Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1886-04-02
BEslEGED IN y BARN

o~nN.
A Prominent Nebraska Farmer KILL.
Discharged ~Employe-He Is runn"sa
and Succeeds In Killing Three -, ssd
Posse-He Barbados Himself In , Tie
and Holds His Pursuors at Eay-As.I s'a
Resort the Barn Is Fired in Hon.
Smoking Him Out. I"
OMAHA, Neb., March 22.-Saturday .
Steadman,a prominent farmer of BurtCo,S
ty, and proprietor Of 1.-TWO crea,neries neart,
village OF Lyons, discharged from his ss
ploy Edward johnson, alias John A,a.A
con, q young man and q comparat;n.
stranger in this vicinity. johnson tbo,.
upon picked a quarrel with steadmss
and without warning whipped out
revolver, and without p~rovocation sho.
Steadman in the stomach, causing de,.t
in a short time. Amid the ensuinr
element johnson secured a Winchesto.
rife and Il large quantity OF ammunition
and, mounting u horse, started off. Con-
stable Parker Immediately organized
small party, all armed with revolvers ana
on horseback, and gave chase, bein.
joined from time to time by others alon,
the way.
The party kept gaining on the fugitive
and finally, near the farm of Charles p
johnson, twelve miles south OF town +,
regular battle ensued. The murderer turned
and fired several shots in rapid succession
shooting Peter johnson, q brother al
Charles, in the head, killing him instantly
Hencxt shot Charles p. johnson fatally II
the abdonlen. Another shot killed Constable
Parker's horse. Then followed q ~fusiIada
in which some of the horses and several al
the men were hit. All the while the nur.
suers, whose numbers adlargely increased
continued firing their revolvers. but tbe
desperate kept carefully out of range. M
is thought, however, that he war wounded.
At last the Grove succeeded in partially
closing in about him, when he suddenld
jumped from his horse, and. running into|
Charles T.. Johnson's large barn near bv
opened Il lively. fire through the cracks and
openings, and held the entire crowd, now1
numbering fully 100 men, at bay. The pur.
suers finally surrounded the Darn and care
fully guarded themselves from the fire ob
the barricaded desperado, but continued
to shoot into the barn at frequent inter.
walls until dark. 1t was then proposed to
burn him out, but no one would volunteer
to fire the building, as it contained eight.
cen horses and mules, with u quantity oil
grain, and was valued, with it's contents
at So, 800.
1t was then decided to leave a strong
guard around the barn md renew opera.
tions against it in the morning. During
the night Sheriff Skinner arrived from
Tekamah with q posse OF ten men armed
with Winchester rifles and well stocked
with ammunition. Early Yesterday morn.
ing another assault was made on
the fortified desperate, the men post
ing themselves around the barn and
relying on a chance shot through q loop.
hole to bring down their man. 1t was also
determined as q last resort to fire the
building, but SO well was it guarded thai
no one dared approach it. All day John
son held the party at bay, now shooting
through the cap of one. then knocking of
the hat OF another, but without seriously
inluring any one.
Just at dusk fifty men, who had beer
brought from Tekamah on a special train
arrived at the scene of the conflict. Aftel
a short conference the %assaulting party de
termined to storm the barn and set it O,
fire. but the attempt met with the same re
suit as before, and the bcsiegers retired, witt
one OF theirnumber, Edgar Everett, u prom
inent farmer, shot through the lungs anC
dying. Several others were also wounded
but not severely. At eleven o'clock last
night Johnson was still master OF the sit
u%ation, showing no signs OF exhausting hi
ammunition or of captivating, and TIN
chances for his continuing tohold out wer,
good, there being plenty of supplies in til,
building to keep.him from starving.
At midnight II bright light was visible
from Oakland in the direction of the barn
and it is thought hat the pursuing party
has at last succeeded in firing it.