The Cheyenne daily leader. [volume] (Cheyenne, Wyo.) 1870-1884, 1879-07-27
THE N~IOBRARA FIGHT.
doc" Middleton, the Outlaw. Gets a
Close Call.

The following detailed account of the
praiseworthy attempt to capture the
notorious desperate, DOC" Middleton,
by a few citizens, was obtained by
a LEADER reporter warm from the lips
OF the chief of the party-Wm. Lykins,
of Cheyenne:
1t seems that Middleton and Lykins
were acquainted with each other, the
latter-named having arrested him some
eighteen months ago, about twelve
miles west of Julesburg. lie then took
him to Sidney and placed him in jail
there, from which Middleton escaped
before trial. Knowing of his where
abouts, he concluded to re-capture him;
SO after procuring the services Of two
determined assistants from Omaha,
named Hazen and Llewillyn, they set
out for Middleton's haunts on the Mo
brara river. They left the railroad on
the morning of the 18th of July, and
when nearing the locality where they
expected to find him, they secured the
services of two trustworthy men to pre-
cede them, who covered their advance
and acted rs decoys to bring the outlaw
from his covert. Lykins and his party
Travelled altogether by night, lying I'M
der cover in the daytime, while the
other two Travelled by day and camped
regularly at night, this being the only
way to approach his lair, for the mo-
ment a stranger enters that vicinity
messengers are at once forwarded to
apprise Middleton of the fact. The
advance guard in this case had some
scheme to treat Of with him, and made
an appointment to meet him at a GER
tain place at a given time. Middleton,
with four of his gang, kept the APP
pointment, but he was so ''scary'' they
could not do anything scarcely with
him. What this matter they were treat
ing of had reference to we could not
learn. Whatever it was, Middleton
would not agree to what they wanted
then, but made an engagement to meet
them next day, which was last Sunday,
about a mile and u half further up the
river.
Next day Lykins posted himself on
the roadside where Middleton would
pass, and as he was returning, with his
four men following him up, Lykins
allowed him to approach within about
twenty paees'fro him when he drew u
bead on him with his carbine. Some
thing being the matter with his gun it
would not go off, although he tried it
ten or a dozen times. Middleton heard
the swapping and turned his horse in
the direction from which it came.
saying, "By G. there's something
wrong here"
Lykins was lying on the ground, and
fearing discovery, jumped up and
blazed away with his revolver. Mid
dleton returned the fire, and turned TO
run, crying out to his men to Ego
back" While on the retreat Middle
ton met Hazen, one of Lykins' men
coming towards him, and as soon as he
got close TO him he lMiddleton) jumped
from his horse and shot at Hazen three
times, each shot taking effect. One
wounded him in the neck, another
passed through his left arm, and the
other entered the left side between the
third and fourth rib, passing through
the body and making its egress near the
spinal column. At this time Middle
toms horse had escaped, so he run for
some brush which was close at hand.
Lykins again took up his gun, and this
time it went off, just as Middleton was
entering the brush. He believed he hit
him, but could not then be certain.
Lykins then secured the services of
an old nan to go down in the direction
in which Middleton had escaped, to
make inquiries concerning Llewellyn,
his other man, and when he returned
he told Lykins that Middleton had been
shot through the abdomen, and was
then lying OIL a bed at a ranch about a
mile off, guarded by several of his men.
Shortly afterwards n messenger passed
on horseback, going to a place called
O'Neill, some sixty miles distant, for a
doctor. This messenger fully corrob-
Grated the story relative to Middleton
being dangerously wounded. The man
Hazen although severely wounded may,
and in all probability will, recover.
Lykins took him to the house of a man
named Skinner, a minister with whom
Hazen was acquainted, and there he
left him, he making tall tracks out of
that country, reaching Columbus, Ne
braska, about five O'Clock on Tuesday
evening.
Mr.. Lykins says that country is a
fearful place, being infested by all
classes of fugitives from justice, al
though he also says there are some good
people there, but they dare not say a
word. All the stolen horses from this
section of country as well as the Black
Hills are taken there. Upon his arrival
at Columbus, Gen. Crook was notified,
who sent orders to Fort Hartsuff, on
the Loupe, to send a detachment of
men there at once. The sheriff of
Grand Island and Detective Leech,
with u posse of men, also started to
that vicinity, and it is possible that be-
fore many days VT will hear of further
interesting exploits in that neighbor-
hood