The morning call., 1891-11-05
DIED In HIS BOOTS.
A STAKEHOLDER Killed at His
Fathers House.
Bill Howard, a Highwayman Arrested 70,
Several Robberies, Escapes, and Is Shot
While Defying Capture.

Within the past month stage coaches
have been robbed three times in the north
ern portion of the State by Two masked
men.
The methods employed By the robbers in
each case were SO similar. and the descrip-
tons of the highwaymen given by the diff
ferent drivers Tailed so closely, that il
seemed reasonably certain that the same
two men had participated in each of the
rObberies.
On the It'll ult. stage was held up be-
tween Llnkville and Lakeyiew. Two weeks
later another coach was similarly treated
near Redding, and at almost the same SPOT
three days afterward, third robbery was
successfully accomplished. In each in.
stance the bandits cut the straps of the
mail pouches. broke open the express boxes
with an ak and, after rihing the contents,
considerably reloaded the stages before or.
deriDg the driver to proceed.
UNDER SUSPICION.
j. n. Thacker, special officer for Wells.
Fargo & Co., was detailed to work on the
robberies, and his suspicious soon fell on
Bill Howard and Abe Jones, two not over
reputable citizens. who have owned ranches
in Lake County, Oregon, where on severa
uttdSlObs IL HdS sdiu taCs cuSdR6u III
midnight marauding excursions wherein
the United States mail and the expires:
parcels had been unlawfully appropriated
Cornelius Howard, Bill's father, is farmer
living two miles north of Redd ing, and
another of his sons Nlrgie Howard, In now
in Jail at Portland, Oregon, under sentence
for passing counterfeit money.
About the time of the last two rObberies
a man named Jack Rice had been In Red.
ding with covered wagon, drawn by two
horses. He claimed to have come from
Spokane, but Sheriff Hopping Of Shasta
County fancied that Rice might be engaged
in the counterfeit money business, so the
| man was arrested and his wagon searched
The eQuipage was furnished with three
| overcoats, which seemed an expensive ward.
! robe, under the circumstances. However
| the man and the coats were allowed to de.
| part together.
| IN HOT PURSUIT..
| When the matter WAS reported to Thackel
| he telrgraphed to Aturas, Modoc County
| asking the local officers TO detain Rice, if h,
| was in the neigh borhood, and with pOSst
| from Redding followed il hot pursuit. a
| week ago Rice was arrested near Alturas
and with him were Howard and Jones. De
tec,ive Thacker had shrewdly surmised tn,
| identity of the owners of the two extr,
overcoats. In their flight Jones and How
ard concealed themselves inside the covered
| wagon, leaving Rice who had taken no &C
| tive part iii the stage rObberies, on the box
Last Friday Thacker started with hi
| three prisoners from Alturas for Redding
| distance OF 165 miles. Thacker Is n Deput,
United States Marshal. and had the neces
sary warrants. Under Sheriff Ross, Deput,
| United States Marshal CARL of Oregon ant
Officer Miles OF Ogden accompanied tn
| party. The captiveS travelled inside by tn
regular stage, with only one guard. Jone
and Howard were fastened together ant
| had ShacEips around their anklnS
On Sunday night the party stopped neal
| HolcOmbS Station to water the horses. Tn
| prisoners all asked for drink, and CARL
who was guarding them, got out with
small glass. Thacker was on the front boo
| OF the stage and the other officers were be
hind in buggy. CARL was only gone {;
few minutes, but the dextrous bandits en-
pl0yed the brief interval to good purpose
| removing their boots and slipping off tn
| irons
| JUMPED FROM THE STAGE.
Soon after the stage resumed progress
| Jones quickly jumped out one side, Howard
| emulating his example at the other dOol
CARL remained inside to guard Rice. Blu
| shouted to Thacker, and sew eral shots wer
fired after the fugitiyes, but in the dark
ness they made good their escape.
Rice was taken TO the Jail at Redding. an
was charged with being an accessory afte
the fact 1t is believed that he brought tn
robbers down from Oregon.
The officers, believing that as the escape
captives had neither weapons nor horse
they would probably take refuge at Cor
| neluS Howard's farmhouse. proceeded t.
| the ranch and arrested the older man as al
accessory. Then they waited for develop
menis. Toward midnight Bill Howard ap
| preached and called his father by name
| As there was no response he entered tn
house and opened the door of the room il
which the officers were stationed.
Throw up your hands," they ordered, a
| he opened the door.
go to -" tho robber responded, fear
lessly, at the same time turning to close tn
! door
In an instant three shots were fired, an,
Howard fell over dead. He had paid til
| penalty for his crimes. but. like a tru
highwaymaD, he died with his boots on.