The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1889-04-25
Seven Boomers Wounded, Includ-
ing Two or Three From Texas.
Thirty Prisoners Taken.
A FORT WORTH BOOMER HIT.
The Boomers, Mostly Southerners,
Fought from Behind a Barrl-
cade-A Deputy Wounded.

taken prisoners, seven being wounded,
and one deputy marshal was slightly hurt.
For several days men on horseback have
been seen fording the Canadian river,
north of Purcell, into Oklahoma. Men
who came in from hunting trips reported
having seen large numbers of boomers
moving in a northeasterly direction, and
a hunter, who arrived last night, declared
he had found man blowing
in a secluded valley twenty miles
from Purcell. Yesterday morning at sun
rise thirteen prairie schooners we'll
manned crossed the Santa Fe track below
the city and forded the river. The drivers
urged their animals with whips and clubs,
and the train was across and out of sight
before many residents of Purcell were
stirring. A Citizen saw them, however,
and he told others who have staked out
claims and hope to occupy them soon af-
ternoon Monday. The rest of the story
was soon known, aud before noon meet
ing was held and the feeling against the
trespassers ran high, and inside of thirty
minutes half a dozen men had started for
them. 1t has been finally decided that
chief deputy marshal be called upon to
ExPEL THE RAIDERS.
In the afternoon chief deputy, aci
com panied by three assistants, rode
down to the river and took the same road.
There was a fresh trail and the party fol-
lowed this at galop. About four miles
out man noticed cloud of smoke lssu-
ing from cotton woods to the right.
A halt was called and three of the party
reconnoitred. They discovered three
wagons about three hundred feet from
the trail and five men seated around the
fire eating their dinner. They were IN
tremendously ordered to hitch up.
The enterprisipg boomers were scared,
and in less than fifteen minutes were on
the back track in charge of one of the
deputies who was ordered to escort them
across the river and then picket the ford
ing place until his comrades returned.
The latter deployed as skirmishers
and advanced slowly several miles. Sud
denly shot was heard on the left, and a
bullet clipped a leaf above the head of one
of the party.
MINUTE LATER
vOlley rang out In front and pony
ridden by one of the deputies sank to the
ground with bullet in the head. The
chief CT deputies called out
for his men to "charge!'
Each had unslung his Winchester and all
surged forward. They fired into the thick ct
and shouted like madmen. There was no
response for several minutes, and the men
began to think they had dispersed the as
sailants. They soon discovered their mis-
take. A man popped up and fired at
them. This was the signal for another
fusilade among his friends. He retreated
down ravine just in time to escape the
fire of the deputies who continued to ad-
vance and hold up their repeaters. Half
way down the ravine the deputies dlscov
cred rough barricade of logs and brush
across the entrance, and multaneously a
voice exclaimed:
"Now GIVE IT TO THEM, BoYsW y
A sheet of flame poured from the bar.
ricade and a shower of bullets fell toward
the deputies. They had been warned
however, and but one CT their number was
hit, and his wound was not serious.
The chief deputy ordered retreat, and
gathered his men about him for council
of war. It was evident the barricade was
heavily name d, and that direct assault
would be disastrous. Therefore, it was de.
.t=ided to attack the TANKS of the enemy
This movement brought the deputies dI
rectly above the barricade. At a given
signal they began shooting from the
top of ravine into the
midst of the boomers, who were
unable to defend themselves from the at
tack. Ten minutes of rapid firing en-
sued and then cry for quarter went uI
from the barricade.
GIVE SURRENDER
shouted a man, when the firing ceased
Blood was pouring from wound in his
head aud attested that he had enough. A
hasty advance was made to the fort aDC
the officers were in charge of thirty pris-
oners, several of whom were seriously
wounded. Two of these will probably die
One of them has bullet in his left lung
and the other one in his abdomen.
Martin Fallon, of Gainesville, Tex, re-
ceiyed ball in his left thigh
John 7. White, of Fort Worth, wat
struck in the shoulder; Samuel Dodd, Of
North Carolina, has deep cash in hi;
forehead; Howard Frabachy, of Texas
suffered shattered arm; John Young, o!
Louisiana, was shot through the shoulder
The prisoners, all of whom had rifles
revolvers and plenty of ammunition, wer,
disarmed, the wounded cared for as vel
as possible, and the march to Purcell was
taken up. The wagons and property o.
the boomers were destroyed. The gane
were all southerners,
MOSTLY FROM TEXAS,
and presented forlorn appearance
Their captain, Ed Mcintosh, said he hat
been concealed in the ravine for three day.
and that the party was only the advance
guard of more THAI 500, who, through
agents sent ahead, had selected their claims
and proposed to hold them with Win,
chesters against all corners.
eve we're notified of the
indignation meeting in Pur
cells he said, "and hastily threw
up a barricade when we first discovered the