Daily independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 188?-1915, 1892-01-09
A BLOODY HIGHWAY.
record OF the Crimes Committed
on q Kansas Road.
4 EAvorite Resort OF Thieves and 16uR-
derers Who Plundered and
Killed ut Every OPP
portunity.

Grouse Creek road, In Cow1ey county,
has attained an une nviable notorietv
during the last few years. To the ghost
hunter it would prove q rich field, for
here can be found enough horrors to
fully satisfy the most morbid imagina-
ton. few years ago a cattleman,
known as Dave Bright, was driven in a
hack on this road from Arkansas City,
beaten senseless and robbed of 500. A
little further down, at Silverdale rail.
way station, George Blair was shot and
killed while trying to rob tho postofIicc.
Near where the road crosses Grouse
creek, known as Estus ford, United
States Richard Walker unaidcd except
by his Winchester rifle, captured q
party of five horse thieves who had
camped there, preparing for 4 raid prior
to Il run down into the territory. Ho
was more fortunate than the city mar
shall of Coffcyvillc, who, with q posse of
live men, rode into camp of three
horse-thicveS, near the same spot, and
demanded their surrender. The mar
shall was shot down by the leader of the
thieves, when the posse fired n vollcy,
bringing down the murder. 10th men
were carried to q little log sclroolhouse
near the creek, where they were ten
derby cared for until both the officer and
the outlaw died few minutes later
The latter was buried beside the road
and the marshal was carried home to
his mourning family. At Estus ford an
old man named Keith was knocked
from his horse, robbed, bound and
gagged, taken across the creek and
turned loose on the burned prairie to
make his way the best he could, bare
footed, to Arkansas City. In the log
Gchoolhouse which had sheltered the
murdered officer and his slayer, within
few feet Of tho grave that could still
be plainly seen, Tom Armstrong was
captured by the sheriff of Cowlcy
county. Armstrong had shot and killed
james Riley in front of his own store
in Arkansas City, and had fled to the old
rendezvous. Down this trail, or road,
many stolen horses had been led across
the river out of reach of danger. So
numerous had become these thcfts that
finally vigilance committee arrested
high HGEcr, who was suspected of be-
ing one of the gang. They took him out
to Grouse creek and hanged him from
u tree until he was almost dead He
did not confess, and was finally turned
loose. Only little farther down the
road horse thief named Tollcs was ar
rested after q brief battle in which no
one was injured. This time the right
man was secured and he is now serving
long term in the pcnitcntiary. A
short time since John Scclcy, another
man afflicted with desire to aDoropri-
ate other peoples horses, was arrested
and taken to Guthrie. He had taken
shelter in one OF the draws immcdiatc-
ly beside the road. Later on comes the
murder of Lee West, who was shot and
killed just as he had crossed a little
bridge over Grouse creek. Farther ND
the creek is an island on which an old
man named Tournier was killed, while
eastward i'll the valley and only short
distance from the road the body of an
unknown man was found shot through
the forehead. In the carly days this
section of the state was said to be the
headquarters for horse thieves. On an
island formed ut the junction of the
two rivers was ut one time n regularly
fortified camp, where q tough gang
might be found ut any time. AS the
country became settled the lawless Gle.
mcnt sought shelter down in the rough
country Of Indian territory, but the rec
ord of Grouse creek road has become q
more bloody one.