| 218laid for the capture of the entire band, but
they miscarried. Middleton appeared to be
well informed at all times of the movements
of Clark's party' so it was plain
that somebody in the confidence of
the railroad and the stockmen was acting
as a spy for the desperadoes. Con Groner,
then the Sheriff of Lincoln county, as brave
and bluff a man as ever threw a lariat, rode
to a barn on the ranch of a man he suspected
and saw enough to convince him that
the bandits had not only a spy, but an
active agent at North Platte. He whis-
pered his discovery to Mr. Clark and [the]
latter called off his men and returned to
Omaha, defeated but not discouraged. Rewards
for Middleton's capture, dead or
alive, stood out in the names of the railroad
company and the State of Nebraska.
About this time there appeared upon the
scene a comparatively young man of mag-
nificent physique, smoothly shaven face,
and a manner indicative of ignorance of
fear and tenacity of purpose. This was W.
H. Llewellyn. He was familiar with every
foot of the country from North Platte to
Deadwood, could handle a rifle and revolver
as well as any man and was anxious to be
doing something to earn the reward offered
for "Doc." He obtained the ear of Man-
ager Clark, and into it poured some new
ideas about the trailing and capturing of
horse-thieves. His scheme was to avoid a
crowd; to refrain from hunting game with
a brass band. He proposed to join the out-
law band and remain a member of it long
enough to obtain the entire confidence of
all its members and then "hold up" Mid-
dleton when a favorable opportunity came.
Llewellyn's Plan Adopted
It was a daring scheme, involving the
risk of Llewellyn's life at almost any time,
for Middleton has as many staunch friends
as the James boys had and a misstep on the
young spy's part meant death. But Mr.
Clark adopted Llewellyn's suggestions and
not only supplied the young man with funds
to carry out his plan but had him appointed
an agent of the United States Secret Serv-
ice- an officer who had a claim to military
aid in case of need. One of the obstacles
Mr. Clark had to contend with was the
State law which compelled Sheriffs and
other officers to attempt to make arrests
with a posse before calling upon the mili-
tary. To organize a posse without taking in
at least one man friendly to Middleton was
impossible; so the State law had to be cir-
cumvented. Influence was brought to bear
and General Crook, then in command of the
Department of the Platte, placed an order
at every post under his control instructing
commandants to give Llewellyn a detail of
soldiers, whenever required, to "search
for deserters."
Llewellyn then enlisted William Hazen
and Charles Sweezy of Omaha in his
service and, armed with an order from
William A. Paxton for some horses on his
ranch, the three set out for North Platte.
At that station they left the railway and
went to Mr. Paxton's ranch for their
horses. The foreman there was very in-
quisitive as to their errand and Llewellyn
told him what he and his companions
were after. The foreman volunteered
the information that Middleton and
his gang were in the Republican
Valley. Llewellyn thanked him for
the pointer and said that he would go in
that direction, but, when night came, he
and his comrades rode off in another direc-
tion. Thirty-five miles out, Sweezy dropped
out and was left at Buffalo Bill's ranch. A
few miles further on Llewellyn and Hazen
were met by Middleton and five of his men,
including Kid Wade, who was hanged at
Long Pine three years later. The bandit
chief swallowed the story told by Llewellyn
-to the effect that he and Hazen were
fugitives from Wyoming- and welcomed
the two to the band. For two months the
two spies remained with the gang, familiar-
izing themselves with their haunts and
their histories and taking part in their
forays. | 218laid for the capture of the entire band, but
they miscarried. Middleton appeared to be
well informed at all times of the movements
of Clark's party' so it was plain
that somebody in the confidence of
the railroad and the stockmen was acting
as a spy for the desperadoes. Con Groner,
then the Sheriff of Lincoln county, as brave
and bluff a man as ever threw a lariat, rode
to a barn on the ranch of a man he suspected
and saw enough to convince him that
the bandits had not only a spy, but an
active agent at North Platte. He whis-
pered his discovery to Mr. Clark and [the]
latter called off his men and returned to
Omaha, defeated but not discouraged. Rewards
for Middleton's capture, dead or
alive, stood out in the names of the railroad
company and the State of Nebraska.
About this time there appeared upon the
scene a comparatively young man of mag-
nificent physique, smoothly shaven face,
and a manner indicative of ignorance of
fear and tenacity of purpose. This was W.
H. Llewellyn. He was familiar with every
foot of the country from North Platte to
Deadwood, could handle a rifle and revolver
as well as any man and was anxious to be
doing something to earn the reward offered
for "Doc." He obtained the ear of Man-
ager Clark, and into it poured some new
ideas about the trailing and capturing of
horse-thieves. His scheme was to avoid a
crowd; to refrain from hunting game with
a brass band. He proposed to join the out-
law band and remain a member of it long
enough to obtain the entire confidence of
all its members and then "hold up" Mid-
dleton when a favorable opportunity came.
Llewellyn's Plan Adopted
It was a daring scheme, involving the
risk of Llewellyn's life at almost any time,
for Middleton has as many staunch friends
as the James boys had and a misstep on the
young spy's part meant death. But Mr.
Clark adopted Llewellyn's suggestions and
not only supplied the young man with funds
to carry out his plan but had him appointed
an agent of the United States Secret Serv-
ice- an officer who had a claim to military
aid in case of need. One of the obstacles
Mr. Clark had to contend with was the
State law which compelled Sheriffs and
other officers to attempt to make arrests
with a posse before calling upon the mili-
tary. To organize a posse without taking in
at least one man friendly to Middleton was
impossible; so the State law had to be cir-
cumvented. Influence was brought to bear
and General Crook, then in command of the
Department of the Platte, placed an order
at every post under his control instructing
commandants to give Llewellyn a detail of
soldiers, whenever required, to "search
for deserters."
Llewellyn then enlisted William Hazen
and Charles Sweezy of Omaha in his
service and, armed with an order from
William A. Paxton for some horses on his
ranch, the three set out for North Platte.
At that station they left the railway and
went to Mr. Paxton's ranch for their
horses. The foreman there was very in-
quisitive as to their errand and Llewellyn
told him what he and his companions
were after. The foreman volunteered
the information that Middleton and
his gang were in the Republican
Valley. Llewellyn thanked him for
the pointer and said that he would go in
that direction, but, when night came, he
and his comrades rode off in another direc-
tion. Thirty-five miles out, Sweezy dropped
out and was left at Buffalo Bill's ranch. A
few miles further on Llewellyn and Hazen
were met by Middleton and five of his men,
including Kid Wade, who was hanged at
Long Pine three years later. The bandit
chief swallowed the story told by Llewellyn
-to the effect that he and Hazen were
fugitives from Wyoming- and welcomed
the two to the band. For two months the
two spies remained with the gang, familiar-
izing themselves with their haunts and
their histories and taking part in their
forays. |
