Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-03
AN INDIANA VENDETTA.
Another Bloody Chapter ofthe Glib
son County Tragedies.

AVOIVcV 0VOOuy ~T1optot Outte NtO
son County Tragedies.
From the Evansville journal, June "a.
There is something terrible in the
record OF lawlessness and murder
committed in the vicinity of Owens
vile, Gibson County, during the past
three years. One after another the
tragedies and foiled attempts of MUIR
derers have been printed in the
journal, the last occurring only three
weeks ago, when the outraged people
of the village seized upon Andy Com
pagnionette, dragged him out into
the darkness of night, and riddled his
body with bullets. In all the record
there have been instances of cool per-
sonal daring and pluck on the part of
the murderers and intended victims
which has rarely been witnessed in
one group of men. The story of the
various attempts to murder and rob
Mr.. James Robinson shows that gen.
tleman to be possessed of the cool
courage which makes heroes. Three
times beset by masked ruffians on
lonely roads and once at his own
house, he has each time with a pistol
fought them single handed and de-
feated them. No fear of ultimate
death could make him flee the dan
ger that surrounded him, but he has
lived in his own house, converted in-
TO an arsenal almost, cool and deter
mined that no lawlessness could move
him.
| One by one these attempts upon his
life and purse have been made, each
time leaving slight clue as to the
perpetrators. One was shot by Mr..
Robinson, and died in the hospital in
this city /; another was captured after
a desperate struggle, and is now in
ijail awaiting trial. The third, An.
Idy Compagnionette, was fearfully
FURNISHED by the mob which took sum.
mary revenge. Pravely and despcr.
ately as he had fought, with the cour.
age of despair, he broke down at las'
when he found his awful fate at hand
and begged like child for the life hi
had forfeited.
The fourth chapter in the vengeanc,
of Justice on this band of outlaws il
fast closing in, and the details CONF
to us of desperate attempt Sunda.
night to murder Andrew j. Mont
gomery, or Jack" Montgomery
whose services were successful il
bringing Compagnionette's criminal
ity to light.
Mr.. James McReynolds, a wei
known resident of Owensville, wa
at the Williams House yesterday
and brought the particulars Of the at
fair.
On Sunday night at dusk, about
o'clock, Jack Montgomery, who ha
, been at Owensvillc, was riding HON
to his farm, short distance out
| Passing his field on his way, he oh
! served number of cows in the whea
and went into the enclosure to driv
them out.
: There is no doubt but that the cal
tie had been turned in as a decoy
2 The gang of outlaws and robber
who were engaged with Compag
: nionette in the preparation of tn
f foul crimes were bent upon til
death Of the man who had delivere
their leader over to so awful fatt
They had, it appears, formed deter
J. mination to annihilate all who oppoI
ed them.
:. When Montgomery had driven th
n cattle out he heard noise in thicl
D ct at the far end of the field, and roc
down to see if one of the cattle W,
not secreted there. He seems to hay
S had fear of danger, for he rode in,
0 the thicket with his revolver in h
s hand. AS soon as he reached tt
darkest spot, where only few stra.
!; Cling rays oflight fell between IL
branches, he saw man with his fat
Il BACKED to avoid detection, rise u
like a shadow with a revolver pointe
:, at Ills head. Quick as thought Mon
gomery struck down the revolve
), which, as it was discharged, Craze
- :, his temple and cut lock of tt
= hair away. With his own revolv,
- he struck the assailant blow ov,
n the head, and as he fell shot at hir
i. The ball, it was supposed, took effe
n in his shoulder, for the fellow erie
+ out and put his hand to his neck.
y In moment two other black fac
is leaped out and Montgomery saw hir
a self in the jaws of death. The mu
derers, armed to the teeth, began Fl
ing at him. Bullets pierced h
n clothes all about his body, but
seemed to be protected asby char
1, for though a dozen balls entered b
ID clothes and one Clipped the skin fro
N his hip, he was not wounded. Wi
a his own pistol he fired as long as pc
e. sible at his ASSISTANTS, and not till th'
n did he turn his horses head ard ri'
to out of the fight as fast as his ste
W could carry him.
The alarm of the shots aroused t
neighborhood, and the report spre,
"a, to Owensville, and in an hour hu
ID dred eager men were at MontgoI
lg ery's house. Getting the tale of Il
is fight they secured the country abo
as for the murderers.
IN These had fled under cover of t
of night, taking their wounded col
n panion with them, and up to o
ly latest information, had not been ca
a tured.
a. Chief of Police Ayres yesterday !
e. ceived dispatch warning him al
We the police are watching closely for t
to man wounded in the shoulder.