John Wesley Harden Turns Back Posse

As he staggered and fell he Said: “0, Lordy, don’t shoot me anymore.” I could not stop. I was shooting because I did not want to take chances on a reaction.

Continuing John Wesley Hardin, Gunfighter,
our selection from The Life of John Wesley Hardin – Autobiography (published posthumously) published in 1925. The selection is presented in six easy 5 minute installments. For works benefiting from the latest research see the “More information” section at the bottom of these pages.

Previously in John Wesley Hardin, Gunfighter.

Time: 1870-1871
Place: Texas

We left our horses where they were and found Moore at the boarding house. He refused to give up either the pistol or the money without Bradly’s consent. He agreed to go with Collins to see Bradly at the grocery about 100 yards off across the road in an easterly direction. When they got to the grocery and saw Bradly he was still cursing. He threatened Collins and swore he would kill me if he could find me. Moore told him I was at his boarding house after my pistol and money. “Bradly said: “Well, I’ll go over there and fill him full of lead.”

Meantime Collins had borrowed a pistol and persuaded Bradly to exchange telling him he was going home and wanted his own. John Collins bade him good bye and came back to the boarding house where I was. He wanted me to go home but by this time Bradly had started over to where I was, swearing to kill me. The proprietor was trying to get me to leave, when I asked him for a pistol to defend myself with from robbery and death. He refused to do this, but Collins gave me his and said: ‘*Now let us go to our horses.” I said, “All 0.K.” and we started to go out of the gate and into the public road that lead to where our horses were.

Just as we got out of the gate, we saw Bradly with six or seven others, including Hamp Davis, coming towards us, threatening to kill me, his crowd urging him on by shouting: “Go for him! We are with you,” etc. I told John Collins to go in the lead. The gin was on the right, about fifty yards away, with a store about fifty yards from where we were standing.

Bradly saw me and tried to cut me off, getting in front of me with a pistol in one hand and a Bowie knife in the other. He commenced to fire on me, firing once, then snapping and then firing again. By this time, we were within five or six feet of each other and I fired with a Remington 45 at his heart and right after that at his head. As he staggered and fell he Said: “0, Lordy, don’t shoot me anymore.” I could not stop. I was shooting because I did not want to take chances on a reaction.

The crowd ran and I stood there and cursed them loud and long as cowardly devils who had urged a man to fight and when he did and fell, deserted him like cowards and traitors. I went to my horse, rode over to Frank Shelton’s, borrowed a gun, came back and demanded my money, but received no answer.

I went on to where my father was at old Jim Pages’ and got there at 2 a.m. I woke him up and told him what had happened. It was a great blow to him, for he had been counting on taking me back home with him. I told him I would go home anyway, but would keep on the west side of the Brazos river until the next night.

I soon found out the situation was critical. The whole country with the exception of a few friends and relatives, had turned out to hunt me; in fact, there was a regular mob after me, whose avowed purpose was to hang me. I had agreed with my father to meet him at a certain place on the night of the 26th, but they watched him so closely that he could not come. He had a trusted Masonic friend, however, named Martin, whom he sent to post me as to what was going on.

Directly after Martin had left me a posse of some fifteen men ran up and surrounded me in a cotton pen. I told them that if they were officers to send one or two men and I would surrender, but I would not yield to a mob. They answered that I must give up or take the consequences. I replied: “Consequences be damned. Light in if you think there is no bottom.” I commenced to pump lead at them and they cried, ”Hold up.”

They then sent two men up to demand my surrender. When they came, I covered them with a double barreled shot-gun and told them their lives depended on their actions, and unless they obeyed my orders to the letter, I would shoot first one and then the other. They readily assented. “Tell your friends out there,” I said, “that Hardin has surrendered and that they had better go home or meet you at old Jim Pages’, that Hardin is afraid of a mob.” They did so and the crowd moved off toward Pages’. When they were out of sight, I made both men with me lay down their arms. One had a double-barreled gun and two six-shooters; the other had a rifle and two derringers. They complied with my request under the potent persuasion of my gun leveled first on one and then the other. I then got on my horse and told those fellows to follow their pa’s to Jim Pages’; that I would be along directly and to wait for me there. I reckon they are waiting for me there yet.

I went off to the west, but soon changed to the east; went through Hillsboro and into Navarro county [Texas – Ed]. There I saw my dear mother and my brothers and sisters. Soon after, my father came and brought me the news that they were hot after me and were going to Pisga hoping to find me there. I got together three or four of my best friends and went to meet them.

We met them on the west side of the Pinoak, about six miles from Pisga. They denied that they were after me. I told them to go back to Jim Pages’ where I was going and where an arresting party was now waiting for me. I told them if they bad a legal warrant to show it and I would give up. They said they had none. Thereupon one of my party took occasion to tell them they had gone far enough towards Pisga and that if they loved their wives and children to go back to Hillsboro. They went.

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