The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1888-05-03
FIERCE FIGHT
Between officers and Barbour and
Whitley, Charged With the
MeNeill Robbery.
The Bold Bandit Chief Escapes
Whitley Fought Like q
Wild Comanche.
Special Telegram to the Statesman q.

Special Telegram to the Statesman.
BERTRAM, April 26.-Deputy Sher if
John Jamison came in this morning from
Sycamore Springs, on North Gabriel,
where he and Bill Patton, special dep
uty, have been lying in ambush since day
before yesterday with the endeavor of
capturing Bill Whitley and John Barbour,
charged with the murder of Deputy Sher-
iff Stanly, and alleged participants in the
McNeil and Flatonia train robberies, and
upon whose heads is a reward of $1,500
each. You reporter sought an interview
with Mr.. Jamison, end obtained the fol-
lowing facts. Last night he and Patton
we're watching the house of Bryce Smart
as they had cause to believe Whitley and
Barbour would be at Smart's house during
the night At l O'Clock they saw wo-
man come out of the house and walk all
around the yard, and go back in the
house. In few minutes two men came
out, and going to small thicket got on
their horses and came riding towards
Jamison and Patton. When within
short distance, Barbour spoke, saying:
"There's somethingw and Immediately
put spurs to his horse, and was off like
bullet. Whitley, to be a little more So
]
in the old Comanche style, and greeted
them with shot from his six-shooter from
under his horses neck. They imme-
diateIy replied with shot guns, Jamison
shooting at the horse and Patton at
Whitley. The horse was hit behind the
shoulder with nire buckshot. He sprang
off Immediately, running about two hun
dred yards falling everal times, and at
A Oh cd
Whitley, which was nearly cut in two by
the shot from Patton's gun, he firing both
barrels. They think it probable that
Whitley was wounded. The smoke so
blinded them they could not see what the
result was for few moments, and during
this time Whitley made his escape, as the
country is rough and brushy. He got
big roam horse out of Smart's pasture, be-
longing to Smart, to ride. In the skirmish
Whitley lost his hat, a fine white one,
which Jamison had with him. Jamison
said they could easily have killed them both,
but they knew that some of Sheriff divers
men were in the country and they did not
want to fire until they knew who the par
ties were. Barbour, who is said to be a
very shrewd man, discovered them, and
; the result was as above mentioned. The
horse killed YVES a very fine animal, a
large bay stallion, branded ia on the left
shoulder and on the jaw. Jamison said
he needed the money offered for their
capture, but said he had rather have
caught the man than to have secured the
3 reward, after having come so near it.
which only failed in their waiting to as
/ certain who they were. He took the II
O'Clock train for Burnet.
! ANOTHER ACCOUNT.
LIBERTY HILL, April 26.-For some
, time past it has been known among the
officers of this and adjoining counties
that the notorious Barbour and Whitley,
of train robbing fame, and who are sus-
pected of being the murderers of Deputy
Sheriff Stanly, killed near Florence some
months ago, was in this vicinity, but all
efforts at apprehending them seemed to
) be futile-the most vigilant seuth hounds
failing to track them to their abode
4o vever, Deputy Sheriff Jemison ant
William Patton, of Burnet, secretly re-
mained on the watch and were this morn
, ing at o'clock rewarded with a glimpse
of the fugitives above named, and a warm
reception they received. About 1890
a. m. Jamison and Patton secreted them
| SELVES IbHE bn6 llOuSO VI OuC uOVu'
] ten miles north of this place, having sus-
t picion Smart was feeding the outlaws. Af-
ter waiting something near 20 minutes, the
= noted bandit chief, John Barbour, and his
pal, Whitley, came out of the house and
; passed into thicket nearby. There
Z they mounted two fine horses and started
off from Smart's house, riding in the d.,
4 rection of the two officers, who were am
f. -
the deputies, Barbour was heard to re-
mark, "There is something wrong here,
5 whereupon he plunged the spurs into his
t horses fanks and disappeared like a
8 flash. Whitley, it seems, had more
e curiosity than his companion. He re-
mained on the spot, and, dropping
: himself on the opposite side of his horse
!. began shooting, during the confusion o.
z xphioh ha acoana1