Bass Reeves and the Arrest of Jim Webb
Among the numerous deputy marshals that have ridden for the Paris (Texas). Fort Smith (Arkansas) and Indian Territory courts none have met with more hairbreadth escapes or have effected more…
From: 1893 C.E. To: 1895 C.E.
Note: This article has been excerpted from a larger work in the public domain and shared here due to its historical value. It may contain outdated ideas and language that do not reflect TOTA’s opinions and beliefs.
From Indian Territory, Descriptive, Biographical and Genealogical by D. C. Gideon, 1901.
Among the numerous deputy marshals that have ridden for the Paris (Texas), Fort Smith (Arkansas) and Indian Territory courts none have met with more hairbreadth escapes or have effected more hazardous arrests than Bass Reeves, of Muskogee. Bass is a stalwart negro, fifty years of age. weighs one hundred and eighty pounds, stands six feet and two niches in his stockings, and fears nothing that moves and breathes. His long muscular arms have attached to them a pair of hands that would do credit to a giant and they handle a revolver with the ease and grace acquired only after years of practice. Several "bad" men have gone to their long home for refusing to halt when commanded to by Bass; but we will let him tell a story of adventure in his own words:
In 1893 Jim Webb came from Brazos, Texas, to the Chickasaw nation and took charge of the Bill Washington and McLish ranch on Spring creek, where forty-five cowboys were employed. Rev. William Steward, who owned a small ranch adjoining this, put out a fire on his own premises which spread to the Washington ranch and destroyed a lot of grass. In a quarrel over this, Webb killed the preacher and a warrant for this offense was the paper Bass intended to serve on Webb.
Floyd Wilson was Reeves' posse, and they rode up to the ranch about eight o’clock in the morning and asked for breakfast. Webb and one of his men, Frank Smith, were on the porch that separated two rooms and both had guns in their hands. Smith was seated on a trunk with his face looking toward the dining-room door. Webb sat on a bench, one end of which reached the opposite wall and upon which Reeves and his posse were sitting while breakfast was made ready. Reeves asked permission to feed their horses, which was granted and he led both horses to the stable, fed them, and, while Webb was watching him, took the Winchesters from both saddles and stood them in the corn-crib, hoping thus to disarm suspicion on part of Webb.
Reeves and Wilson sat down to breakfast, but from the reflection of a mirror on the mantel opposite their seats Reeves could see the men in the hall holding a consultation. He could also see the bench he and his companion would be asked to occupy as soon as the meal was finished. Reeves in a guarded undertone told his posse that he must take care of Smith, and he (Reeves) would get Webb.
Breakfast over, they walked out and sat down on the bench as had been planned by Webb; but Reeves looked him so steadily in the eye during their brief conversation that Webb had no opportunity to give the agreed-upon signal to Smith to seize the posse. Something for a second attracted the attention of Webb in the yard, and in a twinkling Reeves had him by the throat with his left hand, while his right hand thrust his trusty revolver in Webb's face. "I give up! I give up!" gurgled Webb. Just then two pistol shots rang out. Smith had shot at Reeves, but had missed. Bang! and with the report Smith, threw up his hands and fell to the door, shot through the body by Reeves.
Bass' posse had by this time recovered from his surprise, he having been so frightened that he forgot the part he was to play in the affair.
"Put the irons on this man quick." said Reeves, as he still held Webb by the throat. This was done, and two horses were harnessed to a wagon, into which the wounded man and the prisoner were placed, and the quartette started for Paris, Texas. Smith died from his wound at Tishomingo, where they buried him; Webb was carried to Paris, tried, spent one year in jail, but gave bond for seventeen thousand dollars, with Jim Bywaters and Chris Smith as surety. When his trial came on the bail was forfeited.
Two years later Webb returned to the ranch. Reeves heard of him, and having John Cantrell as posse started after him on the same charge. When they came within sight of Bywaters' store, Cantrell was sent ahead to learn whether Webb was about. Cantrell saw him sitting near the window and motioned Reeves to come. As he went dashing up, Webb espied him and jumping through the open window armed with both revolver and Winchester ran for his horse that stood about one hundred yards away.
Reeves cut him off from his horse and Webb turned toward a clump of bushes, ran about six hundred yards, turned and fired. The first shot grazed the horn of Reeves' saddle; the second cut a button torn his coat, and the third cut off both bridle reins below his hand, allowing them to fall to the ground. As Reeves jumped from his horse another bullet from Webb's revolver cut the brim from his hat. Reeves then fired his first shot, and before Webb could fall had sent two Winchester balls through his body.
By this time Reeves' posse and Messrs. Bywaters and Smith came running up. Webb lay on the ground with his revolver in his hand, calling Reeves to come to him. Reeves advanced, but while keeping his gun trained on him told Webb to throw the revolver away. He flung it into the grass out of his reach and the whole party walked up to the dying man.
"Give me your hand, Bass." said Webb, as he extended his own with an effort to grasp it. ''You are a brave, brave man. I want you to accept my revolver and scabbard as a present and you must accept them. Take it, for with it I have killed eleven men, four of them in Indian Territory, and I expected you to make the twelfth." Bass accepted the present, and has it now carefully stored away. The dying declaration of Webb was taken in writing by Mr. Bywaters, and thus ended the career of another "bad" man.
Gideon, D. C. Indian Territory, Descriptive, Biographical and Genealogical, including the landed estates, county seats, etc., etc., with a general history of the territory. The Lewis Publishing Company, 1901.
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