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About The North Platte semi-weekly tribune. (North Platte, Neb.) 1895-1922 | View Entire Issue (Feb. 14, 1913)
!H ? TtlEKI thi; most famous or th meh or the west BY Ttf ?DCMY CO, Frank J. ' -jii"ff HOWLING mob of fortune hunters crowded Into Sllvor City, Now Mexico, In tho sev enties. Tlio uncovering of mineral wealth wna beset with great dangor. Tho Apa ches wore on tho war-path. It was hazardous to travel In tho country without an escort, but tho magnet of wealth In tho mines drew men to tho scene notwithstanding. In tho citi zenship of tho community there were rough men, for tho c.irly days were typical of tlioso of other mln-Ing-cnmps Isolatfd In tho mountains and distant from civilization, Hi that community thcro lived n boy of seven teen years of ago, respected nnd loved by all. Ho was a favorlto among tho young men nnd consid ered it model youth by tho old. Ho wna gentlo ns a child. Ills face was dollcatoly molded, his fikln as fair uu n girl's, his hnndH small nnd fin Gers tapering. Lithe, graceful, solf-rcllant, ho gave every promise of an honorablo career. TI1I3 boy William II. Ilonnoy was employed , In a local Ktore and wns considered a most ac commodating clerk. Tho gruff community was convulsed with horror and dumfounded with nstonlshment ono nfternoon when tho newa npread llko wlldflro that Ilonnoy had hacked a man to death with n butchor-knlfo nnd was flee ing for his llfo on the back of a stolen horse. Tho minder wns particularly atrocious. It wns the result of nn altercation In which young Bonney was crossed. Prior to thlB tho boy had never been questioned. In an Instant ho was transformed Into n demon, within a fow minutes lie lind added thoft to murdor, and In Booking a place of safety left behind him a trail as broad ns though he were following a macadam road. At the point of n rovolvor ho compelled Btrnngers to exchange horscH with him, seized tho best mounts nt tho various ranchos along his way nnd spread consternation whorover ho wont. Ho followed tho Mltnbros rlvor toward Doming, pursued by n posse from Silver City. Closoly pressed, ho escnpod eastward over tho Oregon mountnlns, when It wns thought ho wna headed for Mexico. The Start of a Bad Man's Trail. A western town wns novor moro surprised. The majority of tho pcoplo still dofonded him; there was some reason, his friends declnrod. for Ills strango net. nut as nown camo of tho way ( Tta.ho ws striking terror In tho Vnlloy of tho Pecos Stwhero the roughest men In tho southwest lived, the mind of tho public wns changed. From that time on his murdormiB exploits filled tho hearts of men with fear. Tho boy'n namo In western history became forever aftor nilly tho Kid. Ills namo of nonney Is all but forgotten. As tho Kid, ho stands as ono of, the groat historical figures of the cow country, ono of tho worst youtliB that over lived, prlnco of bad mon, tho youngest bad mnn of nil. His nppcaranco nmong tho prospoctors nnd nmld tho mining camps of tho Oregon mountains was electrical. Hero ho concolvod tho Idea, that to evade arrest ho must fight his way to tho front nlngle-hnnded. Ilo boldly trndod horses, obtained credit, bought supplies, bocauBo ho could shoot Btrnlght with n rovolvor arid had threatened tho lives of n mimbor of mon. Then with nil dis patch he pushed on to tho Valley of tho Pccob. This wns the scene of tho boy's oxplolta In tho taking of human llfo. T)ie Pecos Vnlloy wns filled with mon who had been driven out of Texas by tho Hangers, and Billy tho KId'B nssocintion with thoBo men do voloped his mania for shedding blood. In his first altercation ho realized that It was hla llfo or tho other man's. Tho fact that ho was quick with n gun mndo him feared. Ho bocamo embit tered against ono of tho stockmon Immediately upon hla arrival In tho vnlloy. "I'll mnljo this valley too hot for film and dan gorous to 'his punchers," said tho boy. At once ho commenced to uso this mnn's cow boys ns targets to prnctlco on. Ho