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ROBBERS ARE HARD PRESSED |
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Last Reports Say Posse Was Not far
Behind. |
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Desperadoes Are Heading for the
Junipers Country – News of a Fight Is Expected
Hourly |
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Under cover of darkness the three
desperadoes who looted the First National bank of
this place yesterday have escaped to the mountains
in the north-eastern part of the county. An hour
after the commission of the crime there seemed no
possibility of the robbers making their escape. Now
their capture depends upon the skilful trailing of
the few remaining pursuers and the outcome of the
battle which must inevitably follow when the robbers
are brought to bay. |
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The story of the flight of these
robbers and the tactics of their pursuers is best
told by taking it from the beginning as there were
several inaccuracies in the account published
yesterday. |
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Leaving Winnemucca the robbers made
their first change of horses in the upper field of
the Sloan ranch, about eight miles from Winnemucca.
There they left two animals and took in exchange a
big black horse belonging to G. S. Nixon and another
good horse belonging to the ranch. They then struck
out for the northeast in the directions of Silve’s
ranch. Here mistake No. 1 of the pursuers was made.
Constable Colwell of Golconda had been notified of
the robbery, and he and D. F, Abel accompanied by
two Indians, started out. Through some
misapprehension, instead of starting east to head
off the robbers, which could easily have been done,
the Golconda posse started down the river towards
the Bliss ranch, and thus fell in behind the men
they were after. They met the Winnemucca posse,
consisting of Deputy Sheriff Rose. E. A. Ducker,
Ernest Duvivier and several others, and the chase
was taken up in earnest, the robbers having a lead
of about three miles. This advantage they maintained
until 3 o’clock in the afternoon, when they arrived
at Silve’s ranch, about thirty miles northeast of
Winnemucca. Here the robber secured fresh horses,
having left them there several days before. They
made the change hurriedly and when they left took
all their horses with them, packing their effects on
one of the animals. Before the robbers got away
from Silve’s the pursuing posse was in sight. One of
the boys on the ranch asked the meaning of the body
of men coming up the road and a robber said: “It’s
the Winnemucca Sheriff and a posse who are after us.
We have robbed the Winnemucca bank.” |
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Permitting the robbers to change
horses at Silve’s was the second serious mistake of
the pursuit. The owner of the ranch was in Golconda
at the time the news of the robbery was received:
but he did not tell of men having left horses at his
ranch until it was too late to prevent the robbers
making the change which they had counted on as a
part of their plan of escape. Had it been known at
the time that the horses were at Silve’s a posse
from Golconda could have reached the ranch ahead of
the robbers and they would have fallen into a trap. |
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Leaving Silve’s ranch the robbers
headed for Squaw Valley. The two posses headed by
Colwell and Rose kept on in pursuit, but their
horses were so fagged that they were at a great
disadvantage. |
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The intention of the robbers is
evidently to reach the junipers country at the head
of the Owyhee if possible. Once in those wilds it
will be practically impossible to find them, and in
any event they would have the advantage of choosing
their own ground in case of a fight with their
pursuers. |
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About the only chance of capturing
the robbers is the possibility of the pursuing
posses overtaking them before they reach the
Junipers. This is not unlikely as last reports
showed that there was no great distance between the
desperadoes and their pursuers. News of a battle may
be received at any time. |
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This morning Abel returned to
Golconda. He reported that he left Colwell and the
two Indians about 4 o’clock yesterday afternoon.
They were then on the big flat about eight miles
west of Silve’s. |
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W. L. Coulter, Malvin Hill and Mr.
Brown returned to Winnemucca late this afternoon.
They arrived at Silve’s last evening, but some three
hours behind the posse. They reported that Colwell,
Rose and Duvivier, with Indian trailers, were only a
short distance behind the robbers. The bandits left
Silve’s at 4 o’clock and turned south toward the
river while the posse kept the upper road on the
probability that the robbers turned south in order
to avoid the fields at Noble’s ranch, after which
they would turn toward the gap leading to Squaw
Valley. |
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Coulter and party remained at Silve’s
all night and this morning followed the tracks some
distance and far enough to indicate their direction.
