A CHAMPION ASSASSIN.

Western Star, Issue 282, 1 February 1879, Page 7

A CHAMPION ASSASSIN.

Under this sensational heading the ‘‘lsow York Herald ” gives a short account of the career and execution of a miscreant named “ Bill Longley,” who received the richly-earned reward of his crimes at Gadding, Texas, on the Ilth of October. Texas Ims been a sort of happy hunting ground for desperadoes for wellnigh half a century, but this follow seems to have been the worst of all scoundrels who have haunted it. He was only 26 years of au r e; yet from the time he was 14 ears of age he was a murderer, and then not always from provocation, but from sneer love of wickedness. He seemed to lead a charmed life. When only 15 lie was pursued by a detachment, of United States Cavalry, who discharged in vain forty shots at him. A soldier closed with him, but his pistol went off, killing the soldier, and be escaped. He He was hanged by a body of regulars, but as he did not seem to die quickly enough for their taste, they fired two revolver shots at him. One struck a belt lined with gold pieces, the other shot cut two strands of the rope, and a lad c -ming up soon after cut him down and rescued him. More than once he made sham surrenders to enabl* confederates to obtain rewards of 1000 dollars and 1500 dollars offered for his capture. When the reward was secured he contrived, with their connivance, to get off. Of course he could never settle anywhere, as much because of his own restless disposition as on account of the pursuits of justice. He wandered ail over Texas and the adjoining States, travelling into the wild regions of the West, robbing, plundering, and murdering as ho went along. Once while keeping a barroom for miners in the Big Hall Mountains, he and eight companions went out on a hunting excursion and were caught in a snowstorm. Three of them were frozen to death, and he had to keq) hie bed for five months, but finally recovered. His last performance was the shooting of a mini named Anderson, who he heard had killed his cousin. He walked up to the man as he was working in a field and shot, him Jea 1. This was the thirtysecond well authenticated murder. It was committed on the 31st March, 1875, but various delays and artifices have prevented his execution till the other day, more than three years and a half after the crime. On the scaffold he conducted himself with some bravado; but be accepted the clergyman, and made a short speech, which may be interpreted as expressing regret for his awful deeds. He acknowledged that he deserved his fate, and asked all to forgive him.