, 1873-07-08
THE TRAGEDY At SIDNEY, NEB.
A Ilcro1b Woman Defending 1ior
ElOnor 1lnd laer Lifu AYninst Two
nHaTa1rrsiO

Honor nnd laer I.iKu Agninst Two |
DcsporndOcs. |
From tho Omaha Herald. Juiys.
Some ton days ago tho brief announcement of |
horrible tragedy at Sidney @ wns ANNOUNCED &C ~. ly
affair ia furnished us 10 a lottor.
noy, our corroapondont tolls Tic story Of the
murderous assault upon TINT poor woman aa fol- |
lows. ~
"Tho noxt morning tho two acoundrols on
which Mr.. y. o'Donnoll is in charge, having,
beyond doubt Watched from tho adjacent
bluffs, and Hoen al tho mon leave tho houEo, and
thoro found Mrs. oDouneli ongaged In hcr usual
day meal and for tho roturn Of her husband and
his men. Tho only othor occupants Of the hoalao
woro tho little child OF tho o'Donnell's, scarcely
o s tao 9ea Sses s ~aaed aaed into tho house and
bcgau by Insulting Mrs. O'Donnell, domanding
the money supposed by thom to DO concealed in
tho house, aa tho U. 7. pay-car had passed mp
with tho spirit that animated tho women Of '76.
attempted to dofond tho property and all that Is
moat dear to vito and nothor. and most nobly
did the poor woman struggle. She had hor life,
her child, her honor--al1 at stake-two hardened
williams to anoounter and mono to aid, mono to
hear, mono to aayo.
"fhe would-be aaaasains wore we'll armed.
The white man first led tho attack, placing tho
nook and java current Of blood followed, tho
shot having severed a yoin or artery tho negro
almost at tho same timo fred two shots at
through tho body-both bullots took effect
| In the right arm. breaking aud Bhattoring the
bono. Tho woman fell to tho 1oor, rose again,
| staggered to her bedroom and after moment
onco moro regainca her foot and, with blood
flowing In torrents from her wounds, left tho
house and dropped almost nfelesB In the yard.
But tho true womans instinct, tho courage OF
tho Spartan mother sustained her and sho lay
with her faco promo upon the ground, feignng
death that her child, lor hearts treasure, might
DO saved from the bloody handa Of her mercloss
aHsasain and they, with heart more callons than
| tho fangod gray wolf, shot the child, tho ball
grazing its temple, and thon shot the last, the
esupposing the woman dead, they pillnged
the houBe. took Winchester rifle, and largo
property as they could carry away. In their
haste to depart thoy loft email valise or eatohol
| which they had carried, containing fow arti-
clos, and among thom astencil-plate markod i.
I3orTy.'
As soon as the rufflans had loft the house,
Mrs. O'Donuoll watchol their movements, and
saw them 60 to the bluffs north Of tue house.
Bho then, with tho 1ttlo atroDgth loft her, cup
ported by an indomitabls courage, crawlod to
tho house. took hor child, hushed ita agonizing
SCREAMS, carried it with the one arm left to hcr,
and concealed 1t near tho house. Then she
ssartod faint and bleeding, to find her husband
tho burning sun. tho weary walks Of over four
miles, and with hcr clothes droncl.ei il blood
she fell beBdo tho track after walking over
half milo There tho tortured victim lay OK
posed to tho broiling Sun, until about u o'clock
when ler husband aud his men returned to thoir
dinner, found her."
Pursuit followed tho discovery of the horrible
atrocity, Htrong men and Neet horsoa, aided BY
aoven Of tho Third Cavalry, who first Visited tho
scene OF 1t. Pools Of blood wore everywhere on
tho floor. Strong oaths wore taken by those do.
tormined to capture those men, and they wero
traced and captured. Ono was q negro and tho
other white man. They were discovered at s
o'clock 4. m, June a, south Of Lodge Pole
Creek Station In the bluffs, and wero Boon bu1-
rounded, driven Into cornor,. and challenged to
surrender. PerBistently refusing, both wore put
where they will never again aBsal and murder q
poor, unolfending woman. Al praise is awarded
Deputy Sheriff MCCARTHY and sorgt. steon for
their determined efforts in this good cause.