Their horses being worn out they returned to
Winnemucca this afternoon. |
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Another posse which is after the
robbers consists of Constable Moore, W. J. Bell,
Hugh Collins and J. T Dunn of this place. They
started out for the Paradise valley shortly after
the robbery, with the intention of securing more men
and fresh horses at Paradise and then cutting across
the mountains to head the robbers off. The plan is a
good one and they may succeed in capturing the
desperadoes. |
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Telegrams were sent to Tuscarora last
night asking the officers to organize a posse and
endeavour to cut the robbers off before they get
into the Junipers country. The Tuscaroarans would
have an excellent chance of catching the robbers,
but they are evidently not much given to chasing
criminals. A reply was received this morning from
Tuscarora that the men there would not start out
unless their expenses were guaranteed. By this time
it was too late for the Tuscaroarans to accomplish
anything and they were advised to stay at home. |
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BIG REWARD OFFERED |
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Sheriff McDeid this morning issued
the following circular: |
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Three Thousand Dollars Reward – Men
Wanted for Bank Robbery – The First National Bank of
Winnemucca, Nev. was robbed at noon September 19. by
three unknown men of the following description: |
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One about thirty five to forty years
of age, about five feet eight or nine inches in
height; weight about one hundred and fifty pounds;
dark mustache, week’s growth of beard; dark pants
well worn, white hat. |
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One smooth-faced, heavy set; about
thirty years old; about five feet eight inches in
height; dark hair; bluish grey suit, no vest, coat
ripped under right arm; wore Congress (sh)oes and
white hat. |
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One with full beard –scraggy, sandy
brown; about five feet nine inches in height; weight
about one hundred and fifty or sixty pounds;
probably thirty years of age. |
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When last seen the men were headed
for the Junipers by way of the Squaw Valley. One
thousand dollars will be paid for either of the
parties, dead or alive, or three thousand dollars
will be paid for the trio of robbers. |
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C W McDEID |
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Sheriff of Humboldt County |
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Winnemucca, Nev., Sept. 20 1900 |
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ROBBERS NEAR TUSCARORA |
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At 3.05 o’clock this afternoon
Sheriff McDeid received the following dispatch from
E. A. Duvivier, dated at Tuscarora. |
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Bank robbers are twelve miles from
here. They are headed for White Rock and if all
ranches north of here are notified they can be
captured. Their horses are worn out. Ed Cavanaugh
and Burns Colweel are with me. |
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This dispatch shows the correctness
of the belief that the robbers were headed for
Tuscarora. The dispatches sent to that town last
night asked the officers to take a posse to White
Rock, where they could possibly intercept the
robbers. If the Tuscaroarans had acted as they
should have done the desperadoes would now be in
custody. |
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NOTE OF THE ROBBERY |
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Sheriff McDeid sent telegrams to
Boise City, Idaho, Silver City, Idaho, Burns,
Oregon, Vale, Oregon, Ontario, Oregon and also to
Tuscarora from which place it was expected a posse
could be promptly organized to intercept the robbers
if they headed towards the Junipers.
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There is now much cleared wisdom
exploited, which, under the excitement of the
moment, could not have been easily utilized.
However, commendable and prompt action was taken.
From the reports now at hand it seems that the
course taken indicates a determination to reach the
Junipers, an almost inaccessible region in Southern
Idaho and northern Nevada. If the robbers had relays
properly arranged they could easily have reached the
Junipers by daylight. |
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Many conflicting reports by eye
witnesses are now current. |
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Sheriff McDeid was standing on the
corner by the Reception saloon and when the men
passed one of them took a wing shot at the Sheriff,
who stepped back into the arch on the corner. |
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Mr. Lane, hearing the noise, stepped
to his door, which is opposite where the men dropped
the sack of coin and they took a shot at him. |
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Directly after the robbery Mr
Calhoun, the stenographer in the bank, took across
towards the hospital and accidentally turned the
corner where the men had dropped the sack and one of
the robbers good naturedly took three shots at Mr.
Calhoun, who promptly fell behind a fence. |
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Professor Kaye saw the latter part of
the affair as the men were leaving the rear of the
bank, but supposed some hunters were departing and
that the raised hands of bank officials was simply a
parting salutation. |
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W.S. Johnson, the horse buyer, ran
back into the bank, grabbed one of the pumping guns,
jumped the fence and drew a bead on one of the
retreating robbers, but the gun wasn’t loaded and
Johnson threw the weapon away in disgust. It is said
by a lady who witnessed this that had the gun been
loaded Johnson would have got at least one of the
men. |
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The robbers stole a valuable horse
from Sloan’s field belonging to Mr. Nixon and when
they reached Silve’s they took the animal along with
them, evidently taking a fancy to the horse. |
