Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-04-16
Sherif's Armed Deputies Go
Out to Quell a Riot,
DRIVING EIGHTEEN MILES
To Reach the Wildcat Oil Regions Of
Allegheny County.
THEYMEET THE DEFEATEDPARyY.
bow an Oil LeaSehOld Was Captured by
Men, Chains and Horses.
LITIGATION WILL COMMENCE TODAY

LlTlGATlUN WILL OUmMENGE 1V-UA1
Shortly before o'clock yesterday after
noon Sheriff McCandless put an extra
brace of revolvers in his pocket, carefully
rolled up copy of the riot act, and ordered
his fastest team hitched up. He had been
formally asked to quell disturbance in the
wildcat oil region, away up in the northern
part of Allegheny county. A posse of six
deputies was quickly summoned. They
were heavily armed, and beneath the seats
of the two carriages which carried the Off
GERS out of the city rested a few Winchester
rifles, as we'll as several pairs of iron brace
lets. 1t looked like bloody expedition.
The start was made at o'clock. There
was drive of % miles before the party. J.
NJ. Robb, Esq, who had acted as attorney
for the parties in notifying the Sheriff and
demanding protection, had said to go 16
miles out the Perrysville road and then,
turning to the right, continue six miles far
ther along the rough country road. This
would bring them into the most romantic
section of Marshall township-that corner
of it known as Brush Creek Fields. The
weather was beautiful, and the Sheriff's
posse didn't object.
HOW IT ALL STARTED.
The reported riot was over lease held by
Wesley Weber, H. E. Wilson and W. E.
Clark, oil producers and brokers of this
city, whose right and title is contested by
Joe Craig, William Marshall and others in
the Clerack Oil Company. 1t appears that
Wesley Weber, who is a partner with
Wilson and Clark, who does all the scouting
for the firm, leased certain portion of what
is known as the Lloyd farm in the locality
described 1t had every appearance of being
valuable, and the boring of well was at once
decided upon.
Webber took possession of the property on
Sunday night at o'clock. He had scarcely
done so Shen the Clerack Oil Company also
put in claim for the property on duplicate
lease. Webber had nine points of the law on
his side and declined to concede single one of
them. Instead he secured force of men, pur-
chased a lot of timber and prepared to drill for
OIL This kept the Webber gang up all night;
but as the lights of the cheeky enemy were
visible across the dark waters of Brush creek,
vigilance seemed to be the only price of the
wildcat drillers' liberty.
The dawn of Monday found webbers coat
of-arms still flying from the tops of the hem
locks. Webber was theatrical manager few
years ago. and there was just enough of
dramatic spirit about the affair to arouse his
energies in the hope of victory. Strategy was
necessary
So, when the forces of the enemy began to
gather, he sent a courier off secretly to the
telegraph Office. A message was wired to At
torney Robb for protection from the Sheriff of
the county.
AN EXCITING RIDE.
In the meantime the Sherif7s armed posse
had bravely succeeded in driving past "KeaN-
ing's" without stoppingl EThe horses did need
watering, it is true; but there was too much at
stake for delay! Perhaps the lives of Web
ber's men hung upon the courage and energy of
the deputy" who held the ribbons. The
trip now became exciting. The lash was given
the horses. Sheriff McCandless was observed
looking nervousIy at his watch. No, the grays
were not doing quite up to what they had done
when speeded around the Homewood track
the last time. The reins loosened more and
moIei Farm houses and barns seem blended
together Faster and faster Now they left
- the solid Perrysville road, and the flying
wheels sent the mud of the spongy township
turnpike splashing over hats and coats.
quick swing around the jutung corners of
q eorn-crib and 10, and behold the sheriff and
his comrades saw, bearing rapidly down upon
them from the opposite direction. not the
enemy, but - Wesley Webber and his gang of
lRbOrersi 1t was not ambuscade after all,
and the six hands of six deputy sheriffs were
slowly taken away from six hip pockets as the
simultaneous click of six revolvers was
scarcely heard in the shout that followed. II
was almost fatal surprise the oil scouts
part.
ITS BLooDLEss END.
But what did it mean? Four miles yet lay
between the corn-crib and battlefield. Was it
. rout for Webber?
That's about the size of it" said Mr.. Web
Der. "If you had only come sooner we would
have licked them all, but we could not hold out
longer against superior numbers"
To the reporter of THE DISPATCH Mr. Web
Der explained that the number of men were
gradually increased all day yesterday by the
Clerack Oil Company, and, as he thinks, by the
Standard Company, too. Several times they
tried to remove Webbers tools and timber, but
each time he drove the men of. However, his
own force only consisted of Il men, and they
gradually lost ground in the afternoon, and
were finally driven off by nearly so men on the
other side. Clubs, picks and shovels
were used as weapons. Several of the men
were scratched and bruised: but no one was
hurt badly. No fire arms were shown on either
side. At 4:90 P. NJ from 10 to 20 horses of the
Clerack-Standard crowd ended the tug of war.
With chains they dragged the derrick timbers
of the 65-acre lease and scattered them in
every direction. Then Webber folded up his
colors. loaded his men in a couple of carts and
soon met the Sheriff ''by the wayside"
OF course there was time to stop at Keating's
on the road back. 1t was 10 O'Clock at night
before the expedition ended On SmitHfield
street Webber and Sheriff McCandless were
covered with mud from head to foot. It was
Rll very thrilling but bloodless
An injunction will be asked for by Webber
when court opens this morning.