began a cam paign that drow upon him tho enmity of every body Tho murder of these Innocent mon, purely to gratify n aplto ugalust their omployor, made him n lender among tho bands of nrmed thugs of tho region. Ho had nt a bound bocomo n colebrlty, nnd every group of bad mon wnntod tb claim him. Hut tho Kid would havo none of that. Hy degrees ho gathered a band of hla own. How Many Men Did He Kill? Tho Kid killed moro mon. yantonly nnd for sheer lovo of murder, thnn any othor mnn of xvhom thoro 1b n record In tho west. It will never bo known Just how many ho nBaaalnatotd. Ho wns a butcher who took dollght In slaying tho defenseless. Ho know no pangs of conscience. Ho had not ono slnglo redeeming trait. Ho would murdor n friend us quickly as an enemy. Ho thought nothing of appearing before a cook In charge of a "chuck" wagon, on a lonoly desert rango, nsk for something to oat. compllmont tho man upon tho quality of tho food ho had pre pared, with apparent grntltudo. Ilo would ask him, as If tho Idea had suddonly popped Into his head, whother ho wnB nu ofllcor or hnd been, Thon, ns though In doubt, ho would shoot him In his tracks. ThlB Is no oxnggorntlon A man whom ho loft for dead, and who Burylvod long enough to to! tho story, wns authority for tho ntntemont, shortly nftor his arrival on tho Pecos river. Tho boy was a terror before whom ovorybody fled. Ilo rode tho fastest horaos. ho holpod him celf to tho host there wns In every community ho visited, wiggled out of any number of tight, places, nnd shot his way to freedom n dozon times. Shortly nftor his nrrlvul In tho vnlloy, ho wna persuaded, becauso of his reputation ns n bnd man, to assist In tho nrrest of throo men charged with murdor. Thoy wore captured without tho firing of a shot, plnccd on horsoa, Ironod and otartod Jallwnrd. To tho deputy sheriff, who with him followed tho prlsouors across n long, dusty ennd plain, ho turned suddenly and said, "Let's kill thoso follows." "Why? They haven't dono anything to us." 'They're guilty nnywny, and we'll JuBt save tho county oxponso." "No, Billy, thoy hnvo not given ub a chnnco to ehoot at thorn thoy havo not trlod to oacape." The deputy trlod to arguo with him, for ho i. ; could seo the light of murder dancing in tho fellow's oyes. Tho Kid rodo for ward, compelling the ofllcor to do likewise, and, according to tho story told, shot all thrco men. Tho deputy spurred his pony, tho Kid aftor him. Thoy exchanged shots, and tho ofllccr escaped with a fow wounds. From that tlmo on It wnu rlnnpnrntla fnr thik Kid to enter a community. Ilo rnlded north through Lincoln county, which as larger than many onstorn states. Thoro was not a lino of railway or tolegraph In It, and no telephones. It wob easy to get away. At that time there was rivalry between tho different outfits. Tho country was filled with bad men, and they were nbout evenly divided among tho cowmen. Cattle Bteallng was a com mon thing. Tho Kid bocamo Involved In a nuro ber of rows, nnd he took sides. His reputation as a "killer" grow. ' Undoubtedly a number of theso mon were killed bb a result of troublo among themselves, and tho killing laid to tho door or tho Kid. It was onBy. Ho could not deny It. No ono would havo bollovod him if ho had. Besides, the moro murdors credited to him, tho greater tho fear In which ho would be held. Thus It wns that It finally became Impossible to got any ono to accopt tho position of sheriff of Lincoln county, for It was only a question of tlmo when he would run ncrosB tho youthful demon. Tho Kid know that ho had terrorized tho coun try. Ho know that tho Instant ho let down his guard ho would bo killed. Ills safety lay In con tinuing. The Turn of the Tide. Thon, ono day, oven thoso hard characters who professed to be his friends were amazed by tho report that for some trivial Incident ho had killed a member of his own band. Tho outlaws were now as anxious to end his career bb were tho law-nblding pooplo of the village. HIb friends commenced to murmur. Tho Kid was