Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-01-08

upon the deserted streets and crumbling
ruins of Timbuctoo. as one by one the
minority desert the old haunts and are
carried up the hill to be laid away in
their midst.
After this exploit Webster took to
the road, and lived upon the contribu-
tons of the travelling public. He de-
voted his attention chiefly to the noun
tain roads of Neveda County, the one
we are now travelling being favorite
with him. In this wilderness OF forest
and brush, over mountains and through
deep canyons and rocky gorges, 1t was
almost impossible to pursue a fleeing
robber with any hope of success. 1t
was veritable robbers paradise. A
price was put upon his head, and many
efforts were made to earn it; but no one
dared to hunt him openly, as his repu-
tation as marksman and his reckless
courage held them at bay. He fire.
quently entered the various towns and
mining camps, and walked boldly
through the streets, no one feeling per-
sonally called upon to modest him. As
ISOLATED with him were a number of
hard characters, such as invariably
gather about an outlaw who has the
ability and courage to lead and control
them. But there is an end to every
thing, and one day Jim was bounced
upon and turned over to the care of
Boss Wright This was a few weeks
after the big fire which destroyed the
Courthouse, and Webster was confined
in a temporary calaboose. He and a
fellow-prisoner took French leave one
night, but were traced to Smartsville
by Hank Plumer and Bruce Garvey,
and captured while quietly sleeping,
each with a big six-shoOter under his
pillow. This Hank Plumer was quite a
noted case. At this time he was Mar
shall of Nevada City; but few years
later he was suspected OF hold
ing too intimate relations with a
gang of thieves, and was finally
caught in the act of robbing the very
people who had elected him to protect
them. He evacuated at once, and went
to Idaho, where he became Sheriff of
county, and f1ourished as a member of
a gang of road agents and horse thieves,
whom he protected by means of his
official position. Finally the people
learned the true inwardness of the sit
uation, and organized a Vigilance Com
mittee, which strung up Sheriff Plumer
and about dozen of his gang. which
put an end to the whole business.
THE AMBUsCADE.
Well, to return to Webster. He only
remained in Jail a few days. One
night he again made his escape, ac-
companied by two others who belonged
to Tom RellS panp YOu'Ve heard of
Tom Bell, SUPPOSED
Eyes, I've heard of him, but nothing
very definite
Well, I'll tell you about him some
other time. mustn't mix him up with
the present story. You can well i'm
agine the excitement when it was
learned that Webster had escaped
again. Armed parties went in search
of him in all directions. just before
dusk the following day two horses,
in secluded spot in Gold Run, just
bridge you observed spanning it as we
that these animals had been placed
ers, who were supposed to be lying in
ness should give them favorable
opportunity to reach the horses
and ride away. A. number of
residents of Gold Flat, which
at that time contained quite mining
organized into posse I'M
der the leadership of l.. w. Williams.
There were ten or a dozen of them,
whose names l remember being j. b.
Byrne, Wallace Williams, Thomas
Baldwin, G. H. Armstrong, r. S, Wig
ham and Thomas Lockhart. These
men went quietly to the place where
the horses were concealed, and hid
themselves in the bushes to await the
expected arrival of the desperadoes.
While these preparations were being
made by the people of Gold Flat, who
would no doubt have been successful if
they had not been interrupted, provided,
of course, that they were correct in the
supposition that the animals belonged
to Webster-the news was carried pri-
vately to the authorities in Nevada City.
Boss Wright at once organized party
for the same purpose the Gold Flat men
had in view. This consisted of him
self, Hank Plumer, David johnson,
William Butterfield and Lewis Teal,
Receiving the news later, and having
farther to go, they did not reach the
spot till long after the other party had
concealed themselves. Darkness had
settled down among the trees that skirt
the side of the ravine, and fearing that
the robbers might have already ar
rived, Wright and his men advanced
with great caution, utterly ignorant of
the Gold Flat party lying in ambush.
These latter saw the officers stealingup
the ravine, and congratulated each
other upon the success of their plan,
of course, that the men ap-
preaching were Webster and his
friends
BOSS wRIGHT'S DEATH.
Hank Plumer was in advance, and
when a few PAGES from the ambuscade
stopped and gave low whistle, which
all the others to his side just
1T this moment one of them observed
behind tree, and hastily
the fact to the others. Both
parties were now aware of the presence
IF the other, and each supposed the
other to be the outlaws. Wright at
once shouted: ''Rush up, boysr' and
started toward Armstrong with his re-
5olver in his hand. About ten feet dis
ant he stopped and inquired, peremp-
'orily: ''Who are you?'' "A friend"
'aid 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 a general fu-
ilade, and for several minutes the
woods echoed with pistol and gun shots,
he flashes of the weapons being the
,nly guide the combatants had as to
he proper place to direct their aim.
FULLY half a hundred shots were fired |