Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1888-01-13
NEWT VORCE.


1t is only recently, says the Denver
Tribune, that the terms terror" and
"des peradO" have been useu in cOnneo.
ton with Newt Vorce's name. For q
number of years he had resided on the
plains country, where he pursued the or
dinarily peaceful occupation of a cowboy.
Although recognized rs a man fully able
to defend himself, Norce was not re-
garded in any manner as bad man. 1t
was a fact, however, that Vorce had q
fondness Tor liquor. During his sprees
he was wont to indulge in certain mad
freaks calculated to inspire the timorous
citizens with awe. Shooting the lights
out in crowded saloon and a promis-
cuous firing of his "45" were amusements
he was especially addicted to at intervals.
These caprice5 gradually produced the
impression that Vorce was on the verge
of develo ping into a full-fedged terror.
This idea was further advanced early last
spring when, at country oanCe, Norce
beat up a couple of citizens who had
aroused his ;ll-will. For this he was ar
rested. His trial was brief, and resulted
in his being sentenced to the county Jail
for period of six months. From the
first Vorce's behavior at the jail was eI-
mplary. He soon gained the confidence
of jailer Hopkins, and was made "trus-
ty" assistant to the cook. Peeling po-
tatoes and hammering steak were duties
more irksGme to this wild rover of the
plains, so one morning he cody walked
out of Jail with one month of his SEN
tence yet unserved. He Immediately
started for Deer Trail, his former haunt.
Soon after, his revolver, which had been
taken from him when first imprisoned,
was very cOurteously forwarded him, it is
alleged, by one OF the many deputy
sheriffs.
His incarceration had embittered
Vorce, and after returning to Deer Trail
he resolved, it is presumed, to ommit
those outrages with which he had prev
iously beer charged. Months elapsed
during which Vorce was practically mas
ter of Deer Trail. The laws were openly
outraged and the citizens defed.
With Mollie Collier notorious woman,
Vorce is alleged TO have lived. His
pleasure seemed to be in committing out
RACES calculated to ms pire his neighbors
with terror. Horses and cattle that sud
denly disappeared were credited with
having been stolen By Yorce. Capt. Bar
ron, deputy sheriff, went ont to arrest
him, but Vorce stood him off with his
rife.
Finally, unable to longer endure being
down-trodden, on the 9Th OF the present
month a delegation of citizens came to
Denver and sought the protection of
Sheriff Cramer. The next morning Dep
uty Sheriff Cantley, of Deer Trail, at
tenn pied to arrest Vorce, aud it resulted
in the deputy having an arm broken and
in Vorce's sudden flight. That night a
sheriff's posse, heavily armed, reached
Deer Trail. The few succeeding days
were spent in securing the praIries for |
the outlaw. Nothing more was heard |
from Yorce until the Friday of the same !
week, when he was located at Brewers !
ranch, about eight miles from Corona, |
a little station on the Burlington and Mis- |
souri, railroad. The same eveneng an |
other posse was dispatched IN search of |
the OUTLAW. After a dreary ride across |
the prairie in the early morning Eorce |
was found to have again eluded his pur- |
suers. The same day, however, the out |
law was discovered and pursued for |
number OF miles until he was finally run |
TO earth at the L. n. c. ranch, distant |
thirty-fve miles from Deer Trail. Here |
Vorce fortified himself in a dugout. |
During an attempt to dislodge him he |
shot and killed Gay B. HoliiDgsvorth, |
one of the deputies in pursuit of him.
Some hours afterward he escaped on /
horseback, after which nothing was l
known of his whereabouts until he was /
corralsd ct Robiuson's ranch, the scene 1
of the capture, after the killing of the /
sheepherder.