now re ported In a dozon places at tho same time, and thoso stories ho turned to his ndvantnge by ap pearing nt Irregular, though frequent, intervals in wldoly separated cow camps for more than a hundred and fifty miles north and south of t,ho V Pocob rlvor. Pat Garrett, a lanky Alnbaman, who had help ed organize tho Toxna Hangers and had assisted In driving the bad men out of TexaB to tho first water west of tho Stoked PlaliiB, wns Invited by the cattlemen to locate In Now Mexico. Thoy wnnted him to restoro order. Tho only wny that could bo dono was cither to arrest or to kill tho Kid. Garrett's record In Texas as a man-hunter nnd bad man tamer was known all over tho south west. In addition to being qir.ck with a gun, ho was absolutely without fear. Ho wns olected without opposition and took hold with nn iron hand. Ho was an organizer, and men ffocked to hla standard. They felt, in stinctively, that at last a man had arrived who could copo with tho situation. The Capture of the Kid. In Nbvombor, 18S0, Garrett camo upon tho Kid suddonly nnd enptured him, with, several others, after killing ono man. Word had renched Garrett that tho Kid and his gnng of throo were located In nu old house a Bhort distnnco from Sumnor. "Wo had bettor make plans to get him," said ono of tho doputlos. "Tho plan Is to got there before ho gets nway. I'll toll you what to do on tho way." Tho way led down a sagocovorod "draw," with sovoral bonds mndo by aa'nd dunes around which tho road curved for a distance of about llvo miles. Before ho renched tho Inst bond he pulled up hlB horse, nnd wnltlng for his deputies to como up to him, nnd then, In tho oven voice for which ho was noted, said: "I am going to rido ahead. AH attention will bo centered on mo. That will glvo you a chance to surround tho house. I nm going to take my tlmo nnd walk my horse. They may got mo, but If thoy do I wnnt you to ninko certain thnt you get him." Tho doputlos withdrew to right nnd left, ad vanclng under cover or tho sand hills In nn over widening circle until thoy had surrounded tho hoimo. Thon Garrett rodo forward. From hla poHltlonho could soo his deputies, who had dls mounted, nd vanclng cautiously through tho sage brush. Ho permitted his horso to wnlk slowly, ns though utterly unconscious of tho presence of tho gnng. At tho door ho cnlled loudly. Somo ono nppoarod nt tho window nnd. firing n Bhot at tho sheriff, dodged back. It was rrbno In nn tnatnut, but In thnt fraction of n Bccond tho man who had fired dropped dead In litis tracks! Garrett hnd dismounted, nnd with his deputies poured a fuslllado or bullets through tho sides. of tho thinly boarded shack. A whlto handker chief ut the window lndlcatod tho surrender of nilly tho Kid and his gang. "You Give Me n 'Six-Gun,' Pa'tl" When Gnrrott reached tho rnllroad with ( his prisoner ho was menaced by a crowd that sought to lynch tho Kid ' "It lookH bb though thoy nro going to got me. Pnt," tho Kid remarked. It wiib nn ugly crowd, bont on dealing to tho boy tho fnto ho was eortnln to meet sooner or later. "Not U I can holp It. Billy. You nro undor my care, nnd I Intend to protect you." "You glvo mo a 'slx-guu.' Pat. and stand aside a fow moments, and I will clean out tho whole crowd. You'll boo thum stampodo tho minute you glvo mo n gun." "You could holp If you played square." "I'd havo to, old man. I'm In tho tighten plnco I over was In my life. They'll 'get' us both If you try It nlono. They may get mo. anyway! Hut you are up against It, If you try to defend mo along." "I'll trust you once, nilly; but understand, no foolishness. I'll 'drop' you If you try It." Tho crowd grew more menacing. Tho domand for tho life ri tho Kid became more ilnalsX. wMmmSmSSBMKKi Hi 11111111 II lirr jSBk 11 ma lR iSPB vi fete t." jr?i,' mmcwA "Listen!" shouted tho tall sheriff during a sngnt lull. "The man Is my prisoner. You told mo to arrest him. I have. Ho must havo a fair trial. 