gone out to look after the cattle. The first hint that Charles had of his visitor was Another volley of shots into their signboard. This tune Clate had shot the second letter to pieces. It, was apparently his way of knocking. Immediately he kicked the door open as before. Under the circumstances it is not very strange tliat Charles stepped out of a back door at about this time and went behind the corral, from whence he heard Walker tiling repeatedly, and making a great smash inside. When at length the desperado had taken bis departure it was found tliat lie had_ma.de a complete wreck of the crockery and furniture, and in the grocery he liad helped liimself to tobacco and emptied his revolver at the kerosene barrel, which, tapped in half a dozen places, was deluging the floor. I shall not undertake to say wliat the duty of my young friends was—whether they should have resisted outrage and defended their property at the risk of their lives, or moved away from* so dangerous a neighbor, Wliat they did was to get out of sight whenever they saw’ Walker coming, and let him do his worst. _ It chanced that after a time a second cousin of my young friends came West to seC them. His naine Was Forney, and he was then a student at the military academy at West Point. lam not sure, however, but be liad just graduated, though that does not matter. He dropped in upon the Small brothers quite unexpectedly one afternoon, .and it is needless to say that they were glad to see him, and that they passed a very pleasant evening. Nothing was said about -Walker, for Gilbert and Charles, having an honest pride in tlieir ranch, were loth to let Lieut. Gerald know how badly they were off in respect to neighbors. The desperado happened to come along, however, the very next morning. Charles and Gerald were sitting in the dining-room, w’hen Gilbert, who had seen the gambler coming np the road, suddenly rushed in. “Old Clate Walker’s coming!” he exclaimed. “Put out at the back door!” Charles leaped to his feet, but our young West Pointer arose more leisurelv. “Who the dickens is ‘Old Clate Walker’?” he asked. “A regular border terror! A desperado ! A ‘killer’ ” exclaimed Gilbert. “He’slikely to shoot any of us at sight! Come on after us!” “What! run out of your own house!” said Forney, surprised. “Why, what hold has this fellow on you ?” “No hold whatever, but he’s a dead shot and a double-dyed murderer!” cried Charles. “You don’t know him as we do. Come along with us and get out of his way!” • • “Not I!” exclaimed Forney,—who perhaps felt that his military reputation was at stake, “Take your twjo shotguns and stand ready in the kitchen. I’ll stop here and see Mr. Walker’!” and he hurriedly took his revolver from his overcoat-pocket, then stepped to the window behind the desk on the counter. With his customary oath, the gambler and dead shot kicked open the door and strode in. The young Lieutenant sat on the high-stool behind the desk, apparently reading the hewP' paper. He did not lookmp. - “ Hello, you sneak !” shouted Walker* “Where are the tender kids what keeps this blasted temperance hotel ?” “I think they’ve gone out to hide,” said Forney, carjessly tin ning his paper. “They said there was a man-eater, a regular antliropophagus, coming, and that tliey were going to hide somewhere.” Walker started.' “Well! well !" he ripped out. “If you aint the freshest kid I’ve (.struck in ten years! Eight fresh from the East, aren’t ve, voung feller?” “Yes,” said Forney, moving the paper,—"Pm from the-East, au4—lanpretty fresh, I suppose. I’m a voting fellow, but I’m a pretty nice one.” “Don’t you give me any of your lip!” thundered Walker. “Do vou know who I am?” “How should I?” said Forney. “It’s none.of my business. I’m only here’on a-visit.—l don’t carewho you are, ”, The bully flushed, stung by the careless contempt in Forney's tone. “Suppose,” he muttered, taking a step toward the counter, while a murderous gleam crept into lug eye,\ “suppose I were to tickle your Adam’s apple with my dirk, whAt then ?” “Then. I’d shoot you dead for the scoundrelly hound you are!” exclaimed the young cadet, suddenly presenting his cocked revolver full in Walker’s face. “Move—stir a hand, and I’ll shoot you like a dog!” “The, first man that ever got the ‘drop’on me!” gasped Walker; “and you a little whipper-snapper from the East!” i “No matter what I am,” said Forney, sternly. “If yo* move a hand I’ll shoot you. Gilbert! Charlie!” The Ptwo brothers, who from the kitchen, had heard dialogue, and were several times on the point of taking to their heels out* at the back do3r, now entered, guns in hand. “Cover him, Gilbert,” said Forney. ' “If he stirs a hand, pnt a load of bow-

shot through him! Now, Charles, copae and take his pistols and his knife. ” f- A deep red flush mounted- to Walker’s face. But he knew that the j slightest movement on his part would ' send two cljarges of cold lead through J liis body. He gritted bis teeth, but ! stood motionless. ! They disarmed him, then marched him out of the door and round the ! house into thc’cattle corral in the- rear |of it. This corral was built of adobe ! bricks, tlie wall being from seven to ! eight feet high and inclosing a space ■ about eighty feataquare. | They gave Him no chance to get the , start, but kept him covered with both I gun and pistol constantly. They gave j him a clmir to sit on, liowever, and there he sat all day, watching the cadet and Gilbert, and they him, while Charles rode post-liaste to Alamosa to swear out a warrant for his arrest and .summon the Sheriff and his 1 posse to take him. The officers, hearing that so dangerous a ruffian was really Awaiting' tlieir -disposal, were not slow in responding | to Charles Smalls summons; and by 3 i o’clock that afternoon the young Lleui tenant had the satisfaction of seeing j the “border terror” taken into legal j custody and marched off' to jail j But, as is too often the case in the ! West, the prisoner was lynched instead j of being fairly tried and convicted of | liis crimes: He was taken forcibly 1 from the jail by a masked party from one of the neighboring mining camps, the third night after being lodged there, and hanged without any form of trial to the nearest, tree.— Youth'.* Companion.