Berry, Jerome (Leighton - desperado) - Putnam

Denver, Aug 9 – The sequel to the jail delivery here two weeks ago has just been written in the blood of Hall and Leighton while Wilder lives, weak and wounded in the prison from which he and they made their escape.  The pursuit was not so prompt but that the two had time to transform themselves into walking arsenals by boldly seizing such arms as came in their way and within 14 hours after leaving the jail they had 82 shots in their armory without reloading.  With this terrible provision for defense and a perfect familiarity with the use of arms, combined with their well known and well earned reputation as desperate men who had everything to gain and nothing to lose by selling their lives as dearly as possible there was not much seduction in the $17000 reward offered for their capture. The only inducement lay in the words, Dead of Alive, used in connection with the reward and it was well understood that at least two of them would never be taken alive, even if men were found brave enough to make the attempt.  The pursuit was well organized and continued til Friday last. The fugitives did not attempt to leave the country but skulked in the heavy timber and rocky canons on the divide south of Denver and never more than 60 or 70 miles from town.  In spite of the sleepless vigilance of the Sheriff’s posse, Hall and Wilder were in constant communication with their friends in the pingries (?) receiving provision every night and only waiting for an opportunity to get horses before attempting to leave the country. Their hiding places were so numerous and secret that direct search for them was useless and it was decided at last to draw them out by subterfuge.

A ranchman who was in their confidence but not an ally, was dispatched to offer them the chance of getting possession of their hoses by going at a certain hour of the night to a corral near Blakesley’s mill on Cherry Creek.  Leighton was suspicious and declined to go.  It is safe that he had a premonition of evil and on the way to the fatal spot he trembled with fear till the cold sweat stood in beads over his shaggy brows.  Hall, however was absolutely insensible to fear and laughed at Leighton’s weakness telling him that they would soon be out of the reach of their pursuers – as indeed they were before the dawn of day.  Wilder was serenely indifferent, sharing neither in Leighton’s fears no Hall’s high hopes but it was Wilder who insisted that the ranchman should accompany them to the corral. To this demand the farmer yielded with extreme reluctance but finally consented meantime informing the detectives that he would ride in front of the desperadoes until they reached the lane leading to the corral when he would turn his horse suddenly and leave them taking his changes of their putting two or three bullets through him in his flight. The programmed was carried out successfully. The sheriff’s posse hid near the corral and at about 11 o’clock the party approached. The guide turned at the entrance of the lane. Wilder stood a moment but Hall and Leighton stepped forward and he followed them.  Suddenly the roar of 16 guns broke upon the silent night and their fitful flashes lit up the darkness long enough to Show Hall and Leighton prone upon the ground and Wilder flying over the prairie like a deer.  A moment later Hall sprang to his feet and darted away into the darkness but his pursuers soon came upon him where he had stumbled and fallen, faint from pain and loss of blood but bold and resolute as a lion at bay.  Powerless with more effective weapons, he heaped curses and maledictions on his captors for hunting him down like a dog or a wolf and during the four or five hours through which he lingered before death put an end to his sufferings, no word of repentance or sign of softening escaped him.  Leighton was hit harder and died within the hour. He began to recount his crimes, but had only recounted the murder of his wife and three or four men when death sealed his lips and the world may never know how great a villain then ended his career.  The pursuit of Wilder was continued without success during the night but the next day he surrendered and was brought in badly wounded.  The bodies of Hall and Leighton were tumbled in their blankets, thrown into a wagon and brought to Denver where their arrival occasioned the wildest excitement.  A horrible sight was revealed when the wagon with its ghastly freight drew up at the undertaker’s door and the sheet was lifted from the black and distorted features. Both faces wore a scowl and there was something devilish in the hard, murderous half smile that crossed the lines of revenge and hatred in Hall’s swarthy feature.  He was a powerful man with a head and neck like an ox, and his course, curly, tangled hair hung over a low, villainous forehead.

Nor was Leighton a lovelier corpse, though his style was different.  He was slight and almost shapely in outline with a sort of feline grace of person but with the eyes and nose of a hawk – cold, cruel, bloody, relentless.  It was not hard to believe that he had left corpses in his track and the 7 gaping wounds, might have stood for the number of murders he himself had committed.  Leighton, whose real name is Jerome Berry was born in Greencastle and afterwards lived in Knoxville Ill where he was sent to Joliet for murder in 1859 or 60.  His sentence was for 21 years but he escaped after about 18 months confinement and went into the army.  He killed a negro down South and to escape the consequences deserted. In Iowa afterward in a barroom fight he killed two brothers named Johnson and fled to Omaha where he assumed the name he bore till death.  From Omaha he came to Denver where he was borne a tolerable reputation though known to be a desperate man when aroused to anger.  His last victim was a friend and fellow musician named Anderson and for this murder Berry expressed the deepest regret before his death, asserting that he had no intention of killing him but was forced to do so. The jury, however did not view it in that light when they tried the case, having sentenced him to the penitentiary for 10 years.  His mother and relatives are living in Aurora, Ill.  Little is known of Hall or his antecedents though he has been more feared than any of the desperate men who haunt the pineries of the divide. He confessed nothing.  His resolute lips opened for noting but curses in his captors. Wilder is not believed to have been essentially a bad man but was linked with Hall in some deed or deeds of crime and the stronger will of the latter held him in complete subjection.  His escape from death was miraculous.  Eight bullets pierced a bag of provisions which he bore, but only one struck him, breaking one of his arms.