1 know ho is guilty. Hut It Is for a Jury to pronounco him so. You can not tako him while I havo n breath of Jlfo loft, or whllo Billy tho Kid has, either!" Saying which ho passed a revolver to the boy who had struck terror Into the Pecos Valloy, "You must get two of us now." Hack to back tho sheriff of Lincoln county and tho most noted murderer In tho southwest stood. "Now, nilly," cautioned Garret, "don't shoot unless I tell you to. Hemember that without mo your llfo 1b not worth two bits today." It was impossible to tell what was working In tho mind concealed bohlnd the childish face of the Kid. It waa equally aa Impossible to read tho thoughts of tho determined sheriff who wait ed with apparent unconcern. Tho crowd knew and feared tho Kid. With only Garrett to fight, tho members might havo risked it. With a re volver In tho Kid's hand, they hesitated. Garrett waa quick to see tho advantago ho had gained. "Now you will all movo quietly away." ho an nounced decisively. Sullenly tho crowd obeyed. Held at bny, Garrett placed the Kid aboard tho train which arrived a few moments later. The Keeper and the "Makings." The Kid was trlod In nnothor county. Ho had no friends and no defense. There were plenty of witnesses against htm now that ho was a prisoner. Ho was defended by an attorney who made n bravo fight. Hut ho was sentenced to be hanged at Lincoln In July, 18S1. He was brought back nnd confined In a Jail built after tho man ner of Mexican houses, of adobe brick, with thick walls around a court or pa.tIo. Tho day before ho was to bo hangod, half a dozen horses stood In tho street, lines thrown over their heads all that Is necessary to mako a cow pony remain in ono place. The Kid called from the gallery to tho warden: "III, there, Hell! I'm going to Bwlng tomorrow. Give mo the 'maklngB,' will you?" "Seguro, Miguel," shouted tho warden, laugh ing. (Translated Into English, tho answer meant "Sure. MIko.") The Kid stopped to tho stairs. His hands were manaclod In auch manner that ho had lit tle uso of them. Tho warden reached In his vest pocket for tho cigarette paper, which ho placed In his loft hand, and with hla right felt In his hip pocket for a sack of tobacco. Llko a flash the Kid raised his manacled llnnds and struck Bell square In tho temple. Tho warden staggered. As he did so tho Kid Jerked Boll's revolver from Its holster, and dealt the Jailor a blow on tho head that crushed hla skull. "Unfasten tho Jewelry, and we'll both get away!" Ho shouted these words to nnothcr prisoner standing lnsldo n cell. Tho Kid had boeh allow ed tho freodom of tho galleries. Ho passod tho koyB taken from tho prostrate warden to tho man In tho cell, who unlocked his handcuffs. Thon, leveling tho warden's rovolvor nt tho prlaomir ho hissed: ' "Glvo mo back the keys!" It was the work of but n moment to reach tho barred gato that led Into tho street whore tho horses Btood. A glanco. nnd ho took It all In. I-rem whoro ho stood ho could seo tho form of tho warden. Lovollng his revolver, ho fired a Bhot that ended his llfo. and then shot tho man who blocked tho door. Onco outsldo, ho started a fuslllado of bullets up and down the atroot to keep everybody In the houses. In another Instant ho was or: the bost horso and hnd stampeded the othora so that pur suit would bo delayed. In a few moments ho was out of sight Gnrrott was about twenty miles away at tho tlmo after somo rustlora. Word waB sont to him and ho returned post hasto, heard tho story from excited lips, and stopped only long enough to snddlo a fresh horso Accompanied by a few friends ho took tho Kid's trail. At tho end of forty-eight hours of flight, when tlrod out. Hilly tho Kid stopped nt the houso of ft man named Maxwoll, near Sumner. Retiring ho figured, doubtless, that Garrott would havo to pauso for rest also. It was early tho socond morning, probably nbout 3 a. m.. when the sllont sheriff saw In front of him tho cabin In which tho Kid slept Ho nnd his mon dismounted and approached the houso. Garrett reached tho porch with his dopu ties and quietly stoppod Into Maxwell's room There are