Great American Adventure Stories

by Tom McCarthy

  The order that was given read as follows:

  Please give to Dr. W. A. Burr horse and buggy, and charge same to Emerson Kinney of Hot Sulphur Springs on same order as before.

  J. F. SEMINOLE.

  When the doctor reached Lindstrom’s place, he exchanged his horse for the mule left by Seminole and continued on his way. At the Summit house, the foregoing order was presented, but the proprietor declined to furnish a conveyance on the strength of it, saying that he did not know Seminole at all but offering a horse and buggy if the doctor would be personally responsible for it, a proposition which the latter accepted. At last Mr. Kinney’s ranch was reached, and to his utter stupefaction, the doctor found that his expected patient was not only never in better health but had not the slightest idea of being sick. Breathing vengeance deep and dire, the good-hearted but exasperated doctor started on his return, and when Lindstrom’s was again reached, he was greeted with the intelligence that Seminole had been there and secured his horse, and to this day that animal has never been seen or even heard of.

  Thus far the detectives got and then were balked. To them it was but a case of robbery—they never dreamed how soon it was to develop into a ghastly murder. Somewhat piqued at their nonsuccess, although the crime was comparatively but a paltry one, they continued their efforts and after a while traced Seminole to Leadville, where, on the 7th of September, he, in company with a man known as Tom Johnson, whose correct name proved to be Samuel Woodruff, hired two horses for the avowed purpose of merely taking a little ride. While skirmishing around, they noticed a Mr. Aldrich draw two hundred dollars from a bank and learned that he was going immediately to Georgetown. They followed behind him and, when six miles from his destination, rode up to him, drew their pistols, and called upon him to halt and deliver. Aldrich, however, was not of that kind and jerked his own weapon and turned loose, though, unfortunately, not hitting either of the two scoundrels, who turned and fled precipitately. When he arrived in Georgetown, he promptly notified the sheriff of Clear Creek County, and that official immediately struck the trail and followed it up without the loss of a moment. So rapidly did he gain on the fleeing desperadoes that they dismounted from their horses, turned the animals loose, and made their escape in the brush. The animals were returned to their owners, and the sheriff abandoned the pursuit of the men.

  The rascals continued on foot until September 10. They reached the place of Mr. Anderson and hired him to drive them to Denver. They stated that they had no money, but an uncle of theirs kept a livery stable in Denver, and he would pay for all the trouble. While on the trip, Anderson noticed that his passengers did have money and remarked that they had better pay the toll charges at least, as he was not willing to spend cash right out of his pocket and trust them besides. But they refused, and then Anderson said he would go no farther, but upon being confronted by two cocked pistols, he changed his mind and drove on. About a mile farther, two wagons were seen coming from the direction of Denver and going in that of Georgetown, and when almost within hailing distance, Messrs. Seminole and Johnson jumped out and took to the brush, evidently fearing that Anderson would call for assistance. Relieved of his undesirable passengers, Anderson joined the other wagons and in their company returned to Georgetown.

  That same afternoon, about half past four, this pair of precious scoundrels came to the house of R. B. Hayward near Big Hill, Jefferson County, and engaged him to gear up and take them to a cattle camp they said they were hunting, supposed to be near A. Rooney’s place near Green Mountain, just outside of Hogback. They passed the Mt. Vernon tollgate at about half past six that evening, and from here the fate of Mr. Hayward was an unfathomed mystery until his body was found.

  Of course Mr. Hayward’s people became uneasy on account of his failure to return the evening after he left, and when he did not come the next day, Mrs. Hayward took steps to inform the Jefferson County authorities of the circumstances under which her husband had gone away from home and of his prolonged absence. They made thorough search but failed to discover anything, either concerning Mr. Hayward’s whereabouts as to what disposition had been made of his team or where the men were who had gone away with him.

  On the 16th of September, C. P. Hoyt of the Rocky Mountain Detective Association reported the facts of the mysterious absence of Mr. Hayward to Superintendent Cook and gave the description of the two men last seen with the missing man.

