The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-01-12

noon Oh Dec. -. W nile the men were
searching around for some buffalo chips
with which to cook their evening meal, one
Of them saw bedragged- looking fellow
standing some distance from the stream.
The country in which the posse were
camping is sparsely settled, and the
presence of n man standing alone in
the wilderness aroused the suspicious
of the avengers. The man who had
first discovered the stranger hurried back
TO the camp and told his companions what
he had seen. All the scar hers then moved
toward the man by circuitous routes, and
one of them, who was well acquainted with
the Kelleys, readily recognized the fellow
rs Bill Kelley. The avengers cautiously
approached the young bandit and when
within speaking distance they demanded
thai he surrender. The outlaw attempted
to raise his rife, but when he saw the num-
Der OF the posse he begged most piteousy
for his life. He W as told that the only way
by which he could save himself from in
slant death was to conduct the posse TO the
house where his father, mother and sister
were hiding. The young man was loath to
do this to reveal the place of his family
was equivalent to their instant death.
do you mean that, strangers 2 he asked,
looking into the face of each riheman.
1--WE do" was the chorus.
The young man broke down completely,
Oub movements Vi lL6 Nv G. SGlH
aroused him, and in gasping, almost unln-
teligible, language, he told the men that
his father and mother and sister were in
dugout n one of the banks of the creek.
The posse then returned to camp with their
prisoner and held council of war. 1t was
agreed that the men should march TO tho
dugout i'll single file with Bill, who was
securely bound, at the head of the column.
The sun was very low when the march was
fob i N1,a
in hand would not be finished before night
fall. The column marched to within
twenty yards of the dugout. There
was no sign of life about the place,
but Bill assured the posse that the
family was at home. Lem Ackley and
Joe Lester were chosen to go to the door of
the place and demand the surrender of the
family. Bill walked two or three steps in
advance OF the men. Old man Kelley must
have seen the approach of the posse, for the
three men had not taken dozen steps be-
fore a rifle was discharged through loop
hole in the half hidden dugout. The bullet
whiZzed over the heads of the men, but they
kept on their way. Another flash came
from the dugout, ami again the bullet flew
wide Of its mark Ackley then demanded
the surrender Of the family, but the growl-
ing inside the hut told him that the old man
was not going to do anything of the kind.
Dill WIS lHGi6lOIG pun III tue Itdl VI Vic
column and a retreat to a knob i'll the
prairie begun. 1t was then agreed to APP
preach the dugout from behind leaving
Ackley and Lester to guard the front door
with their Wmchesters Old man Kelley
OWNED this move and darted out of the
front door. A bullet from Testers rife sent
him back again in a hurry. The old fellow
had a Winchester in his hands, and it was
evident to a rifeman that he was going to
Ill s. H.,
avengers, creeping up from behind, had no
trouble in reaching the dugout, and when
they got within hailing distance of the
family they again demanded a surrender.
Old man Kelley, speaking for the house
hold, replied that they would die before
they would give themselves up.
1t was then determined to smoke the mon
sters out of their den. Two of the posse
were assigned to dig a hole in the roof of
the dugout and while this work was in
progress, the old man, who had been watch
ing the opportunity, fired his rife through
the rapidly widening aperture, seriously
woundlng Ben Chase, one of the diggers.
1t took but a short time to gather enough
sage brush and buffalo chips to make a
good smudge. For five minutes nothing
could be heard but the cracking of the
flames and the sneezing and coughing of the
inmates of the dugout Then the front door
of the hut was burst open by Mrs. Kelley,
who started toward lester and Ackley with
revolver She locked like a mad woman.
Her scrawny hair was upon her shoulders,
and her long, dirty calico dress was loosened
from her neck to her waist. She wore
no shoes As she started down the embank-
ment of the creek with her revolver level
led at Lester and Ackley the rifles of the
two guards were fired simultaneously, and
the murderous bag fell forward upon her
face a corpse. Jennie Kelley, was the next
to rush frantically from the door. She had
scarcely taken a dozen steps, when the same
two rifles exploded again, and the siren of
the slaughter house fell over dead beside
her mother 1t seemed almost impossible
to diSlodge the old man. The men on the
roof heard the enraged beast curse as the
sitting smoke poured iuto his abode. Then
the imprecatiOns ceased, and it was thought
that the gray haired wretch had smothered
to death.
AS it was now quite dark it was agreed to
put an end to Bill, who had been a cringing
gibbering spectator to the terrible fate of
his family. A lariat was being placed
around his neck when the posse were startled
by a rifle shot, and looking to the southwark
they beheld old man Kelley, whom they
supposed had perish& in his hut, flying
over the prairie astridS fleet-footed horse.
The old fellow had crept out of the dugout
unobserved, and going to his stable had
mounted horse and started for the Texas
line The avengers leaped into their saddles
and started in pursuit, but the darkness
proved a good cloak for the fleeing mon
ster and he made his escape. outraged at
their loss. the posse made short but terrible
work of Bill. One end of lariat was tied
securely around the young mans neck,
while the other end was fastened to the
horn of the saddle on Testers horse
The animal was the feetest and most
powerful in the corral, and seemed anxious
to enter INTO the cruel sport Bill nerved
himself Immediately. Knowing that his
fate w S irrevocably sealed, the murderer
stood before his executioners without finch
ING. When asked to make a confession he
laughed and said that he would see the
POSSE in Helena first. Lip" Poindexter
then leaped into the saddle and, putting
spurs to the horse, started across the rolling
prairie with the body of the murderer
bounding and dragging through the brush
and stones. The remainder OF the posse
started i'm pursuit, and with exploding rifles
filled the naked and bleeding body with
bullets. The barbarous chase led across the
nrairie for distance of two miles. When
y halt was called it was found tnat the life
less body of the wretch was torn almost to
pieces.
After camping all night near the scene of
the butchery the party started in pursuit OF
old man Kelley, whose trail toward the
Texas line was easily traced in the loan.
The ride was a fierce one and lasted nearly