DEATH OF A FAMOUS BANDIT.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXIII, Issue 10037, 25 January 1896, Page 2 (Supplement)

DEATH OF A FAMOUS BANDIT.

A WHOLESALE MURDERER. Americas papers chronicle the exit of Hurricane Bill, one of the most remarkable frontier diameters that was evor known in the West. When he pot "into his drinks" in town "crack" went fcho revolver, and the next moment tlw glass began to fly in every direction; then the lights) went out, and confusion and terror rpjgnpd while the excited, half-drunken plainsman emptied his guns at everything that moved. It is hoped and believed he- is dead, though he was thought to bo concerned in a recent train robbery. When lie first appeared on the plains he was a splendid specimen of physical manhood, live feet eleven inches in height, wiry as an Indian, and a dead shot with a rifle. He was a member of the band of sharpshooters under General Custer at the battle of Washita, where Major Elliott and a _ party of nineteen men were surrounded and shot down by the savages. Bill occupied a place among the mounted riflemen who charged into the Indian village at the break of day and fought hand to hand with Black Kettle and his bund. 11l the fight Bill rcpoivod a wound over the left oyo from the biittlcaxe of 11 warrior who dashed from a tnpeo us the soldiers swept through the village. Bill used his gun to parry the murderer's blow. The battleaxe glanced off, and the next moment the white man snatched the instrument of death from the hands of the Indian and cleft his skull in twain. Wiping the blood from his eyes, Bill fallowed in the pursuit of the redskins, and through nil the memorable day and during the dismal retreat that ensued lie proved himself a man of nerve and endurance. For five years he devoted a large portion of his time to the pleasant pastime of chasing Indians as scout, guide, or hunter, in different detachments of troops protecting waggon trains on the great prairies. Occasionally Bill's worst nature assumed control, and hp

PLUNGED INTO DRUNKEN ORGIES. At ono time several companion of a coloured regiment were camped at Fort Dodge, One ovening a coloured soldier created a disturbance In a saloon on the main street of tho town. The sharp report of a pistol was heard, and tho soldier dropped doad. Nobody know who fired tho shot and, indeed, few cared. But the comrades of the murdered soldier took up his cause. Tliey armed and marched in a body to the town, sending word by messenger that unless the assassin was delivered to their hands before 12 o'clock midnight, they would attack and loot the place. The message did not fail to create the greatest exoitoment. Hundreds of men rushort to arms and organised for a desperate resistance. Bill was there at the time, and had been seen in the saloon a fow minutes before the troublo began. He appeared in the street with a carbine in his hand, and four revolvers and a long knife in his loathor belt. On his way along the thoroughfare, which was crowded with armed citizens, hunters, cowboys, and gamblers, Bill passed in front of a barber's shop. The proprietor of the shop—a colour jd man—looked out of the door us Bill approached. " Take that," exclaimed Bill, covering the defenceless negro with his ride and sending into his head a bullet that caused instant death. Without looking to blio right or left, Bill strode into the shop, seizod the dead man by the leg, and dragged the body to a well in the roar yard/ Casting tho body into the well, Bill walked into an adjoining restaurant, stabbed the coloured cook to the heart, and sent his body to keep company with that of the barber. Ho rode out of Dodge city that night, and was never called to account for tho double act of fiendishnoss, The officers of tho coloured troops succeeded in quelling tho turbulent spirits, and tho impending conflict was averted.

