Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1877-07-11

Rumors OF sucn gang had pre-
viously been current, though, as yet,
the rnflians had not been seen in that
vicinity.
Shutting off the water-jet, Rike ran
to the office" where several loased
carbines were usually kept. But the
office was locked. The foreman, who
had the key, was, with the rest of the
mn. Even when Rike was trying the
door, Cheng cried:
Gomez! Sluicee-rob comeew And
Rike now saw four or five strange neil
coming up the ravlne.
They bad guns in their hands, and
that they meant to break open and
plumber the Office was clear enough to
Rike. He furthermore knew they
would not hesitate to murder him, and
would probably do SO to shield them
| selves from future Identification.
Escape was impossible, unless he
and the Chinaman could climb we'll
nigh perpendicular gravel-bank, three
or four hundred feet high.
81 knew | was caught like a mouse
in trap" Rike afterward said, in his
account of the affair. "That iron
pipe WAS too big round to shin up. |
| thought at first that | could get the
carbines and pop at them from behind
the Office as they came up the gulch.
When | found that the office was
locked, | knew that the only weapon
Of defense | had was the old dugOng"
| (water-gun). And hadn't any too
much time, either, for the rascals were
coming at the top of their speed.
"When they saw me turning the
nozzle, they yelled at me savagely, and
swore most fearful oaths. Get, you
little, sneaking coyoten they shouted.
Two of them at once took aim and
fred. Their guns were charged with
buckshot. 1t battered all about me,
and hit the big pipe. 1t made it sing,
too. Cheng took TO his heels, jabber-
ing, scared half to death, and no won
der.
Il got down partly behind the
'knuckle,' where | could haul the
lever. When they saw me crouching
there they made a rush. | think the
man ahead was IA Digger Indian. He
had a big knife in his hand.
"When he was within about a hun
dred feet | t.:rned the jet upon hirl.
At first it went over him-squizzl But
leveled it. Then it took him right
square in the stomach. 1t Just lifted
him-took him off his feet as if he'd
been made of feathers, That big knife
flew out of his hand ANA he landed on
his head.
"The rest of the robbers scattered
apart then. One'of them ran round
to the left side, to get behind me.
Il turned the water a little too
quick for him and caught him on the
fly with an awful stiff Jet. How he
yelled when it struck him in the face .
Twas Ike SHINING him alive, | ex-
pect.
But I'd no time to give him more
I than one squirt, for two of them were
running round to the right of me, close
up to the gravel-bank. They were
within fifty feet of the spot where |
stood when jerked the nozzle round.
One of them fired his revolver. The
ball came dreadtully close to my head.
| fairly felt it But he didn't get a
chance to fire another.
Zone was a step in the rear of the
other, and, fortunately, | took 'em
both at the first squirt. 1t threw them
up against that hard bank, just as
you'd sling a eat against it. 1t must
have knocked the breath squarely out
of EN-
Il let the jet go steady, and it
pinned one of them up against the
bank. When ! turned it, he fell down
like wet rag.
Just then | saw the other stirring.
and turned 1t upon him again. When
the Jet struck him, | actually heard
the buttons rip off his clothes He
did not move again.
THE Indian had hit first now cot
up and tried to run away. But he
didn't get far before | sent him heels
over head again could have kept
him flat on the ground if had not
had the one who tried to get round on
the left to attend to-; for he was try
ing to crawl off on his hands and
knees.
81 had seen other men beside these
four down the gulch, and expected
they would climb out and come along
on top the grave bluff, and shoot me
with their guns.
81 couldn't have reached them up
there. But minute or two after.
saw the two Cinnamon, the foreman,
and lot of the other workmen. come
running to the top of the ladder on the
left side. The robbers saw them, and
took to their heels, and the Indian
managed to run away with the rest.
But | had three of the rascals
where they couldn't run. The one
had pinned up against the gravel-bank
never spoke again. The life was fair
lKrl I. l.. / /