several accounts of what took place Ono Is to tho effect that Garrett left his depu ties Btatlonod outside beyond tho houso. Ho wna whlsprlng to Mnxwoll. when tho Kid, who waa a light slooper, awoke, and tlptoolng ncroaB tho porch, entered, rovolvor In hand, and asked' "Who was that who Just camo? Where la ho" From his position Garrott could seo hint dls tlnctly, nnd hnd tho Kid been looking, ho mlaht havo distinguished tho form of tho aherlff. stand Ing by the bedaldo of Maxwell. The Kid had his revolver In hand, prepared to uso It. Garrott know thnt. and fired tho single ahot that killed HONOR DAY OF MARTYRED SAINT Tho martyred saint whoso namo re fines nnd beautlfios tho merry customs of tho nnclent Roman festival of tho Lupercalla know naught of thoso suf ferings of hla death seem to assort HI with tho season of the mating birds and tho Jolly forma of love-making with which that season haB been cele brated from tlmo Immemorial. It In not known whether his placo In tho calendar waa assigned to the mid dle of February with tho purpose of lending a more serious tone to the gid diness of Roman youthB and maidens In drawing their sweethearts by lot, but certain It Is that, though tho lot tery of drawing ono'B valentine con tinued until a late Dorlod of Encllsh history, It changed to a form moro worthy of approval by tho serious and saintly man whoso namo commends It Thouglt In this country nnd this gen eration the proper observance of St. Valontino's day Is limited to tho anon ymous sending of tender or senti mental mlssIveB, leaving tho re cipient to solve tho mystery of tho sender In his or her own Imaglnntlon, there have been In tho past many pretty or fanciful notlonB nssoclated with tho day. One was that the first person of the opposite box ono mot on St. Valen tino's morning was to tyo his or her companion for lire, nnd wo may Im agine the care with which tho votaries of this little super8ltIon nvolded meet ing the wrong person. Sometimes young women Bought to decide the per sonality of their valentines by dream ing, and even resorted to Indigestible food at going to bed on St. Valentino's evo in order to Induce the dreamB. A sport of tho young folks In Eng land was to celebrate a little festival on St. Valentine's evo, In which tho company was divided Into couples by lot and the young man was expected to bo attentive for somo days to tho lady who was drawn as his valentine taking her to partleB, and so forth. In theso days the fortunate or unfor tunate young man who had drawn a valentlno In thlB way would bo expect ed to pay something for carriage hire and theater tickets. It cost the cour tiers of Charles II. something to bo chosen as a valentine, for Popys, In his diary, Informs us of a certain belle of tho court who received a Jewel of 800 value from her valentlno of ono year and a ring worth 300 from her valentlno of another year. No true disciple of St. Valentine will indulge In tho license of the carica tures and libels that are nowadays sent through the malls under cover of tho secrecy that Is sacred to his day. They" are altogether alien to the spirit of tho season. A Is ILERnTORJIg f- "I !! Ml I I II p!-rzm$TfmWr& S W Old-Time Valentine. Tho earnest and most popular St. Valentine's day Jingle that has been handed down to tho present tlmo: The roso Is rod, 1 Tho violet blue. Sugar Is sweet, And so are you." In many of the European countries tho St. Valentino day kiss was ex changed botween young people as a token of good will. The exact nature of such an oscillatory performance is Bomewhat vague. Though tho same conscientious chronicler does not men tion tho relationship, it suggosted that tho St. Valentino day kiss Is a third pousln at least, deceased, of tho fa mous "soul" kiss. There is somo doubt on this point, however, for In no way 'can an exegesis of tho word "affinity" lead tho investigator back to that time. On tho other hand, tho fact that this custom is now in vogue uni versallynot on St. Valentino's day, but on other