Daily press and Dakotaian. [volume] (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1875-1880, 1877-09-06
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Gallant charge ef fassy 81 psrrretsss
trpe" a Band 81 AsAArrs~A
0easA n CAAN
Fr. PIsaak, Sept. 8, 1877.
Ethior r Pres and Iakstaiaa:
Quite . little excitement was caused here
last "Wednesday BY the announcement .Aas
a ccnpleSof road agents wsse ON their way 10.
The ferry, after having relieved = party Of
freishten Of about $500 in money. The
news spread like pairie IRE, and in less
than an hour, about 20 special policemen
were ready to risk their regulations to effect
a capture. Scouts were detailed to pick
plums along the road. and, detect il possible
the spot that should he sole .ted for . camp,
This proved to be on q little peninsula
formed by the washing away Of the bank,
of the river, which, dropping into the
stream, had been len fast to terra firma At
n end, while the other extended out into
the water a short wade from land, and was
covered by a thick growth of Young willows,
which afforded, just the shelter and protec-
ton needed and sought for the bloody scene
80 soon to be enacted. Sending word back
for the attacking party to approach. our
bold out advanced to within a safe dis
lance to watch the movements Of the rob
bers, aud to make sure that they were the
parties they wanted. What they witnessed
removed the last lingering doubt, and moth
ing remained but to plan and execute an
attack that should totally extingui.h the
daring "knights Of the road" and cover the
extinguishen with gore-we mean glory.
A council of war was held and . follower
appointed by the leaders, and the heaviest
loser, selected a. a committee Of one, to
open the ball, by firing the first shot, which
was to be the signal for a charge, that should
result as before stated. The party immedi-
ately divived into integers, and deployins
to right and left, quietly and completely
surrounded the foe cautiously keeping out
Of sight and sound, as all were skilled at
long range shooting. At last the signal Was
heard. which Was followed by a charge by
the highwayne en-, who o%vertaking the Two
nearest policemen, politely requested the
surrender Of their (the nearest policies,
arms, which being delivered were turned
agains, the mex nearest police, who, how.
ever, were by this time too far away to I've in
any danger, or to realize that they ever had
been. At least they did not appear 20 to do
until some time afterward.
In the meantime sharp skirmishing h.d
been going on in the real which resulted in
the loss Of considerable good powder and
lead, and in much confusion to the attack
ing party, who met, lodged and fired around
each other through the brush until long
after the pursned(D had disappeared over
the bluff, forgetting in the excitement of the
moment to take the balance of the pursuers'
fire arms, and two cheap horses, they had
borrowed to ride into town on. They have,
however, no doubt made up the deficiency
ere this, or if not soon will.
Fearful - were the odds GO to q, an in.
ventory developed the fact that 10 lives had
been lost or blood either, and that Of 10 re,
ported missing all but one . trusty lndian)
were found %rummaging around Town for the
two escaped highwaymen, and quarreling
over the spoils Of war, one party who had
lost SIS and a pair of old boots, claiming
that the two horses and one saddle woulG
hardly compensate him, while the rest con
tended that the Indian scout who so bravely
ventured within 500 yards of the CAM
(after the opera was over), should. receive
the whole outfit. How the matter wa
finally settled, deponent further sayeth no.
To add to the terrors Of the scene and still
further whet the desire Of our hunters 70
game, word was brought in that the high
waymen were Oh the road near Willov
creek. A party Of ten horsemen was imme
diately started in pursuit, who rode I
within eight miles Of them, and then con
Guiding somehow that they had not lost an
robbers, gave it up and returned to the fold
For the sake of history and the printer v
will refrain from a recital of the many BRAY
deeds and hair-breadth escapes recorded
which would require the issuing Of a supple
ment, to immortalize the names of man
heroes and for the same reasons perhap
we'd better draw the curtain right here.
If the narrative as related is not LITERAL
as it occurred it is no fault of
Yours, truly,
sOPEE."
p. S.-Jacob Brotherson, Of yellow MED
icine county, Minnesota, died and was burie
here yesterday. He came here from Dead
wood a week ago, suffering with mountai
fever, without money or The slightest pre-
vision for his comfort. He received little O
no care on the way and probably died fro1
exposure and neglect. He received goo
care during his last hours, and a deceu
burial. 1t i. claimed he had 5000 while i
Deadwood, and the doctors there told hin
he must leave when they found his none
was gone. q