The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1884-03-30
BANDITS OF THE BADLANDS.
THE CAREER OF THE LEADING HORSE
THIEF IN MONTANA TERRITORY

His Fight with - shs-,r'. Posse-T~s Men
kiIied-Lyrcsing n wosnded Rsbbsr-A
BsadN Rtddled with Builess-Tho Lisn,s
Changed for Fox's skis.
MILES CRY, NJ. T., March 2A-Mr. George
Ashby. the leading horse thief Of Montana
steals from both white and rod men, makina
the appropriation Of Indian ponies specially.
There is also against him Q standing indict--
ment for murder.
Mr.. Ashby 10 said to be at the head OF trusty
band ~ fearless and ~ lawless "a himself The
Little Missouri and Powder River districts arc
the theatre OF his operations. An Indian
is Mr.. Ashby's detestation. He kills him at
sight II he can. He considers that Indians have
no right 70 own ponies. and he takes their
ponies whenever he can. There are several in
dictmonts against him for horse stealing. The
Custer county officers Of the law and their
deputies have been looking for him for some
time. but have been unable to find him. Mr..
Ashby has repeatedly announced his determi-
nation never to be taken alive The men Of the
frontier Say that he bears a charmed life. and
the hairbreadth 'scapos Of which they have
made him the hero are numerous and Of the
About the 3d Of last month one Prudcn Was
Of Marshal Raymond 81 besdwood. ior Stealing
todS until an oiiieer could Do sent from bssd-
wood to receive him and carry him thither.
q AsSSy who was Hunting s on 9Se ranTe.
Ss be- a %
to Deadwood. he resolved to rescue him. For
that he Essfnng PSrtSy
Kid. Bad Land Charley. and two or three others
less known to fame. On the 18th ut. deputy
wood to TAX charge OF Pruden and take him to
Deadwood That night Pruden was informed
by some friend that the deputy marshal would
Ashby and his party and that he. tPrudenl
W9Ha 6e Iy on the h Ryan
ed with his prisoner from Miles City for DsNd.
wood. On the 18th news was received by ths
DO made to rescue Pruden. and that the place
% tho nass shs S M
was sent to reSni"rse Ryan and i possible IN.
tersept A As and ni gang Wi I,r With hi,
from M here. and about two:ihrd Of the dis.
lance from Miles City to Deadwood close to
me wyoming line and not lar from the Dakota
on reachne tho village. Willard learned that
party would rescue Pruden il ali his band were ere
killed in the attempt Ashby, with his six OF
s.sn Ts In tho Of
which we're packed. and on. sadled. tho lat.
cuened ire on Marshal Wilards party fF Six ie Of
the robbers we're to the right and rear Of vii.
sight By, q post behind which no was ensconced
John O,Hara, ono Of the deputies. was killed
post. Wizards party promptly returned the
fire. ,wounding three Of the robbers. Ashby
Sndsr h En EStSa4ew
0'Hara. Ashby and his party then blezet
near, They, wounded one, Harris. seriously,
and killed Cunningham. This cowardly pro;
himself for an old personal quarrel between
himself and some cowboy. The snow was
hsry M asa
wounded. md Tpttle whose left elbow hat
with others OF their party.
NJ. Willard then Increased his party by or;
Ganizng posse s ~, and Set ont to meet Ryan ant
assistants, with their prisoner. were met about
twelve pes from st ,a on the Niles CITY
Ashby's trail. They trailod him. Billy the
k mes bsssy to on sr
they learned that the three robbers had beeE
there the previous night; and had obtained 50
Of the direction they we're going to take. Tht
BE- his pss
and continued the pursuit, The cowboys. Yhs
murder Of Cunningham. also made UP q parti
ara !oiniei in the chase One 81 Ashby's Oh
but the devil Was not in ths towsr
The pursuit was kept, up for many days. and /!
terrible weather. and was finally abandoned
serted him. 1t is possible he may die Of hi
wounds or want Ct proper treatment-but he 4
not so fortunate Campbell. who sent back
letter to the deputies, was followed into ths
DO win he a aHnd dsslod
fell dead with fifteen bullets in his body.
who WAS sG. the left elbow
and went into Spearllsh, where, he asked to b,
t9ken into the county hospital for treatment
2h I ef I msksa men to ,h
there was only one nurse, They seized futile
gagged him and carried him of without an!
shrift or n mono at al. rope was fastened 70
over tho brink; One, Of his legs was broken in
was clicked to death. An inquest was held
9 Snd thS remains OF the outlaw were buried in
ing, because TutlH was bound 10 die q Ills
10 T aya s a yhGss ss
O'Iiara in tho fight. and O'Haras friends
were terribly exasperated.
suddenly shot down without having given the
slightest aggregation. were reused to Gwhite
|
have been made to discover who were tho psr-
petrators OF the crime. but they have not been
| successful. and no arrests have been made,
There is II theory that neither the friends Of
tho murdered 0'Harn nor the cowboys COM
int T yH,%t rg Is Sse OF
bys, own gang, to, prevent his making any
disclosures. fruden WAS safely, taken to
examined by the Court. which ordered his re-
lease. and he Is free once more. so that sew.
eral men have been killed and wounded really
to no purpose.
Before tho Stonevillc fight several efforts
were made to capture Ashby. 1t is said that a
partyof four. not very long ago. went to arrest
tho desperate. StoneviIle seems to be- his
their way. Aslby was in Il saloon there when
they arrived. They posted one man outside
tho door and tho others entered. As they
passed tho threshold n small young man
passed between them: One Of them, asked him
II hs knew Ashby? lie answered that he did
They asked HIM II Ashby was in the house
He shook his head and passed out. After ex-
aiming other occupants OF the place. the
deputes tnrned to 20 out. As thew were leaY-