days, and far Into tho night as well Is significant. Tho only difference is that tho so-called St. Valentino day kiss of tho present Is a token ot good will and other things. Sought Their Sweethearts. In England the schoolgirl or a half a century ago plucked at tho buttons on their gowns and uttered in a sing-song monotono on St. Valentino's day tho verso: "Tinker, tailor, SoMler, snllor, Apothecary, Ploughboy, thief." If, after singsonging theso words for a stated number of time3 thoy should first meet other than tho ono on whom of nil mentioned in their roundelay their hearts wore sot they scattered In great fright, Scott's Tribute to the Day. Love rulea tho court, tho camp, tho grovo. And men below, and saints nbove; For lovo Is heaven, and -heaven Is lovo. Sir Walter Scott. I long had loved a winsome maid, But when my timid tonguo assayed, Without avail, to tell tho talo, I then resolved, though lips might fall. That pen should speak and so I wroto My lady an Impassioned note. In every phrase to lovers sweet, 1 laid my homage at her feet; Extolled her face and form In fine, I humbly begged that she'd be mine. Thon wreathed It round with bloom and vino. And signed It thus: "Thy Valentine." That eve we mot I'll ne'er forgot Its pain pervades my being yet. Her cheeks wero flushed, her eyes wero bright With young affection's tender light. "Dear Jack," suld sho, "you ought to see The valentine that camo to me. '' 'Twos twined In roses all ablow. And arrows sped from Cupid's bow; And In the midst a rhythmic line That breathed such burning lovo dlvlno It mado my heart with rapture thrill I knew at once that 'twas from Will." "To you, dear Jack, I may confo.is," She said, unheeding my distress, "That lovo Is blind, or Will would seo I'm quite as much In lovo as ho; But ho Is, such a bashful beau f wish you'd kindly tell him so." Moral When next I pen a lovelorn lino, l'l sign It "Jack," not "Valentlno." Harriet Bunker Austin, In .National Magatine. Valentine Day In Ireland. In Ireland the great feature of St. Valentine's day Ib tho breakdown dance. All tho boys and all tlio glrla engaged in It, the couple dancing tho longest winning tho coveted applause. The victorious couplo is looked upon as well mated, and not Infrequently a wedding follows during Eastertide. Tho danco Itself Is Indeed a spec tacle. With much ceremony the door of the barn Is lifted from Ub hinges and the dance commenced as soon as the fiddler or tho player of the bagplpo orders tho couples out. Tho floor of the barn Is of mud; hence tho door Is laid on the ground to form a suit able surface for tho dancers. Gold smith describes tho dancors In his "Deserted Village:" V "Tho dancing pair that simply sought re nown, j By holding out to tiro each other down." Tho absolute whole-heartedness of the danco and tho fierceness of theso tests of endurance must be seen to be appreciated. Though the occa sion is one of the utmost Jollity and good will, tho contestants are In dead earnest In thel rendeavors to win. ffj Dean Swift's Gentle Protest. Tho gentlo Dean Swift, In writing to a friend, describes his first reception of a comic valentlno: "I was seated in my library when tho postmaster arrived and I opened tho bng. What was my surprise to find my first greeting on St. Valen tino's morning to bo a representation of a fat person, with a body llko a pig and a head Hko a dolt. Of course. It grieved me, for I always considered tho day ono dovoted to everything beautiful In life. But I folt far moro compassion for tho unfortunate mental condition of tho sender than I did for tho feellngB of the recipient, which wero, I nssuro you, quite healed be fore I finished breakfast." Tho simplicity of this gentle pro test, scarcely a rebuke, is pathetic. Much more kindly and considerate Is the tender missive, even though it bo. sentimental, llko tho following; "If you'll bo mlno I will bo thyne, And so Good Morrow, Valentine" For St. Valentino's day is a da pj Joy, of lovo, of happiness.' 1 K ..V 1r V . 4Wvrr.