  In the meantime, on September 11, the same two men (though the fact of the murder was not then known) went to Brown & Marr of the bus barn on Arapahoe Street, Denver, and hired two bay mares and a top-rig buggy, paying four dollars in advance. This was about two o’clock in the afternoon, and they said they merely wanted to take a little spin around town and would return at a certain specified hour. As this time had long been passed, Brown & Marr placed the matter in the hands of the detective association late in the evening of the 11th, and they telegraphed all over a description of the missing rig. About eleven o’clock on the morning of the 12th, Superintendent Cook received a message from the town of Loveland in Larimer County, stating that two men had abandoned a buggy, answering the description of the missing one, and had mounted the mares and ridden off. An officer was immediately dispatched to the scene, and sure enough it was the identical vehicle taken from the Denver stable.

  As it was now ascertained that the thieves had gone north, Superintendent Cook notified Assistant Superintendent Carr at Cheyenne to be on the lookout, and on the 14th of the month, Gen. Cook received information from him that two men, answering the description of the two who had hired the horses and buggy, had remained all night in the vicinity of a ranch near La Porte, Larimer County. The men represented to the owner of the ranch that they belonged to a cattle outfit and that the cattle were down in the bottoms near at hand, while the wagon containing the camping outfit was far to the rear. They were obliged to be with their cattle, they said, and would like to borrow a couple of buffalo robes until morning. The kind-hearted ranchman acceded to their request and never again beheld his robes, nor in the morning could he find any signs or traces of cattle.

  On the 22d of the same month, a gentleman named Leech, while riding from Laramie City to Cheyenne on horseback, met two men mounted on bay mares, with folded buffalo robes as saddles, at the crossing of the Union Pacific Railroad, four miles east of Sherman Station. They stopped him, asked him what time it was and where he lived, and as they had a hard look about them, he assured them he lived about two hundred yards from there, on the other side of a little butte, though the truth of the matter was, there wasn’t a house within four miles of the spot. When Mr. Leech reached Cheyenne, he met Detective Carr and mentioned this meeting near Sherman, and when the officer gave a description of the missing horses and thieves, Mr. Leech recognized it immediately.

  Carr then went diligently to work and after a while ascertained that on the 23d two men riding bay mares with no saddles but buffalo robes in lieu thereof had come to the ranch of Nick Janise near Sidney Bridge on the North Platte. This information was forwarded to Gen. Cook, and Mr. Leech, having come down to Denver on business, was interviewed at his hotel by Detective Joe Arnold as a representative of Chief Cook, who had, as did also Gen. Cook, shrewd suspicions that the murderers of Hayward and the horse thieves were the same parties. He showed Mr. Leech a description of the men who had engaged Mr. Hayward to drive them to the cattle ranch, and that gentleman immediately recognized them, being especially sure because of the white bone-handled knife and the revolvers carried by the suspicious-looking strangers.

  The result of this interview was that Detective W. W. Ayres of the Rocky Mountain Association was sent in pursuit of the men, starting from Denver on the 4th of October. By this time the Hayward murder had become state talk, as the mystery was still unsolved and as the cold-blooded nature of the affair had also become generally known. Currency was also given to the fact that he had left an intelligent wife and two bright daughters ju
st budding into womanhood to watch and wait for the return of the husband and father who would never return.

  There remained hardly any trace of doubt that Mr. Hayward had been murdered by the two men with whom he had started out. This suspicion was greatly strengthened by learning the late history of the two men who had gone with him, which history has been given in the beginning of this story.

  Mrs. Hayward was for a while almost frantic with grief at the loss of her husband, but she soon rallied with the genuine pluck which is the characteristic of most western women and determined to do what she might to avenge his death. She offered a reward of $200 for the capture of the murderers. This offer was followed by one from Jefferson County, agreeing to pay $500 for their capture, and soon Gov. Pitkin proclaimed a reward on the part of the state of $1,000 for their apprehension, making $1,700 the aggregate sum offered for the fugitives.

