Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1882-05-05
Death of the Man who Con-
ferred Masonic De-
grees on the No
ted Morgan.
Grow Dog Respited.-.A Batch
Failures---A Railroad Coi-
Iision in Chicago.
Heavy Frosts in Michigan Dcs.
troy TwO-thirds of the
Peach Crop.
Recapturo OF Polk we,ls.


Constitution gives the following con-
corning the recapture of the notorious
Polk Wells at Fort Madison: About
nine this morning this city was electri-
fed by tho appearance of the notorious
Chas. Polk Wells, the train robber, mur-
derer and outlaw, and his fellow convict,
Clas. Cook, as prisoners. They were
the remaining two OF the three convicts
who escaped from the state prison in this
city last Monday, one of whom, Fltzger-
aid by name, had been captured. They
were brought into the city in wagon,
guarded by their captors, Sheriff Dunn
and one or two others, aud taken imme-
diateiy to the prison where they were
put into seperate cells. Our reporter
got tho information regarding their fight
and capture from ether parties, who
were eye witnesses. Wells and Cooks
story of the capture as related by the
captors is as follows:
Mr.. Stenger is farmer about seventy
years of age, residing about five miles
from this city in Washinton township,
between this city and Denmark. This
morning, shortly after five o'clock, Mr..
Stenger and his son went out to attend
to the horses and do other work of the
kind. The son commenced milking the
COWS while the old gentleman went to the
hay barn and commenced looking for
eggs in pile Of straw; he noticed that
the pile was in q rather disordered
condition and looked as if it had
been recently stirred up, and having
some suspicion of tramps being around
he took up pitchfork and began to
poke aroand in the straw, and the re
suit was that Polk Wells. who was con.
cealed under 1t sprang up and was inn
mediately siezed by the orm of Stenger.
who thought from his looks that he was
q sick tramp and not expecting him to
be the notorious Wells, dropped his
pitchfoik and was starting to lead hlm
out of the barn when young Stenger,
who was engaged in milking near by
and had witnessed the whole perform
ance, noticed Cooks head peeping up
from the straw. and exclaimed. father
these men are the escaped convicts, look
out for them"
Cook had by this time picked up the
fork and was making for the old gentle
man, who let 60 of Wells and ra few
yards away and picked up another pitch
fork. Young Stenger ran to the house
at this period and returned quickly with
shot gun, and saw the two convict
running down by the fence some dis
tance away, his father chasing them will
the fork. Bearing in mind, he says, tn
$3.50 reward offered for their capture
the son sprang through gap in th,
hedge and followed them. gaining Oh
them rapidly,as Wells could scarcely ru
on account of his painful wounds an
from weakness caused by exposure an,
hunger. On arriving within fifty yard
of them young Stenger halted and!bring
ing his gun to his shoulder called out t,
them to throw up their hands or h
would fire. Wells complied and the tw
Stengers a,ched the convicts ahead c
them to the residence of A. L. Rice
where they halted and the culprits wer
secured.
On being asked if they were arme
they replied, mo or we would not be her
now" The fugitives presented misel
able appearance, being dirty and havin
on the same clothes which they had o.
when the escaped, with the exception {
a shoe of Wells. which had been lost i
| Winterbotham's barn. which show tbs
they b I'd received no assistance from an
outside party. They washes
!. themselves aud then breakfaste,
:. at Mr.. Rice's. Mr.. Stenger went HON
;. and got spring wagon into which Wei
i and Cook were put. Mr.. Stinger an
Mr.. A. l.. Rice mounted guard over thel
' and young stenger and young Geore
j. Rice accompanied them on horssbac
3 with loaded guns. In this way the ca
y - alcads proceeded to tho prison. Vel
d was laughing and IN good spirits, b.
'e Cook appeared downcast and dejecte
q. From Sheriff Dunn, who also accompa
u led them to the prison and who inte
ar viewed them ON their way in, ,
y lesrnea the story OF their adventures
10 follows: They stated that after leavi
:. 20 Winterbotham's they rode his hol
nj about three.quarters OF mile, and tn
leaving 1t went and hid in small ravi
as near Mud creek, where they remain
a the rest OF Tuesday. They d,stinc
II. heard their pu,saers as they passed
~ On Monday evening Il
70 vent 10 tho b,
de of w. Richards, half = mile or no fr
M Wintcsbotham's, where they remaii
At. until last night, when they went over
6tsuseFs. Al Richards they found