Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1884-04-06
BOLD BANDITS.
The Career of the Leading Horse
Thief in Montana Territory.
His Fight with a Sheriff's Posse-Two Men
Killed Lynching Wounded Robber-
A Bandit RiddIed with BuIIets-The
Lions Changed for Fox's Skin.

~ NS'N'N "NN'SS WAN wv
Lions Changed for FOx's Skin.
MILES CITY, NJ. IT,, March 2S.-Mr.
George Ashby, the leading horse thief
of Montana, steals from both white and
red men, making the appropriation of
Indian ponies speciality. There is also
against him a standing indictment for
murder.
Mr.. Ashby is said to be at the head OF
trusty band as fearless and as lawless
as himself. The Little Missouri and
Powder River districts are the theatre
Of his operations. An Indian is Mr..
Ashby's detestatiOu. He kills him at
sight if he can. He considers that In-
dams nave no right to own ponies, and
he takes their ponies whenever he can.
There are several indictments against
him for horse stealing. The Custer
county officers of the law and their
deputies have been ooking for him for
some time, but have been unable to
find him. Mr.. Ashby has repeatedly
announced his determination never to
be taken alive. The men of the frontier
say that he bears
Charmed Life,
and the hairbreadth Escapes of which
they have made him the hero are
numerous and OF the widest stamp.
A Oh To- 81 nj laf
was arrested in Miles City, telegraphed
by request Of Marshal Raymond Of
: Deadwood, for stealing OH an Indian
reservation. He was held in custody
until an officer could be sent from Dead
wood to receive him and carry him
thither. Last summer Pruden made
the acquaintance of Ashby, who was
hunting on the range. Ashby con-
ceived an attachment for Pruden. AS
soon as he heard that Pruden had been
arrested and was to be taken against
his will" to Deadwood, he resolved to
rescue him. For that purpose he or.
gained rescuing party, composed OF
himself Harry futile, Billy the Kid,
Bad Land Charley, and two or three
others less known to fame. On the 18th
ut a deputy marshal, Joseph Ryan,
arrived here from Deadwood to take
charge OF Pruden and take him to
DeaIwcod. That night Pruden was
informed by some friend that the
deputy marshal would be
HeIdUp
at some point on the road by Ashby and
Ills party and that he (Pruden) would
be rescued. On the 18th Ryan, REIN
forced by Deputies Zahl and Edwards,
started with his prisoner from Miles
City for Deadwood. On the 18th news
was received by the officials at Dead
wood that an attempt would be made
70 rescue Pruden, and that the place
selected for the attempt was the Little
Missouri. A party under Deputy
Marshal Willard was sent to reinforce
RYAN, and, if possible, to intercept
Ashby and his gang. Willard with his
psrty reached Stoneville, on the Little
Missouri, on the 18th. Stonevi.le is
1Carly que southeast from here, and
about two.thirds of the distance from
Miles City TO Dsadwood, close to the
Wyoming line, and not far from the
Dakota boundary.
On reaching the village. Willard
learned that Ashby had said there that
day that he and his party would rescue
Pluden if ali his band were killed in the
attempt. Ashby, with his six or seven
followers, was still in the village, Their
horses were standing in front ola stack.
Wizards party shot four of the horses,
three of which were packed and one
,addled, the latter intended for Pruden.
Ashby's gang
Then Opened Fire
on Marshal Wizards party. Six of
the robbers were to the right and rear
of Willard and one to the left and front,
h,dd,n from sight by a post behind
which he was ensconced. John O'Hara,
one of the deputies, was killed by this
fire. The bullet came from behind the
post. Wizards party promptly re.
turned the fire, woundiug three OF the
robbers, Ashby, futile and Camp
bell, Being Outnumbered and under q
cross fire, they withdrew into a store,
taking with them the dead body OF
O'Hara. Ashby and his party then
blsZed away into a crowd of innocent
COW boys standing near. They wounded
one, Harris, seriously, and killed Cum
was due to Ashby, who thus avenged
pCISOl1l IudllCl oC-
tween himself and some cowboy. The
snow was falling heavily. Darkness
came on, and Ashby, severely wound
ed, with Campbell, also badly wounded,
and Tuttle, whose left elbow had been
shot through, withdrew into the "con-
lees" with others of their party.
Mr.. Willard then increased his party
by organizing q posse, and set out to
meet Rpan and his party in charge OF
Pruden. Ryan and his assistants, with
the prisoner, were met about twelve
miles from Stoneville, on the Miles
City trail. Pruden was then delivered
TO the Dakota officials. The other depu-
ties started on Ashby's trail. They
TIA led him, Billy the Kid, and Harry
futile, to SheldOn's ranch, five miles
above Stoneville. On arriving there,
they learned that the three robbers had
been there the previous night, and had
obtained $40 in money and bandages
for their wounds. They had left the
ranch, but bad given no intimation OF
the direction they were going to take.
The snow had drifted badly. and their
tracks could not be seen. MIR. Willard
then split bis party and continued the
pursuit.
The Cowboys,
who were greatly exasperated by the
unprovoked murder Of Cunningham,
also made up party and Joined in the
chase. One OF Ashby's old hiding
places, known as the Devils Tower,
Wa searched, but the devil was not In
the tower. The pursuit was kept up
for many days, and In terrible weather,
but was finally abandoned. So that
Ashby's luck has not altogether DE-
serted him. It possible he may die of