Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1883-11-15
A Terrible Encounter.

A Terrible Encounter.
READING, Pa, Nov. ga desperate
battle with outlaws took place at the
loot OF the Welsh mountain, near
Lincoln, Lancaster county, this
morning, which resulted In the Seri-
Gus wounding of three men and the
capture of one of the gang.
On the one side were the notorious
4 be Buzzard and his men, while on
the other were the outraged citizens
and constabulary of the quiet towns
OF Ephrata and Lincoln, in the hills
OF which the bandit and his men have
been hiding ever since their escape
from the Lancaster jail.
Abe Buzzard and John Clifford had
both been serving long terms la the
Lancaster Jail, and with the famous
frankfort and nine others escaped
This was six weeks ago. Several of
them went into New York state and
one OF them, Alex. Leaman, was cap
tured near Cohoes by Detective
Mooney, who followed from New
York city.
AN EXCITING CHASE.
Buzzard, Clifford, and a few others
remained in the Ephrata hills, having
lifted up a den among the rocks. At
night they came down from their fast
ness, and for the last three weeks their
operations have been very bold-rob-
blng stores, stealing horses, and plum
derlng farm houses. The people be-
came alarmed at the nightly recurring
robberies. and, when it was learned
earl y this morning that 4. B. Hol-
fingers store at Lincoln had been
robbed last night and about $500
worth of goods carried off, the villag-
ers and neighboring farmers deter
mined to organize and proceed in a
body after the outlaws
A RUNNING FIGHT.
They armed themselves with shot
guns and revolvcrs, and, under the
command of A. B. HOllinger and E.
4. Bard, of Lincoln, went in hot pur-
suit. After proceeding some five
miles they saw Buzzard and Clifford
in the brush, and they were ordered
to surrender They were about fifty
yards away. Buzzard yelled ''Nevern'
and himself and pal fired on their
pursuers and then ran. Hollinger
and Bard and their men returned the
fire and continued the chase, firing as
they ran. Buzzard and Clifford re
loaded their pistols and returned the
! fire.
ONE OF THE OUTLAWS CAPTURED.
Suddenly Buzzard slightly halted
and limped for a few strides. and it
was evident that he had been shot and
wounded Another volley was pour
ed into the retreating outlaws, and
Clifford was wounded. The two kept
we'll together, and the running fight
continued for several miles, until
finally Clifford told Buzzard he could
go no further, and he was too badly
shot. BuZzard then turned and fired
on his pursuers- a final volley, and
Bard fell badly wounded. Blizzard
then rushed into the hills, bleeding at
every stride. Clifford sank to the
ground and surrendered when the
posse cameup He remarked: 1--WE
got to give in; I can go no further"
THE PURSUIT RENEWED.
| The chase was then given up, as il
was feared Buzzard would kill a mum
Der more if they continued on. Both
wounded men were taken back to
Ephrata amid the greatest excitement,
and when it was known that Bard had
been badly wounded, another armed
party started after the outlaw, who
by this time had met a number of his
gang, who assisted their wounded
leader to their den.
Bard was shot in the face and arm,
two teeth were knocked out, and one
small bullet entered his chin. Cliff
ford was wounded in the left side.
When captured he had on an over
coat stolen from Hollinger's store.
He was sent to the Lancaster prison
and locked up in an iron cell. He re-
fused to say anything concerning his
pals, but he remarked that Buzzard
was determined to fight to the death.
A lot Of plumber was picked up on the
trail of the fight
1t is believed that frankfort, the
notorious jail-breaker, is in the same
hills hiding with the gang The back
woods people are terrorized, and the
local constabulary powerless. Buz-
zard is one Of SIX brothers, all OF
whom have been in Jail, and all were
IN the Lancaster prison at one and the
same time for burglary. Clifford had
been serving a five years sentence OF
solitary confinement at hard labor for
burglary
! OTHER REPORTED CAPTURES.
A report was received here tonight
that Buzzard had been captured, to-
gether with two others, but this is
hardly probable. The search will be
continued tomorrow, and it is likely
the outlaw and his men will be run
down.