The Dickinson press., 1884-05-24
MoHrAHA RoAD AGENTS

Paymaster whipple Describes His En-.
counter With q Band Of Highwaymen In
Montana.
Fort Buford, Oak, Special Telegram, May
Isl have interviewed Maj. Whipple, the pay
master who was attacked by road agents, and
who has just reached the garrison. He says:
eve left Glendive at 8 o'clock yesterday morn
ing. Our party was composed of myself, my
clerk, MI. Such, and Sergeant Conrad,
who was in command of my escort, which
was made up of three men with two
drivers. Mr. Such and l occu-
pied the rear seat of the ambulance, Sergeant
Conrad ard driver on the front, while the others
rode in the wagon Immediately behind. Con-
trary to my usual caution, l had placed my
money in the ambulance. At about 2:3O in the
afternoon as we We're driving quietly up through
of Barnes ranch, l heard rapid firing. l
looked out and saw Sergeant Conrad firing to
the left at a party of masked men, seven in
number, who had opened q murderous fire up
on US without a word of warning. Three of
the seven men were firing directly into our am
bulance, which fire was returned by the Ser
geant in the
BRAvEST N MOST MANNER.
At an early stage of the action, however, he re-
ceived two mortal wounds, but continued to
fire until the loss OF blood 80 weakened him
that he could no longer hold his rifle. About
this time the driver received a scalp wound
and fell down from his wagon, when Mr.. Such
wounded, and the team becoming frightened,
ran away with the ambulance, which contained
the lieutenant and my money. MI. Such and
l were kept under o very heavy fire, and on,
escape was most miraculous. Fearing thai
the Mghwaymen would capture the ambulance
1 immediafalv Starfa1 in that MIR
suit, and made the best record of my life in
running the mile. 1 was obliged to. I was
successful in overtaking the mules and climb.
ing into the ambulance. The sergeant-gal-
twenty minutes after being. shot. I reached
Scott's ranch, about eight miles from the scene
of the murderous attack safely. In the mean,
time Mr.. Such and the ambulance driver were
covered by the rifles of the highwaymen and
forced to return to the escort wagon. One OF
act of raising his carbine for a second
shot. The villains, thinking that the
escort wagon contained my safe, had paid but
little attention to my escort beyond few shots,
which they sent unpleasantly near. They then
began to search the escort. keeping the mel
was fruiltless. They seemed rather disap.
pointed, and began to search the men and Mr..
Such. They found a little tobacco on one d
The mon and from Such they took about SO
and q watch, which, however they returned
After destroying the carbines they ordered
the driver to his seat and allowed
the party to go on. Upon ar
Fort Buford for a surgeon and additional es.
cort, as We fully anticipated an attack before
night. Upon receipt Of the intelligence Gen
Whistler ordered Maj. Bell, Seventh cavalay t.
. start with his troops. He made q forced nigh
march, and reached us at 4 in the morning
greatly to our relief, we having been on gllart
dutythe entire night. Maj. Bell has instruc-
lions to do everything in his power to captur,
the band. He has taken with him three Indian
escorts and an interpreter"