Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-01-30
stopped and gave a lpw whistle. Which

AV" AAoSA WILMA
brought all the Others to his side. just
at this moment one of them observed
Armstrong behind a tree, and hastily
whispered the fact I'd the others. Both
parties were now aware of the presence
of the other, and Zach supposed the
other to be the outlaws. Wright at
once shouted: crush up, boys!'' and
started toward Armstrong with his re-
volver in his hand About ten feet dis
tant he stopped and inquired. peremp-
torlly: "Who are you?" "a friend"
said Armstrong, who still believed
Wright to be oneof the robbers. Not
satisfied with tn. answer. Boss again
started forward, and Armstrong fired.
This was the signal for q general fu-
Shade, and for several minutes the
woods echoed with pistol and gun shots,
the flashes of tie weapons being the
only guide the ombatants had as to
the proper place to direct their aim.
Fully half a hundred shots were fired.
and how long the battle would have
lasted had not the mistake been dis
covered, no onecan tell. Plumer rec
ognized the voise of Williams as he
gave orders to lis men in Il loud tone,
and caught a glimpse of his face lit up
by the flash of lis own pistol. He at
once shouted: civilians! Williams!
stop firing for Gods sake; there is a
mlstake!" INSTANTLY the combatceased,
and some of the men collected q little
!, brush ana madea fire, by the light Of
which they were able to- see the sad re-
} suit OF their fatal error. Lying dead
! upon the ground was the brave and
generous Wright, a pistol ball in his
chm II his brtasttorn by a dozen bull
let's from a gun. David johnson was
mortally wounded in the breast, but was
able to walk to Armstrong; house,
where he soon expired.
Wright's body was tcnderly borne to
town by his friends of both parties. 1.
l happened that this was the night be-
5 fore the Presidential election, and an
enthusiastic procession had just pa
raded the streets and drawn up before
the speakers stand to listen to a stir
Y ring address on the duties CT the NOR
. row, expecting to hear the usual rhet-
oric, spread-eaglehm and scathing
5 comparison Of the relative virtues OF
: the ''ins" and the 9outs." The orator
arose and advanced slowly to the front
OF the platform, stretching outhis hand
to check the demonstration of welcome
which was started among the audience.
+ With a voice chokell with emotion he
announced the solrowful intelligence
that the man whom every one looked
/ upon as Il friend was dead. He briefly
related the circumstances of the
| tragedy, and then dismissed the peopl.
+ to their homes, saying that he coult
5 not speak to them that night. Thi:
e was Il fitting tribute to the memory o
i a brave man, and such us few but Boss
Il Wright would have received. The cleo
ton occurred the next day, and the da,
e following was the funeral; and in spit
:, OF the animosities of the political con
;, test, every man, woman and child, ir
$ respective of politics Or religion, as
Il scmbled to pay their last respects t.
the man whom all delighted to honor
That is all true as Gospel" said on
OF the other men, who had m%aintaine
a silence during the narrative, '.for | at
y tended both the political meeting IAN
the funeral,'
It 81 have nc doubt of that" l has
It ened to remark, ''none whatever"
u "Well, | tell you what You do" sal
II the man who had spun the yarn. 'Yo
wv W. "SIC u newspaper HILL, I'LL
is no doubt want to write this up for you
e paper. 1 can see it in your eye. Be
t. fore you do that you call on judy
l. Searls, j. n. Rolfe, and Il few old tim
II ers at Nevada City, and ask them abou
h it. You might see Judge Thomas Il
Caswell also; you'll find him at tn
Masonic Temple in San Francisco
And, by the way, You can find j. L
s.e Bynne, n OF the participants in tn
fight, still living at Gold Flat"
4 will remark here, parenthetically, this
# | did call upon the gentlemen named
and they all vouched for the substar
o. tial accuracy of all that is herein 1T
Q fated.
wEBSTER'S FATE.
h Eyes, YOU are correct about nv dt
l. sire to write this up, and to make
IS more complete l would like to kno,
d what became of the cause of this sa
h tragedy. How about Webster"
e .a:Oh, YES. Well, jim was soon aft
laid by the heels in Yuba County, AN
d taken to Marysville, where the ja
a proved strong enough to hold hin
d until he could be sentenced to Sa
Quentin for twenty-five years. Th
u next August, Wncn ne mao DeGn an II
d mate but a few weeks, he made his g:
l. cape with eight others, and was nevt
II recaptured. Just what became OF hin
is uncertain. One thing is sure-h
g never returned to his old haunts in tn
IS region. His subsequent career is SON
If what Evolutionary, but l will give it
h you as it is generally believed. H
g began his old life in Il new tiell
l. and soon gathered about him al
other band OF followers, whol
he ruled in an arbitrary MAJ
ncr. His career was brief. One da
Is while in the Coast range he quarrele
= with a member OF his gang. and CAV
Sc the fellow notice to leave before morr
q ing or take the consequences. III
id man knew that Webster meant whath
le said, and that he was a dead shot. !
fact, if you might believe the storie
g told of him, he could handle the IT
o v,lver as neatly as DIR. Carver does hi
if rifle. The man determined not t
|, leave the camp, but he did not dare
he risk a shot from his INSCRIPTIONS chic:
ID So that night, while the camp we
i IN, ~,,,J -, .1,,,,ln,. Iva ,tn1n cnftlr Z