HIS CHOICE OF A WIFE, Bill was novel' so happy as when in the illicit of excitement and dancer. Ho met a woman who became almost as interesting a character as himself. Riding by the cabin of a sottler on the bank of one of the streams of northern Texas, Bill's attention was ono day attracted by the handsome faco and form of a girl of seventeen years. Bill whs upon a horse-stealing expedition at the linio. His business was not urgent, and he decided to cultivate the acquaintance ol the sparkling eyes. Ho was hospitably wol coined, and before ho rode away the next day he had resolved that the girl should be his wife. His suit prospered, and a year later 11 Hurricane Nannie" became his bride. She is said to bo living at the present time in one of the back counties of Arkansas, She was noted for her beauty, and was strangely infatuated by the man to whom she had united her destiny. On more than one occasion the life of Hurricane Bill was saved by his faithful wife. Cattlestealing was punishable with death by vigilance committees in Texas. Bill and a companion wcro caught in the act and thrown into gaol. The vigilants assembled in broad daylight and inarched in a body, 100 strong, to the gaol. The doors were quickly forced, and tho leaders rushed bo the cell in which the two offenders were confined. Bill and his brother in crimo were chained together, and it seemed that at last tho blood of many victims was to be avenged. A WONDKKFUL ESCAPE, The mob poured a volley from a dozen revolvers and guns into the coll, and the two men fell to the floor. A second volley and the executioners retired to the nearest saloon to celebrate the ovent. Half an hour later an undertaker drovo up to the gaol to carry off the bodies, Imagino the surprieo of tho oommunity when it was discovered that Hurricane Bill was missing. The body of Bill's companion lay where it fell, riddled with twonty bullets, but Bill was nowhere to be found. The stool chain binding the two men together had been filod apart, and, through the assistance of his wife, Bill was reserved for another fate. As was afterwards learned Bill was not even woundod by tho broadside that was poured into the coll. He feigned death, and it remained for his wife to unlock the iron door and effect his release. On another occasion Bill was not so lucky. A stage coach passing north from Texas was stopped by a lono highwayman, who rode from a thicket in a narrow defile, and in a loud voice commanded the driver and passengers to throw up their hands. Scarcely were tho words out of his mouth when a sheet of flamo burst from tho side of the coach. Several army officers wore inside the stage, and knowing the danger of the region, they were prepared for the instant use of thoir firearms. One bullet carriod away the robber's hat, another broke his arm, and a third passed through his loft lung. An ordinary man would have boon unseated, but Hurricano Bill was nob made of ordinary material. He wavered a moment in his saddle, then with herculean effort, turned his well-trained steed and disappeared behind a huge rock that partly tilled tho passage between the hills. Bill fled to the refuge of the forest, whore ho lay in great agony for several days, when a confederate found him on the verge of death, It required weeks of careful nursing before Bill was able to mount a horso again. A BITTER VEKOEANOK. For a long time he remained in seclusion, but a report of a richly laden stago coach en route to Kansas city lured him from his retreat. At the head of a strong party of desperate men he prepared to make the usual advance. Just as Bill appeared at the sido of the coach his eye caught the gleam of stoel and his oar dotocted the click of revolvers. "Gentlemen,"hosuid, in a clear pleasant tono that did not show a tremor "wo are looking for a bad man who has been stealing horsos in this neighbourhood. Ifailtoaeohimhore. Good-day, gentlemen." Hurricane Bill and his band of desperadoes rode away. There were men in the stage who know Bill's voice. Had he mado tho slightest attempt to interfere with the progress of tho coach ho would have been instantly killed. Persons who have looked up Bill's record say that ho killed thirty-seven men before his exit. In his sober momonts Bill was cautious in oxposing himself to danger, and was oven known to accept gross insults without offering resistance. His last recorded feat of daring was tho pursuit and killing of two men almost as bad as himself. The inon were members of the same band of robbers to which Bill belonged. Throe members of the band were put in charge of a herd of 3000 stolon cattle on one of the cattle ranges. In a quarrel one of the men was killed. The dead man was a friend of Hurricane Bill, and no sooner did Bill hear of tho taking away of his friend than he sent word to tho slayers to prepare for death. Bill rodo to the cattle camp and opened tiro. His aim was so well directed that his enemy

fled. Bi'l followed. The pursuit was on horseback. Before night Bill had brougjib one of the foe to the ground. He followed the remaining man two weeks, and at the end of two weeks, across the line in old Mexico, the fugitive made his last stand and was relentlessly shot.