Roseburg review. [volume] (Roseburg, Or.) 1885-1920, 1885-02-27

brought all the others to his side. just
at this moment one of them observed
/ armstrong behind a tree, and hastily
!; lspered the fact to the others Both
part es were now aware of the presence
of the other, and each supposed the
other to be the outlaws. Wright at
once shouted: Rush up, boysm and
started toward Armstrong with his re-
volver in his hand. About ten feet dis
tant he stopped and inquired, peremp-
torily: Who are youP'' "A friend, y
said Armstrong, who still believed
Wright to be one of the robbers. Not
satisfied with the answer, Boss again
started forward, and Armstrong fired
This was the signal for general fu-
silade, and for several minutes the
woods echoed with pistol and gun shots,
i the flashes of the weapons being the
only guide the combatants had as to
the proper place to direct their aim
Fully half :; hundred shots were fired.
and how long the battle would have
lasted had not the mistake been dis
covered, 40 one can tell. Plumer rec
ognized ne voice of Williams as he
gave ortisrs to his men in loud tone,
| and caught a glimpse of his face lit up
by the flash of his own pistol. He at
once shouted: "Williams! Williams!
stop firing for Gods sake; there is a
| mistake!' Instantly the combat ceased,
and some of the men collected little
brush and made a 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, pistol ball in his
chin and his breast torn by dozen bull
lets from 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 tenderly borne to
town by his friends Of both parties. 1t
happened that this was the night be-
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
ring address on the duties of the NOR
row, expecting to hear the usual rhet-
oric, spread-eagleism and scathing
comparison of the relative virtues of
the '.ins" and the s'outs. = 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 voice choked with emotion he
announced the sorrowful intelligence
that the man whom every one looked
upon as a friend was dead. He briefly
related the circumstances of the
tragedy, and then dismissed the people
to their homes, saying that he could
not speak to them that night. This
was fitting tri butte to the memory of
a brave man, and such as few but Boss
/ Wright would have received. The elec-
ton occurred the next day, and the day
following was the funeral; and in spite
of the animositics of the political con-
test, every man, woman and child, ir-
respective of politics or religion, as
sembled to pay their last respects to
the man whom all delighted to honor.
THAT is all true as Gospel. " said one
of the other men, who had maintained
silence during the narrative, ..for at
tended both the political meeting .and
w eli, tell you what you do,.. said
the man who had spun the yarn. "You
said you were newspaper man, and
! no doubt want to write this up for your
paper. | can see it in your eye. Be-
fore you do that you call on Judge
Searls, j. N. Rolfe, and few old tim
ers at Nevada City, and ask them about
it. You might see Judge Thomas III.
Caswell also; you'll find him at the
Masonic Temple in San Francisco.
And, by the way, you can find j. b.
fight, still living at Gold Flat. y RI
will remark here, parenthetically that
did call upon the gentlemen named,
and they all vouched for the substan-
tiaf accuracy of all that is herein re-
lated.
i wEBsTER's FATE.
Eyes, you are correct about my de-
sire to write this up, and to make ii
more complete | would like to know
what became of the cause of this sad
! tragedy. How about Webster?n
''Oh, yes. Well, Jim was soon after
laid by the heels in Yuba County, and
taken to Marysville, where the jail
proved strong enough to hold him
until he could be sentenced to San
Quentin for twenty-five years. The
next August, when he had been an in
mate but a few weeks, he made his es-
cape with eight others, and was never
recaptured. Just what became of him
is uncertain. One thing is sure-he
never returned to his old haunts in this
region. His subsequent career is some
/ what traditionary, but will give it tc
you as it is generally believed. He
I began his old life in a new field,
and soon gathered about him an.
other band of followers, whom
he ruled in an arbitrary man.
ner. His career was brief. One day
while in the Coast range he quarreled
with member of his gang, and gave
the fellow notice to leave before morn
ing or take the consequences. The
. man knew that Webster meant what he
said, and that he was dead shot. In
| fact, if you might believe the stories
, told of him, he could handle the re
v,lver as neatly as DR.. Carver does hi;
rifle The man determined not tx
leave the camp, but he did not dare te
| risk shot from his unscrupulous chief
So that night, while the camp wa.
! wrapped in slumber, he stole softly Il
| the side of the sleeping man, and drew
the bullet from his rifle. He coule
have killed him, but that he dared no
/ do, since his companions would aveng,
/ the death of their chief unless he wa
killed in fight. When Webster aros,
from his blanket beside the shoulder
. ing remnants of the camp fire the mex
! morning, he was astonished to see th'
) banished robber serenely sitting on
stump, few PAGES away. His wratl
boiled over at the mans presumption
t SO you didn't leave?' he exclaimed
as he raised his gun and fired at tn,
cause of his anger, who made no efior