Matt Warner (born April 12, 1864) Yielding a book of his life – one of the few outlaws of the Old West to chronicle his life. His book, “Last of the Bandit Riders,” (copyright 19 July 1940) Partly was serialized in Cosmopolitan Magazine in 1938, a few months before his death (Dec. 21). Furthermore, one of the stories in the book includes Warner’s telling about hiding out in the Robbers Roost area, where Warner “saved” three of his would-be captors, “Sheriff Fares” and two of his deputies, when they entered an area where there was no water.
Warner said he fired his Winchester rifle to attract their attention and left a note that read, “You are headed for death if you go south. Foller me if you want water.” Warner said he lead them to a spring and the thirsty deputies were so grateful to get water that they wanted to call off their manhunt. But the sheriff insisted he wouldn’t return “without his man,” which aggravated Warner so much that he captured them instead. Warner took their guns and the sheriff’s pants before turning them loose to ride back to Hanksville.
Warner was referring to Emery County Deputy Sheriff J.T. Farrer, changing his name slightly and promoting him to sheriff in his book. Despite the indignity of losing his pants, Farrer became close friends with Warner later in life.
History Moment 8 of 20
