Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1889-04-20
A REGULAR sK1RMIsH.
The Boomers Intrench Themselves and
Fire Upon the Officers

CHICAGO, April 19th.-A special dispatch
to the Times from Purcell says: There has
been a battle between the United States
officers and boomers, and several of the
latter taken prisoners. Seven of them were
seriously wounded and one Deputy
Marshal was slightly hurt. A raid was
made by United States Marshals this after
noon on the boomers who had disregarded
the law and taken up claims in Oklahoma.
For several days men on horseback and
in wagons had been seen fording the South
Canadian north of Purcell, and disappear
ing in the timber to the eastward. Men
who came in from hunting trips reported
having seen large bodies of boomers mov-
ing in a northeasterly direction, and a
hunter who arrived last night declared he
| had found man plowing in secluded
valley about twenty miles from Purcell.
The officers started in pursuit. About
| four miles out one of the men noticed a
thin cloud of smoke arising above some
cottonwoods to the right. A halt
| was called, and three of the partv
| wagons about 300 feet from the
the trail, and five men seated around the
| fire eating their dinner. These were un-
tremendously ordered to hitch up" and
| were sent back in charge of a Deputy
| Marshal. A posse was deployed as skirm-
ishers and advanced slowly several miles.
Suddenly shot was heard on the left and
bullet clipped leaf above the head of
one of the party. A minute later a volley
rang out in front and pony ridden by one
of the deputies sank to the ground with a
bullet in its head.
The chief of deputies called out for his
men to charge"
EACH UNsLUNG HIS WINCHESTER
And surged forward. They fred into the
| thicket and shouted like madmen There
was no response for several minutes, and
the men began to think they had dispersed
the assailants. They soon, however, dis
covered their mistake. A man popped up
from behind log and fired at them, and
this was signal for another fusillade from
bis friends. He retreated down the ravine
Just in time to escape the fire of the depu-
ties, who continued to advance and pump
their repeaters. Half way down the ra-
vine the deputies discovered rough barri-
cade of logs and brush across the entrance
and simultaneously a voice exclaimed:
"Now GIVE 1T TO THEM, BoYs.n
A sheet of flame poured from the barrier
and another shower of bullets sped toward
the officers. They had been sufficiently
warned, however, and but one of their
number was hit, and his wound was not
serious. The chiet deputy ordered re-
treat and gathered his men about him for a
council of war.
1t was evident the barricade was heavily
manned and that direct assault would
prove disastrous, therefore il was decided
to divide the party and attack the flank of
the enemy. This movement brought the
deputies directly above the barricade, and
at given signal they began shooting from
the top of the ravine right into the midst
of the boomers, who were utterly unable to
defend themselves from such an attack.
Ten minutes of rapid firing ensued, then
cry for quarters went up from the bari
cade.
I'VE SURRENDER"
Shouted man when the firing ceased.
The officers were in charge of thirty pris-
| oners, seven of whom were severely
| wounded. Two Of these. Thomas Mullins
and David Winship, will probably die.
Mullins has bullet in his left lung, and
Winship one in his abdomen. Mar
tin Fallon, of Gainesville. Texas,
John 7. White, of Fort Worth,
was struck in the shoulder.
Samuel Dadd, of North Carolina, has a
deep cash in his forehead. Edward Gra-
bershy, of Texas, suffers shattered arm.
John Young, of Louisiana. is shot through
| the shoulder.
] The prisoners. all of whom had rifles and
reyolvers and plenty of ammunition, were
disarmed, the wounded cared for as we'll as
possible under the circumstances, and a
march to Purcell was taken up. The
wagons and personal property of the
boomers were destroyed. The gang were
ALL soUrHERNERs, MOSTLY
From Texas, and presented forlorn ap-
pearance. Their Captain, Edward McIn-