Nebraska advertiser., 1863-06-11
The Late Tragedy.


briefly state the facts as they were
elected at the Coroner's Inquest; anC
refer to some of the causes afterwards
Directly after dinner IN Saturday
a band of men crossed the river from
Missouri. They inquired for "Tobe'
Handley, and said they we're going t.
shoot him. Handley had left in The
morning; bid his friends farewell, and
it was generally supposed he could
not be found /; nobody in town knew
where he was. But in a few minutes
they met a boy from the country, who
informed them that Handley was seer
at Mr.. Dodd's, q few miles west o.
town, and was about starting as a
teamster for Fit. Hearny. They then
attempted to press horses to carry
them out, but as they could fn1 but
one-a pony belonging to the boy who
was their informant-they started
Immediately on foot. At Campbell's,
just beyond the edge of town, they
found two horses which they pressed.
Three Of them then being on horse
back, started ahead; and four fol-
loved on foot. The men on horse
back came too Dodd's and informed
Haudiey that there was a trial in
BrownVille, and he must attend as a
witness. Handley's employer told
them that he could not spare him, as
he wished to start for Kearny in three
minutes. But they replied that he
must go; that they had orders to bring
him. Handley seemed suspicious of
them, but they promised him he should
not be hurt. After parleying a few
moments, Handley got on horseback
behind one of the men, and started
toward Brownville. When they had
gone about half a mile, they met the
footmen, which aroused H~andley's
suspicious that something serious was
intended. He snatched a revolver
fran the belt of the man he was rid-
ing with, and slid off. The man sprang
after him. grabbed the pistol, and af-
ter tusseling some moments, wrenched
it from his hands. Handley then
jumped behind the horse and begged
them not to shoot, but one of the party
Immediately fred and wounded his
arm, rendering it useless. Handley
then jumped the fence into a field and
fed Eve or six Of the seven firing at
him until he ran beyond their reach.
They then broke down the fence, two
Of the men got on horseback and gal
Hoped up to him, and fred at him a
number Of times. By this time he had
been hit so eften, and was so weak
from the loss of blood, that he could
notrun much. One ofthe men jumped
from his horse, ran up to Handley, and
according to n witness, knocked him
down with his fist, but according 20
another witness, put the revolver close
to, his head and fired. He also fred
several times after Handley was down.
They then returned Immediately to
Brownville, left the horses where they
found them, marched at a brisk pace
\ down Main Street to the Ferry-boat,
merely stopping at one of the saloons
long enough to get a drink. The boat
was just starting, and in five minutes
they were on the Missouri shore.
After they left, there was consider
able excitement; elimination and re-
crimation. The news of what they
Had,dOne proceeded them to town ten
or fifteen minutes. But the idea Of
a~rrestng them.was not suggested until
they were nearly or quite to the Ferry
boat. They were we'll armed, and
then their number was increased to ten
or twelve. No person, we think, could
then have got men enough together,
with arms and ammunition, on so short
q. notice. to stop them. From the
time they first came, until they re-
turned to Missouri, was two hours or
two and a half. They publicly and
repeatedly, if we are rightly informed,
in the presence of fifteen or twenty
witnesses, swore they had come to kill
lobe Handley. There was then time
10. arrest them before the deed was
committed some suggested that it
should be done, but most Of our
citizens, who knew of their threats,
either thought they could not find