River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-09-23
THE TRAIN ROBBERS.
Their Retreat tn Southwestern Fsts-
souri-Their Capture Thcagsst linz
possible.

Their Retreat In Southwestern Mia
soari.Thcir Capture Thcagsst Inn
possible.
A reporter of the st. Louis Demo-
crat, who has been Gu the trail of the
Iowa train robbers, telegraphs from
Appleton City, Missouri, tifty-nine
miles southwest of Sedalia, on the Mis-
souri,, Kansas and Texas Railway, in
regard TO the pursuit by the VigiIantes,
that the Lafayette County Committee
has Numbered horribly. They had not
been in Johnson City an hour before
every man, woman and child knew
their business, and the general i'm
preston III the neighborhood is
that, had the outlaws chosen to show
fight, they coHld have picked off eyery
one of the committee at their leisure.
Young Meyers, who, with man named
WykoG, piloted the Vigilantes from
Appleton City to Johnson City, asserts
that had the chase been properly con.
Quoted the gang could have been cap
tured. There is ample proof that they
were in the vicinity, for Mr.. Wilson,
hotel keeper at Monagen Springs, states
positively that they were at his house
on the very morning that the Vigiiantes
arrived Mt Johnson City. The farmers
around Appleton City had been suffer-
ing seriously for some time by the
| depredations of horse thieves. as MANY
as eleven animals having been stolen
in one week. A vigilance COM
mittee was accordingly organized
for the purpose of recovering the
stock, If possible, and furnishing the
purloiners thereof. They started from
point little south of Appleton City,
and on nearing the Springs came upon
the Youngers and three other men,
presumably their Iowa associates. The
robbers at once took to the bush,
where they halted and challenged their
pursuers to fight. The latter, how
ever, declined the offer, and the thieves
went unpublished. Having lived in the
neighborhood all their lives, they are
of course thoroughly familiar with it
and its inhabitants, about two~thirds
of whom are friendly TO them. The
country il very billy, and affords any
number of secure hiding places, which
they will not be slow to avail them
selves of when the pursuit becomes too
hot. The opinion is that their capture
IL lmpOSSlDle Wulle bney REMAIN IN the
vicinity, and every one laughs
at the idea of any one having
been foolish enough to suppose
that they have left the section Of coun-
try with which they are so familiar.
Many seemingly exaggerated stories
are told OF the proficiency of the gang
in the use of the pistols. A fence-rail
was torn down and planted, end up, on
the road near the bank of the Usage,
and one of the Youngers mounted, bis
horse and rode away from ii at full
speed, discharging SIX shots from his
derringer, over his shoulder, every ono
of which struck the mark. Dismount-
ing, he recharged his pistol, and boz :
rowing his brothers, took one in each
hand. Two apples were thrown in the
air at the same time, and before they
fell to the ground each one of them was
split in two by separate shot from
each revolver. III these stories ale
true, it is scarcely to be wondered az
that the numerous detectives who are
said to be on the trail fight shy OF the
Missouri bandits.