March 1, 1902: From the time we left Valentine we lived a wild camping life. The number of groups of bounty hunters has increased significantly these days, and some passers-by are pointing at us. We spend a lot of time climbing over mountains and ridges, and only settle down in the dead of night. We have no clear destination. All we had to do was escape the Pinkerton detectives. However, what makes me uneasy recently is that there is a voice among the gangs who calls themselves "fugitives"...
One day we were camped at Cumberland Falls and I woke up in the morning to see that the snow and ice in the north was melting rapidly. Our bedding was severely damp and food was in short supply. I gradually realized that wandering with a large group of people was not a long-term solution. Although I could adapt to this kind of life myself, these people urgently needed to return to the town and return to a humane place. life, so we decided to fix it up in Strawberry for a while.
Two days later, the Strawberry Township Police Department:
This was a small, confined space. The Sheriff's desk was adjacent to several cells. The smell of sweat and cigarette smoke was everywhere, making John feel sick for a while.
After they decided to enter Strawberry Town, Mr. Fowler insisted on visiting the local police station. According to him, he was a good friend of the police chief here. But they had a special status at the moment, and John believed that they should avoid contact with strangers at any time.
"Those police officers treat fugitives and townspeople alike." Faced with John's concerns, Mr. Fowler explained.
John followed Mr. Fowler to a bungalow at the end of the town. The words "JAIL" were painted in gray paint on the forehead of the house, indicating that this was a solemn police station.
"Chief Hanley!" Mr. Fowler shouted in front of the door. When no one responded, he pushed the door open and entered.
There was only one person in the room, a stocky man who looked like a policeman and was writing something on the desk. When he heard the door open, he turned his head and stared at the two people who walked in.
"We don't accept bounty hunters here."
John saw that Mr. Fowler's expression became a little exaggerated. The clean face was no longer covered by the thick beard. John saw all the subtle changes.
"Are you the Sheriff?" Mr. Fowler asked, but he didn't sound like he was talking to someone he knew.
"Is there a problem? I told you that bounty hunters are not welcome here." The man replied impatiently.
"We are not bounty hunters. We are here to find a police sergeant named Hanley. Do you know him?" John took a step forward and said. The policeman in front of him was about the same age as him. Since he was not known to Mr. Fowler, person, so Sheriff Hanley must be someone else.
"It turned out to be a friend from out of town. Unfortunately, Chief Hanley died in the line of duty two years ago. Later, Vernon Farley, that is, I took over as Chief Hanley." The man frowned slightly. exhibition.
"That's a real shame, Sheriff Farley," said Mr. Fowler, and John saw his mood drop.
"However, you don't have to be unfamiliar with me. Not only did I succeed Hanley as the Sheriff of Strawberry Town, but more importantly, I continued his personality and spirit. Therefore, I am happy to be Mr. Hanley's friend."
"So Chief Farley, can you tell us about the death of Chief Hanley?" John also heard about some of the tragedies that occurred in Strawberry Town, and he wanted to find out whether Chief Hanley's death was related to certain cases. .
"Gentlemen, that is a sad history of Strawberry Town. On a calm afternoon two years ago, a skilled bounty hunter came to Strawberry Town. He stepped into this house sanctimoniously like you - who It is conceivable that his target was actually a prisoner who was detained for being drunk and causing trouble. This guy used a steam engine to forcefully tear open the bars of the cell and handed the prisoner a weapon. All this happened in the town, Strawberry Town at that time Chief Hanley was commended by the governor for his good public security. How could he swallow this? He led all the police officers and half the men in the town to chase these two bastards." Chief Farley's voice gradually became angry. It seemed that He was very angry at the behavior of the prison robbers, "Such a pursuit would be a fatal blow to any daring bad guy, but... these two guys actually broke into the siege, and our townspeople were firing with rifles and pump-action guns." They fell one after another, and the girls in Strawberry Town lost their fathers, husbands, and brothers that day."
Sheriff Farley stopped talking and stared silently at a newspaper framed on the wall.
"The next day, the West Elizabeth newspaper personally reported the incident, and within a week the wagons that were supposed to be carrying the wood were loaded with corpses and headed to the cemetery outside the town. This was the result of a massacre - caused by two people A bloody sport, gentlemen, which is a great disgrace to a town of nearly a thousand souls."
Mr. Fowler looked thoughtfully at the seat where Sergeant Farley sat. During a police call, he met Sergeant Hanley who sat in that seat.
"Chief Hanley died to protect his people, and his fall was glorious." Sheriff Farley said, meeting Mr. Fowler's gaze.
Aside from mourning the dead, John wanted to find out how these two desperadoes dared to face hundreds of pursuers in Strawberry Town. They must have some special abilities, otherwise they would not make such a stupid attempt.
"Mr. Sheriff, when something like this happened, have you investigated the identities of these two gangsters? The people who made such a big fuss must be restless, and they are likely to commit similar crimes in other places," John said.
Sheriff Farley nodded slightly: "That's for sure. Although there is no direct file on this case, and the imprisoned person did not reveal his real name, I have rummaged through this in the Blackwater Town Superintendent's Office. "Looking at the state's recent crime records, I speculated that these were probably the same people who robbed Bronte's train in early 1899."
"Have you verified your suspicion?" asked Mr. Fowler.
"This group of people seems to have a traveling route. According to the route, accidents will happen in almost all towns and cities. Moreover, this group of people moves slowly, dragging their families with them, and they are huge in number. I did a deeper investigation and found that the perpetrators of each murder were The guns and clothing are surprisingly consistent. This is a gang that is mainly homeless and very united. Since the notorious O'Drisco Gang disappeared in the gang war, there has only been one gang that fits this profile-Vanderlin German gang.”
"The Vanderlinde Gang!"
Hearing this, John couldn't help but exclaimed.
"Well, sir, do you have any insights? This gang was very popular at the time, but now it can't get back on its feet."
John gave Mr. Fowler a look, signaling him to change the subject, but he still couldn't restrain his heart from shaking uncontrollably.
"In Lemoyne, the bounty for each member of this gang is a large sum of money," Mr. Fowler said calmly.
"The Van der Linde Gang once intensified the feud between the two major families of Rhodes and led them to destruction at the same time. Then they drowned Angelo Brontë who was obstructing it. They thought they could control history with a few loyal sharpshooters." Sheriff Farley still refused to break away from the topic. He had an extraordinary understanding of the Van der Linde Gang and was willing to talk endlessly, "I don't know whether to be grateful or disappointed. The federal government has never caught the Van der Linde Gang, but that doesn't mean that This gang has not been punished as it should be. After 1899, the Van der Linde Gang ceased to be rampant due to internal differences. It seems that time is the best medicine to cure gang problems."
"Perhaps this gang has long since faded into smoke. Sheriff Farley, you should also put aside the things that bother you. It seems that you don't like bounty hunters." Mr. Fowler said.
Sheriff Farley was stunned for a moment when he heard this.
"In fact, when Sheriff Hanley was in office, he shut out all bounty hunters. He believed that the police officers in this town were capable of handling things here. And I... just don't want to see any more fake bounty hunters. Hunter murderers murder our brothers and sisters..."
