Custer chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, Black Hills, D.T. [S.D.]) 1880-1890, 1884-05-24

Road Agents Routed

Fort Buford, Oak, May Isl have
interviewed Maj. Whipple, the pay
master who was attacked by road agents,
and who has just reached the garrison.
He Y "We left Glendive at 8 o'clock
yesterday morning. Our party was
composed of myself, ny clerk, Mr.. Such,
and Sergeant Conrad who was in com
mand Of my escort, which was made up
Of three men with two drivers. Mr..
Such and l occupied the rear seat Of the
ambulance, Sergeant Conrad and driver
on the front, while the others rode in
the wagon Immediately behind. Con-
trary to my usual canton, / had placed
my money in the ambulance. At about
2:30 in the afternoon, as we were driv-
ing quietly up through a ceep ravine
road, about four miles this side of
Barnes ranch, / heard rapid firing. l
looked out and saw Sergeant Conrad fir
ing to the left at "A party Of masked men,
seven in number, who had opened a
murderous fire upon III without n word
of warning. Three of the seven men
were firing directly into our ambulance,
which fire was returned by the sergeant
in the bravest and most gallant amer
At all early stage ofthe action, however,
he received two mortal wounds, but con
tinued to fire until the loss of blood so
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
and | jumped out. One Of the mules
was wounded, and the team becoming
frightened, ran away with the ambul-
ance, which contained the lieutenant
and my money. Mr.. Such and l were
kept under a very heavy fire, and our
escape was most miraculous. Fearing
that the highwaymen would capture
the ambulance, I Immediately started
in that pursuit, and made the best rec
ord Of my life in running the mile, 1
was obliged to. / was successful in
overtaking the mules and climbing into
the ambulance. The sergeant gallant
fellow that he was-died in my arms
ahont twenty minutes after hein. shot.
/ reached SCOTS ranch, about eight
from the scene Of the murderous attack
safely. In the meantime Mr.. Such and
the ambulance driver were covered by
the rifles of the highwaymen and forced
to return to the scort wagon. One of
the men was badly wounded in the arm
in the 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 es-
cort beyond a few shots, which they
sent unpleasantly near. They then be-
gan to search the escort, keeping the
men and Mr.. Such covered. Their
search, of course, was fruitless. They
seemed rather disappointed, and began
to search the men and Mr.. Such, They
found a little tobacco on one Of the men
and from Mr.. Such they took about $40
and a watch, which, however they re-
turned. After destroying the carbines
they ordered the driver tt his seat and
allowed the party to 60 in. Upon ar
rival at SCOTS | at once seLt my courier
70 For. n-so-d for = surgeon and addi.
tional escort, as We fully anticipated an
attack before the night. Upon receipt
of the intelligence Gen. Whistler order
ed Maj. Bell, Seventh cavalry, to start
with his troops. He made a forced
night march, and reached as at 4 this
morning, greatly to our relief, we hav.
ing been on guard duty the entire night.
Maj. Bell has instructions to do every
thing in his power to capture the band
He has taken with him three Indian
escorts and an interpreter"