Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1893-05-18
Special Deputy Sheriff VIM. RAIDER
Shot While Attempting to
Arrest Two Desperate
Characters.
Pursuit of the Williams to the Mussel-
shell and Another Deputy
Killed in the Encounter
on the River.
The Past History of William Gay and
Harry Gross AID of the
Grimes for Which They
Were Wanted.

James Abrams, OF Castle, is authority
for the following resume OF incidents lead
ing to the attempted arrest: For the past
year or more William Gay, whose home is
about four miles south of Castle. and
Harry Gross, his brother-in-law, residing
in the town of Castle, have been accused of
stealing anything and everything they could
lay their hands on. About six weeks ago"
Mr.. Abrams says, "a posse of citizens
searched the house OF Gay for millenery
goods stolen from one ofthe stores in town.
Gay threatened them and would ave used
his gun had he been given the opportunity.
The goods the party looked for were not
found. but the searchers at this time dis
covered articles of all description stored
away in Gays house, hats, caps. dress
goods and other merchandise, and amorg
other things a number of new cowboy hats,
Wyo., inscribed i'm them. These men. after
wards discovering other plumber in Gross's
house, Immediately communicated with
the above named firm at Sheridan, Wyo.,
who replied that they had been robbed
last fall, and asking the officers to hold the
prisoners. This il was not easy to do
without proper warrant, but Gross was
arrested and afterwards escaped from the
sheriff. About a week ago the sheriff and
three or four deputies went to the ranch of
Gay, whereit was supposed Gross also was,
and laid for the men. asst waslearned they
slept at Gays house at night and took to
the mountains during theday. Upon leav-
ing the house Gross and Gay discovered
the party and Immediately opened fire,
driving the officers. shooting all the while,
for a full half mile. After this fracas they
were supposed to have left the country,
but, it seems, were still in their old haunts."
From the Husbandman we learn that
sheriff OMAR, of Meagher county. and
seven deputies started for Gays ranch
Tuesday morning, the 9th inst, and ar
rived at the rendezvous about daylight,
but found their men already astir. Their
movements were watched with field glasses
from an eminence commanding the situa-
ton. Mounting horses the fugitives started
towards the mountains and five of the
sherif's party started to mead them off,
missing them by a few minutes only, but
whether they were discovered by them is
not known. Later in the day William
RAIDER, special deputy, and Peter West
brook, constable in Castle, came suddenly
onto their men in a -e,v broken country
not far from their ranch and a desperate
encounter ensued in which VIM. RAIDER was
killed. Several shots were exchanged on
both sides and at the second or third round
RAIDER fell with a bullet through the heart,
and soon after a shell became fastened in
Westbrook's gun and he was forced to beat
a hasty retreat, which he did on RAIDERS
horse, losing his own, also his gun and
RAIDERS gun. The desperadoes held the
field and cached the body of their victim in
"A quaker asp thicket before departing.
Frank Phelps and young Freeman brought
Mr.. RAIDERS body in Tueday evening and
the rest of the party remained to searchf for
the murderers. Sheriff OMAR has called
for a. hundred men to scour the country for
them and will capture them If possible.
The battle Tuesday was at short range.
possibly not over oue hundred yards. Be-
ing well armed and mounted and desper-
ute it is doubtful if the arrest of these men
can be made without further loss of life"
~ ~ ''i'b w itttbS' sht
started for the Musselshell, having with
them their saddle horses, a pack horse, "a
black dog, their own guns, one of which is
"A buffalo gun of leo caliber, and the guns
taken from RAIDER and Westbrook. They
kept the main Travelled roads and camped
at night, Wednesday night camping near
Hopley's. Thursday evening Gay went to
F~itzpatrick's ranch on the Musselshell to
buy food and was recognized by Mr.. Fitz-
patrick, who had seen him at Castle.
Word was Immediately sent to Sheriff
OMAR and he, with a large posse, started
in pursuit. About eight O'Clock they passed
Merino and three hours later OMAR
passed the same point. From Fitzpatrick
they had enquired the road to Lavina and
although this was then thought to have
been "a blind, they followed directions and
kept the main road. The pursuers were
sighted by the fugitives when they had
reached a point below Berry & Webster's
ranch and at once took to the brush leav-
ing the horses and two guns behind, these
being captured by the sheriff. Tieing their
dog to a clump of willows they went sew
eral hundred yards to where the willows
were dense and dug a rifle pit about two
feet deep and three feet wide, throwing the
dirt up in front and leaving holes to shoot
through. Gross did the digging with u
butcher knife, Gay remaining on guard.
The sheriff's posse separated into squads,
one party consisting OF Deputy Sheriff
Mackay and two men named Williams and
Lewis. These three started into the brush
on foot, Mackay being behind. The latter
was the first too see Gay, and Gay seeing
that he was spotted. opened fire with his
buffalo gun shooting Mackay through the
kidneys, from which wound the brave Off
after he was wounded, but without effect.
Williams had a needle gur, but it refused
to work and he and Lewis backed out
drawing fire from Gay as they retreated.
An attempt was made to fire the brush.
but proved unsuccessful. Since this time
neither Gay nor Gross have been seen, they
ha wing moved in the night, and Sheriff
OMAR has returned to Castle.
Sheriff Deaton, Of this county was tele-
phoned for Friday but shortly after told
not to come. Friday night he was again
summoned and left at once accompanied
by Deputy JEFF Nichols. When he met
Sheriff OMAR the latter told him his SER
vices were not needed as the chase was
then given up and Deaton returned home.
Sheriff OMAR is very general, and de-
servedly censured for his conduct through
out the whole affair and especially for
dropping the trail of two such men and
allowing them to proceed unmolested. His
reception in Castle was probably not the
most pleasant.
William Rader WAS well known in this