  As related above, Gen. Cook had already formed the theory, though he kept it to himself, that the two men who had stolen the horses were the Hayward murderers, and he decided to have them followed to “the jumping-off place” if necessary or get them. He had already formed a pretty definite theory as to the destination of the two men. He had learned, among numerous other facts which he had gathered together, that Seminole was a half-breed Sioux Indian and that he belonged at Pine Ridge Agency, Dakota, where he had a family, going there by the name of J. S. Leuischammesse. As has already been seen, the men who stole the horses had turned their attention in that direction, and thitherward Cook directed Mr. Ayres, never informing him, however, that he had any suspicion that they were guilty of any crime greater than that of horse stealing, wisely concluding that, if Seminole’s fellow Indians knew that he was charged with murder and likely to be hanged, they would not permit the detective to bring him away and believing that the best way of keeping this fact from them was to impart it to no one. On the other hand, they would perhaps even assist the detective in getting him for horse stealing.

  Mr. Ayres had a long and arduous journey before him, as he could look forward to at least a thousand miles of stagecoaching and horseback riding in the north, with winter coming on and with many hardships to endure in a land of savages. But he started out undaunted by the prospect, and the result shows how faithfully he worked and how successfully he wrought.

  While he is making his way across the almost pathless plains of Wyoming and Dakota, it is necessary to stop for a moment to relate to the reader the fact of the discovery of the body of Mr. Hayward. It was found on the 7th of October, three days after Ayres had left the city and almost a month after Mr. Hayward had left home, in an old culvert on the Golden Road, five miles from Denver. The body bore no testimony as to the manner or cause of death. It was greatly decayed but still was not beyond identification, and the coroner’s jury brought in the verdict that death was caused in all probability by dislocation of the neck at the hand of a party or parties unknown. No wound or mark of violence could be found anywhere on the body, and the theories were that either the murderers had broken his neck with some dull instrument or else had poisoned him.

  In the meantime Detective Ayres had gone to Cheyenne, taken horse there, and ridden to Horse Creek; from there to Big Horse Creek, thence to Hawk Springs, and into old Red Cloud Agency on the Platte. Here he got information of the men he was after and without loss of time pushed on to Running Water; from there to Camp Robinson, thence to Camp Sheridan, and then into Pine Ridge Agency. The Indian agent, Mr. V. T. McGillycuddy, proffered all assistance, and Joseph Seminole was soon under arrest. Not without considerable trouble, however, as shall appear.

  Mr. Ayres had taken letters to the agent and the military and had been assured that he should have every assistance, as the Rocky Mountain Detective Agency was well known and highly respected in that faraway section.

  Not only the officers and the soldiers, but the Indian police as well, were anxious and willing to assist in running Seminole down. They recognized the description as soon as it was given them and told the officer from the faraway region that they would find him forthwith and volunteered to lead him to his place of abode. Ayres told them all he knew of the crimes charged against Seminole, the worst being that of horse thieving, and assured them that he was wanted on no more serious charge than that of showing his undue love for horseflesh. They professed great indignation that their nation should have been disgraced by the stealing of a single horse and avowed that he should be sent back forthwith to answer for the offense. They seemed to dislike the fellow anyway, possibly because he was a half-breed but most likely for the reason that he was better educated than the rest of them and held himself in a manner aloof from them. At any rate, they were quite willing to take the officer to him, saying that Seminole should not only be arrested but that they would see that the officer should get away with him in good shape.

  This was as good a thing as Mr. Ayres wanted, and when he was well rested, the Indians, true to their promise, led him to the wigwam of the culprit.

  It may not have been a picture of peace and plenty which Seminole presented, but he certainly seemed to be quite contented, surrounded as he was by his squaw and papooses, who prattled about in the dirt, while he sat enjoying the bliss of a long-stemmed pipe. The surroundings were rude and coarse, but the half Indian appeared to be perfectly at home and at ease.

