The record-union., 1892-06-20
Captured in Woodland by Deputy
Sheriff Wykoff.
RECOGNIZED WHILE SITTING AT A
RESTAURANT TABLE.
When Ordered TO Throw Up His
Hands and Surrender Ho Reaches
for His Gun, but Receives n Bullet
In the Neck From u Pistol In the
Hands of tho Deputy.

Rumors having reached here yesterday
evening that John Ruggles, one of the
robbers OF the Shasta stage and the man
who shot the messenger, Buck Mont
gomery, had been captured in Woodland,
the telephone Office there was called up
and the following facts were furnished
the RECoRD-UNIoN by E. Keefer, tho
manager of the telephone office at Wood
! land:
-Four or five days ago John Ruggles APP
peared at a hardware store in Woodland
and bought some cartridges for his re-
volver.
lie was recognized by the clerk at the
store, who informed Deputy Sheriff
1 Wykoff, and the officers have since kept
a sharp watch for the outlaw.
Nothing further was heard of Ruggles
until yesterday, when Mrs. Dexter came
to The officers with the information that
! he would come to their house at o'clock. .
Mr.. Dexter is an uncle of John Ruggles.
The officers at once placed watch in the
vicinity of Dexter's house, but their man
was evidently on the alert, and did not
put in an appearance.
About 1880 o'clock yesterday evening
the desperate appeared on the streets and
was recognized, but the officers followed
him around town, from place to place.
when he was seen to enter the Opera
Restaurant.
Deputy Sheriff Wykof saw him seat
himself, and then the officers went in and
sat down at the table with him.
Wykoff was at once recognized by
Ruggles, who Immediately changed to q
position as to reach his revolver. The
Deputy Sheriff thereupon covered Rug
giles with his revolver, and ordered him
to throw up his hands.
Buggles, instead of complying, drew
his revolver, when Wykof fired, the
shot taking effect in Ruggles' neck.
The robber immediately recovered,
and again endeavored to draw, when
WykoT grasped him and desperate
| struggle ensued, during which the officer
succeeded in wrestling his pistol from
him.
AT this juncture two other officers came
up, and the wounded man was taken to
drug store.
Two physicians took charge of the
wounded man, and the shot was found to
have entered the left side of his neck,
ranged downward, and could not be
traced, producing wound supposed to
be fatal.
John Ruggles is a stalwart and power
ful man, with sandy hair, mustache and
whiskers, and was armed with a large
Smith & Wesson five-shooter.
For some time he spoke little, and re-
fused to make any statement, but about
II O'Clock he was told he was dying.
He thereupon produced statement
previously prepared in writing, which
was taken in charge by the Sheriff, who
refused to give it to the reporters.
The officer stated that if the man died
it would be different matter, but so long
as he was alive he would give the con-
fession to no one but the proper officials.
! A bag containing largo sum of money
was found on Ruggles, and this likewise
was taken in charge by the Sheriff. The
sum was not made public.
/ AT midnight it was thought Ruggles
might possibly recover, as he is a man
of very hardy and robust physique, but
| from the nature of his wound this is con-
sidered hardly possible.
RUGGLEs' CRIME
The robbery in which John Ruppley
and his brother were implicated occurred
on the 18th Of last month, one mile from
the town Of Shasta, on the Shasta and
Middle Creek road, and resulted in the
murder of Wells, Fargo 81 Co. g nnessen-
ger, Buck Montgomery, and the wound
ing of the driver and passenger.
The stage was the Redding and Weav-
erville stage, and the robbers obtained
about $4,000, which sum was carried off
by John Ruggles. Ills brother, being
badly wounded, was captured ON the fol-
lowing day by some boys from shasta.
The latter confessed that his brother was
his companion, and that he deserted him
and left him TO die, taking with him tho
booty.
John Ruggles is the one who shot
Montgomery, while the one captured at
Shasta shot the driver and passenger.
after receiving the contents of the mes
senger's gun. The latter is still in the
County Jail at Shasta, pending his exam
ination, and is recovering from his
wounds, which were considered fatal at
one time.
The capture of the man at Shasta fur
nished the clew and name of his COM
panion, and rendered the capture of the
latter mere question of time, as John
Ruggles was well-known, his father be-
/ ing prominent citizen of 1ulare County.
The officers have been upon his trail
since the robbery, but Deputy Sheriff
Wykoff appears to be the one entitled to
the credit of his capture.
LOUISVILLE, June 1o.-Part of the
! Kentucky Mailing Company's plant was
burned this morning. Loss, S1J5, COO; in
sured. The fire caught by friction OF tha
machinery.