Horse Thieves
at Delaware Bend- 1873 story!
This area was
always trouble! Be
sure to check out more Delaware Thieves
. This area was also called Thief's Neck.
Thieves could quickly cross the river and
disappear into the Indian Nations there.
Remember that the Red River
flowed through smoothly and that Lake Texoma
was far far into the future.
The Houston
Telegraph
March 6, 1873
Five men killed- On last Saturday night in the
southwest part of this county, near Collinsville,
about twenty miles from Sherman, where the gin was
burnt some weeks since, a party of constable
Kelner, went to arrest one John Noland, on a
charge of theft, when they were fired upon, and
young Stark, one of the constables party, was
killed and one Campbell of the other side wounded;
Campbell got away in the dark, though badly shot,
and too refuge in the cross timbers of Cooke
County, where he was followed, and on Monday
afterwards killed. On last Wednesday night,
Brewater and two others of the outlaws, were
killed by a part of citizens, who are determined
to rid that section of these gin burners and horse
thieves. Considerable excitement exists in that
section, and several parties have been arrested.
One John Hunting, has turned states evidence and
is making some terrible disclosures. These
particulars we learned from Esq. Wilson and by him
from Mrs Sowder of Whitesboro, who had been near
the scene of action a few days ago.
The Standard
(Clarksville)
Sat Mar 15,
1873
Horse Thieves
From Mr John Hobbs we learn the
following facts, concerning the breaking up
of a band of thieves; The citizens in and
about McComb had reason for believing that
certain parties living in that section were
connected with a regularly organized band of
horse thieves. Acting under this conviction,
they deputed one of their number to
investigate, and to Sherman match the
suspected parties. He did so, and found
where the thieves had sold over seventy head
of mules and horses-among them were two
mules that had recently been stolen from Mr
Gossett of Gainesville, also several head
that had been stolen from Sivils Bend. On
Sunday last some of the band were at
Collinsville, in Grayson County; the
constable, with a posse, went to arrest them
and found one Campbell and John Hunting, who
fired upon the officers party on sight,
(fatally wounding young Stark-A highly
respected young man and a good citizen) The
officer's party returned fire, wounding
Campbell, who made his escape: and succeeded
in arresting John Hunting. Monday morning
Campbell was found some six miles from the
scene of action and killed.
Hunting acknowledges he was a
member of the band of thieves, and gave the
names of several others, who he said were
also members, that heretofore were regarded
as "above suspicion" by the community in
which they lived.
Among the names is that of Jessee
Gunter, whom Hunting reports as the chief of
the clan. Gunter was arrested in Sivils'
Bend Tuesday last by an officer from Grayson
county, and taken back to Sherman for trial.
The citizens have determined to
break up the gang, and "suppress,"
effectually and at once, all the horse
thieves in which good work we wish them
God-speed-
[Gatesville Gazette]
The
Standard Clarksville Newspaper,
March 15, 1873
Deputy Stark was shot in
the head.He
had been with the agency for ten years and was
survived by his wife and three children.
Grayson County Law
Susan Hawkins
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