  But the officer of the law cannot stand back on account of any qualms of conscience or foolish sentiment when there are arrests to be made. His is not the part of preserving domestic felicity.

  When broken in upon, the murderer did not show any signs of fear, and when introduced to Mr. Ayres as an officer from Colorado in search of him, he manifested no disposition to make resistance. It may be that he asked rather impetuously to know the charge against him, but Ayres’s answer that it was that of horse stealing reassured him, and he submitted quietly and walked out of his wigwam stolidly, though with apparent willingness.

  The officer was led to believe that he had accomplished a big job with but little effort and was mentally congratulating himself accordingly. But all was not accomplished. There was much yet to be done. He felt that he had a wide and wild stretch of country to cover in getting home, and the idea of going through an Indian region alone in charge of a half Indian was not a cheerful one. Not by any means.

  When Seminole was once out of his house, the detective undertook to handcuff him. But the fellow had had time for a little self-introspection and meditation. The Hayward murder undoubtedly came into his mind, and he began to feel that, whatever the charge upon which he was to be brought back to Denver, he would be in danger of being discovered as the murderer, and he began to show fight at the sight of the handcuffs. He would not agree to have them put on and, when the officer attempted to force them on, struck at him. He was a strong man and able to get the best of the officer had he been unaided. But the Indian police came nobly to Ayres’s rescue, and they laid Mr. Seminole low in very short order, and while he was prone upon the ground and kicking and scratching, the irons were adjusted. The scene was as wild a one in the interest of justice as ever fell to the lot of man to witness.

  The capture was now completed, and one of the murderers of “old man” Hayward was in the hands of an officer of the law, though on a different charge and far away from the scene of the tragedy or the bounds of civilization.

  The officer found that, on September 29, Seminole had sold his stolen bay mare to an Indian chief named Woman’s Dress, giving a bill of sale and signing thereto the name of Joseph Leuischammesse, which, upon being compared upon arrival at Denver with the writing of the order to the proprietor of the Summit house, proved that it was written by the same hand, the letters being formed identically alike. The other man, Tom Johnson, as he is still called, was not there.

  With an armed escort of Sioux Indians, Ayres started back with his prisoner. He parted with his escort at Camp Robinson and at Pine Bluffs boarded a freight train and took up quar
ters in the caboose.

  About three o’clock of the next morning, after taking passage on the freight, Mr. Ayres found himself minus the prisoner to capture whom he had risked so much and undergone so many hardships. He had allowed the man to be out of his sight for a moment, and that moment had been embraced by the fellow to regain his liberty. The train was rattling along at more than ordinary freight train speed, so that Mr. Ayres did not dream of the handcuffed man’s jumping from the train. But Seminole was a man who dared anything, and he boldly plunged out of the caboose into the darkness and was once more free. Mr. Ayres’s efforts to refind his man proved utterly futile, and nothing was left to him but to notify his chief.

  A great deal had been gained, but now everything seemed lost. By this time Cook had become entirely convinced that Seminole, or Leuischammesse, was one of the murderers of Hayward, and for that reason he determined to leave no stone unturned to recover his man. Consequently the matter was again placed in the hands of Assistant Superintendent Carr, and through the aid of the telegraph, but a very few hours had elapsed when there were no less than fifteen cowboys scouring the plains under the leadership of Cattle Detective Cowles in the neighborhood of the point at which the escape was made, and in nine hours from the time of the escape, the recapture had been effected.

  What could better serve to show the complete system upon which the Rocky Mountain Detective Association is organized?

  Without further incident of note, the wily rascal was brought to Denver and taken to the county jail. He had become moody and cross and was generally pronounced a rough customer by those with whom he came in contact. He would not talk at first at all. It was evident to Gen. Cook—who had kept his suspicion concerning the connection of Seminole with the Hayward murder to himself, even up to that time—that the fellow was living in dread of having his identity discovered. But Cook preserved a discreet silence. Mr. Ayres did not yet know the importance of the arrest which he had made.