Omaha daily bee., 1885-04-18
WAR ON THE lOUP.
A Fatal Shooting ARRAY at Brighton
Ranch,
. Mob Visits the Ranch, Burn
Horses and Garry off Per-
sonal Property,
A One Sided Statement by the Daw'
son County Pioneer"

n Hlhu ubueu IOWell BLU anu mOE-
tally wounded n mar named Provence,
In Custer county, last Friday morning,
under the following circumstances: The
man Provence was a squatter upon q
proved-up claim belonging to Stephen
d. Long, and Long being q single man,
was living in his own house, with a
family named Powell. Long had re-
peatedly warned Provence TO leave the
place, and quite recently had notiSed
him and his nearly grown sons to de-
sist from blowing. During last winter
and while Long was living alone in his
house, and during a temporary absence,
the Provinces carried off his personal
%effacts. A search warrant wss gotten
out and a portion of the goods were
found In the dwelling of the Provinces,
aud the statement OF a small boy of the
family revealed the underground hid
Ing place of Longs bedding, together
with some hides belonging to cattle
which had been missing from the
Brighton Ranch. The old man Prov
ence was arrested, but not punished.
lho tEouuIo D6bW6tu IEONtDCb huu
Long, which had been gathering
strength for fully a year, expended It's
force last Friday morning, when Prov
ence, armed with a shotgun and revolver,
went to Longs house and, meeting Pow
ell outside, asked him to inform Steve
Long, the ----- that he want.
ed to settle with him Tor words of similar
import(s Long was on the outside of the
house, and as Provence had but a day or
two before threatened to kill him, he
considered that he must now have to
fight for his life.
he went In and got his Winchester
and emerging found Provence in the act
of leveling his gun at him. Both fred
almost simultaneously, neither shot be-
ing effective, however. At this j~uibcture
Powell ordered Provence to stop shoot
ing into the house, where his wife and
children were. In response Provence
leveled his gun at him and fired,
one shot taking effect In Powell's hat.
The latter got his gun and began firing
at Provence, and Provence drawing his
pistol, fred three or four shots at Long
and Powell, when the battle ceased by
Powell shooting Province through The
side, when he fell,
Provinces two sons, who were oom-
Ing rapidly with fire arms to the aid of
their father, stopped when they saw
him fall, and dropping their guns, came
upon the scene unarmed, and finally ze-
moved Province to his house, where he
died the following night.
Long and Powell at once made preper-
atoms to deliver themselves to the officers
of the law, but fearing mob violence,
they dared not go to Broken Bow, 80
they remained secluded until the arrival
of Sheriff Foote, who, after consulting
With the Allys, agreed that Charley Allyn
should take the prisoners to Wood River
and turn them over to him there; from
which point he would canvey them 80
Plum Creek. The sgreement was asr-
ried out and after a preliminary exsmin-
alton before a justice of the peace, Powell
and Long we're bound over to await the
action OF the grand jury; and failing to
give bail were brought to Plum Creek,
and lodgedin jail, on Saturday.
The same day q mob of about 100 mon,
well armed, made their appearance, and
burned Longs house, together with the
personal effects of l. ng and Powell.
They went to Virg. Allyn's residence,
who, however, was absent, the premises
being in charge of Gene Boblits and Lat
Lamms,, who were not molested The
mob went into the house and helped
themselves to canned groceries amoant
ing to about 500 in value. A small
quantity of whisky being found, ar Off
Ger of the mob, named Merchant, spilled
1t upon the ground to prevent tho, men
from imbibing 1t, fearing they might be
led through Its influence to commit some
excesses.
W. are informed that this same man
Merchant, In his official capacity as
county coroner summoned a jury of the
mob, to investigate the death Of Prov
ence; and that they brought in a verdict
that the deceased came to his death
from a gMnshot wound inflicted By either
Long or Powell.
After leaving Allyn's residence the
mob, in pure w~antonness, set hre to q
~roct1ess double log house, called the
middle rsncb," which had formerly
served as Virg. Allyn's residence. Then
the mob left the locality, and have not
since appeared In the neighborhood. In
formation of the movements of the
mob were brought to Plum Creek,
on Saturday, and Will kllyn, with
twelve or thirteen others, Immediately
proceeded to ,hs ranch for the purpose
of protecting the property. They re.
turned MONDAY, with the report that all
was quiet in the South Loup country.
Many fear that the end is not yet, an d