A PAIR OF AMERICAN DESPERADOES.

Dunstan Times, Issue 1220, 17 July 1885, Page 3

A PAIR OF AMERICAN DESPERADOES.

The ‘ New Orleans Times Democrat gives an account of the career of two despe" radoes named respectively Jim M’fntyi o and Jim Courtright, the former of whom h-s just fallen into the hands of the police. When M’lutyro was arrested his valise was se ncheil, ami in it were found a six-shooter of immense size, carrying a rifle ball, 23 cartridge s, a lot of small saws with fine teeth for cutting iron bars, with the handles made so as to he taken apart and used as hinvcs, the decks of monte cards, and a gambler’s device for marking cards on the back for swindling purposes, a bottle of the chloroform, and a sciap 'nook containing a memorandum of the money ho had io-„ ccntly won in different parts of Kentucky, wliei e he seems to have been lately. Both men had held office as marshals in New Mexico towns. Subsequently Courtright, while acting as head guard of the Lake Valley mines, was accused of killing certain parties, and a great deal of hard feeling was engendered. This was during the days of the “ Hustlers,” and every man was his own protector. Feeling ran so high that Courtright was turned off, and ho and M’lntyre then formed a sort of partnership, keeping always together. “ What is known out there as the American Valley is an enormous tract of land that is leased by a cattle syndicate. There has always been war between the cattlemen and the sheep-herders, as the sheep eat down the grass so as the cattle cannot graze. On a portion of this extensive and beautiful valley a widow lady aud her two sous had settled and stocked their ranohe with sheep. They were doing well, their flocks were growing, and all was prosperous with them. It is supposed that the cattlemen I had determined to get rid of them, and had found in Courtright aud M’lntyre two ready tools to put their designs into execution. Anyway, one evening in August, 1873, the two desperadoes, in company with two younger men, rode up to the little farm that nestled between two lines of hills, or “ risings,” as they are called out there, and asked M rs Groestedt if her two sons were in. She told them no, they had gone to the village store, about nine miles off, for some provisions. The four men rode away, aud about four miles from their home met the Groestedt brothers coming home. Courtright, riding in advance, drew down on them, and, looking along the barrel of his rifle, ordered them to halt. The party then took the two men to a small canyon that was near by, unhitched the horses from the waggon, killed the brothers, and threw their bodies over the cliffs down among the jagged rocks below. Then they cut up the harness and turned the horses loo'-e. The mother waited for her boys all night and well into the next day, when she started in search of them, and by the aid of kindly ranoheros discovered what had become of them.” Having completed their act of fieudishness, Courtright returned to Fort Worth aud MTatyre to Wichita Falls. Courtright soon became assistant city marshal, and stood very high, having hosts of friends. “ At Silver City he killed a Mexican ; but out there this only added to his prestige. At Forth Worth he was paid a stipulated sum by the bankers and gam» biers to watch their places of business and protect their interests. lie was now flourishing at Fort Worth, and all this while there was hanging over his head the reward of lOOOdol, and a like amount for Mclntyre ; but no man dare touch either of them. At last Captain WiLiama, of Albuquerque, rode into town one day, just shortly after Courtright had returned from a hunting excursion into the Indian country, and, luring him into the Union depot, surrounded him with live rangers, and captured him at the muzzle of their glistening weapons. That same day M’lntyre was attested at Wichita. The news that Court right had been arrested sptoad from mouth to mouth. Fort Worth was in an uproar ; the cry ran down the streets ; the leading citizens joined in the gathering crowd, demanding his release. 11 was a black day in Forth Worth, and as Courtright came to tho window of the hotel in which ha was confined, and, holding up his manacled bauds, shook them at the sea of uptnrne-I faces in tho street, a tremendous howl went up, and the surging mass of people shouted themselves wild. Danger was brewing; so Courtright slipped out tho back way aud hurried into the gaol. That day he was taken out to dinner, and returned quietly to the prism quarters. His friends had adopted another mode, which was successfully carried out at supper time. Two nails 1 were driven into tho end of tho table, and

on these nails wore hung two 45 calibiee douhle-aoi ion Smith ami Wessons. CourtTight walked in and took his seat. Around him sat three Texas rangers aud a town officer. Courtright smiled, dropped a nap; kin, reached down to pick it up, arose with a revolver in each hand levelled in the di-. rection of the guards, edged towards the hack door-near which stood his while horse—stepped outside, mounted, dashed his rowels into the steed’s flanks, and sped away.” Captain Schmidt, who had taken M‘lii" tyre, had sent him to Droitur, where he was confined in a secure gaol. But he worked a plan of escape, and he, too, became free.

Courtright after his liberation remained about Fort Worth some time. A purse of 2000dol was made up fur his wife and two children, and they were sent to Los Angelos, where they are now. Courtright is described as being about thirtysix years of age, tall, raw booed, wiry, unable to read or write, and a great friend of Wild Bill. His whereabouts at present are unknown. M'ln tyre is said to be not only dangerous, but Wood thirsty and cruel. He delighted in shooting men, and would laugh while pulling the trigger of death ou some untor tunate. The two young accomplices of the desperadoes did not fare so well. One is now in gaol and the other out ou a 10,000 dol. bond furnished by a rich uncle. Both Courtright and AI ‘lntyre have killed numbers of men, and , still have an army of friends out in that country. M'lutyre is now within the walls of the parish prison, awaiting ext radii ion.