The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1879-09-04
In the Hands Of Highwayinen.


Bouton with highwaymen near San
Jacinto have been coming in for some
days, but the General himself has
Low arrived. He tells of his thrilling
experience on the mountain top at
San G0rgohia in the following way:
The General and j. G. Collins, his
partner started from San Gorgonia
for their rancho at San Jacinto in q
light wagon. About three miles out,
and when at the top of the grade on
the new road leading to San Jacinto,
three men Suddenly rose out OF the
brush, which at that place grows close
to the roadside, and two presenting
retolters and one shotgun, cried
Halt!' The team was stopped, when
they were ordered to give up their
arms. Inoy then plvnnPtlJ enovunred
that they had no arms, although each
of them had revolver in his pocket
unknown to the other. Upon getting
out of the wagon pieces of chain were
produced and their hands were
chained behind them and six-foot
chains were placed about each of their
hecks. This jewelry was made from
the chain used about the straw-carrier
Of a threshing machine. The links are
made of heavy wire bent into shape;
but not welded, and when they were
placed upon the prisoners the links
were pressed down with a pair of shoe
makers pincets! Collins was chained
to the wheel of his wagon, with the
chain about his neck. The man car
rying the shotgun was handed pistol
by the other, who, taking hold of the
chain about the Generals neck, said,
"Come on" while the armed man fell
in the rear with his gun about a foot
from Bouton's back. The third man
had meanwhile been unhitching the
horses and, taking them ahead short
distance tied them to some bushes.
All this time; and the time was not
neatly So long % it takes It's to tell. it,
the General had been furtively feeling
along the slack of the chain on his
hands trying to find link that was no,
entirely closed. His touch, which
must have been intensified by the tight
place in which he was placed, sudden.
ly found a link partly open. He drop.
ped the other link down, and with the
slight leverage which this afforded
prfed open the little opening upon
which his life depended. Keeping his
hands in the saihe position he then
parted the skirts OF his coat and put Ills
hand upon the pistol, which was a sell
cocker of the "bull-dog" pattern. They
had not yet gone more than thirty
PAGES and had Just turned out of the
road into brush when the General &C
complished this, and it was just at thi.
time that the man in the rear noticed
his movements and cried "haltr Al
this General Bouton whipped out his
pistol, and halt turning, fired at the
man In the rear who fell. Quick a.
thought he whirled and bored q hole
through the one in front. He then rat
to release Collins, when the thifd mar
came trimming toward the wagon, from
where he tied the horses. Bouton
thinking his purpose was to shoot Col
Inns, waited until he passed the rear Of
the wagon, when he blazed away and
dropped him. It took but a moment
to jerk the chain apart which was about
Collins neck and to free his hands
Then. hitching up their team, they
drove like wildire TO the Office Of
Justice Kennedy, some nine miles dis.
tant, with the parted chains still dang.
ling from their wrists and necks, where
they at once told their story. With the
aid of a file they were relieved of their
jewelry, and as soon as day broke a
posse stated back to the scene of the
tragedy.
Near by they found where three
horses had beeh tied and two masks on
the ground. Taking Up the trail of the
horses they found; about d half mile
further on; the body Of john Wake:
field, who had dismounted, tinsaddlcd
his horse, turned him loose and then
lain down and died. He was found to
have been shot in the right side, the
ball lodging just beneath the skin OF
the back. On Wednesday man named
Covingtoh went to his home, near Ell
CISCO, Immediately after The shooting,
with flesh wound in the thigh, where
he Stated to his friends that they did
not intend to mtirder General Boutoh.
bit only wanted to compel him I'd sign
an order on his wife for five Thousand
dollars, and intended to keep him as a
hostage until it was paid.-Colto,a
(Cal.) Semi 7ropic.