This account of the Smith, Lowe & Conner Feud is taken from a chapter in Gunsmoke in the Redlands by Joseph F. Combs. It is published by the Neylor Company (Book Publisher of the Southwest, San Antonio, TX) All credit is due the author: Chapter 19 continues...this is the extremely condensed version. The Conners also told the public, through letters, that they were innocent of the crime of which they were charged, and would not submit to trial under the circumstances. They reminded the people of the county that they had always helped to build good schools, roads and churches; that all their family had, through the years, contributed to the support of the public institution at every opportunity. They claimed that they were being persecuted, and did not propose to stand still and permit it to be done any more. The Conners had several hound dogs that were well trained to hunt livestock, trail human beings, and guard their masters. The Conner horses were almost as well trained as the dogs. The dogs were sent out on searching trips to see if any officers were in the vicinity. The feud was not at the point of no return. Local officers asked for a detail of Texas Rangers to help arrest the Conners. They were sent to Sabine Co. but their unfamiliarity with the dense woods of that region, made it impossible for them to find the Conners, and they returned to Austin with the explanation that there was no way to locate them without better organization. (The local officers had refused to cooperate with the rangers.) A second Ranger force was sent to the coutry and this time the Texas Rangers were successful in finding a man well acquainted with the back coutry region where the Conners were hiding, who agreed to act as guide. They slowly worked their from south to north through the thickets day by day. There was a close discovery one day but the Conners were clever in the use of their dogs & horns using tactics that confused the Rangers. A day or two later, however, the party located the headquarters of the Conners, then quietly waited until sunup the next morning. The raid began when two separate Ranger squads were moving about 80 yards apart from each other were fired upon by the Conners who were concealed behind trees & brush. The firing distance was between 20 to 30 feet. Private J.H. Moore fell dead with the first volley fired by the Conners. Captain William Scott, commander of Company F, Texas Rangers, Frontier Forces, Sergeant Brooks, and Private Rogers each fired two or three shots before being disabled, each having received serious wounds. The four citizens (W.W. Weathered, James Polly Henry Harris and Mr. Toole) with the Rangers refused to take part in the fight. Nevertheless, Bill Conner was killed during the fight with four wounds. Willis, Fed and John Conner made their escape Fed being possibly wounded. The Conners also lost their pack horse during the firing. Their camp equipment was also destroyed. The Conner dogs which were so well trained would attack when ordered to do so, as they probably did on every occation when the Conners were being pursued by the law. After the fight the Captain killed four of their dogs. With one dead and three wounded in their squad the rangers stopped their attack and rushed the wounded to Hemphill for medical aid. As far as the records show, the rangers didn't go back to Sabine Co. in search of the Conners again. They were no match for the Conners in a fight in the brush. The Conners were crack shots as well as brave and determined men itas said that when Bill Conner fell mortally wounded, he continued to fire from his knees. The same was said of Capt. Scott who it was said that he fired his Winchester as long as he was able & then even crawled closer to the Conners on his hands and knees to get a better shot. Over 100 shots were fired in the battle. With Charles in the penitentiary, and Bill dead, Uncle Willis had only two left to help him fight the officers. Fed and John were still with him, and they made plans for their final stand. After plans were made John went into the woods for a short ride. He was never hard from again. Some believed he left the region to find a place where he could change his name & live in peace and start life over again. Others believed his enemies had caught him alone. Murdered him and done away with his body and horse. Neither theory was every proved, and ther whereabouts of young John Conner of Sabine Co. fame, is still a mystery. Eventually due the fame of the Conners as gunmen in the region, the best gunmen were afraid to stand face to face with them and slug it out. For some reason the Rangers were not called upon for any further service. Instead, a private detective disguised as a cattle buyer was sent into the county. The detective discovered that the two Conners traveled a certain trail one day a week for supplies sent to them by relatives. Officers were notified and eventually hid in a shack waiting for Uncle Willis and Fed. To be continued...