The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1893-10-28

had large stock of goods for general
country store, and its destruction at this
time will be severely felt by the commu-
nifty around Stanton.
Robbers at Painted Woods.
On Friday afternoon last, large gath
ering of neighbors took place at the
Painted Woods school house, Burleigh
county, to witness the closing exercises
of the school term. Among the visitors
were Mrs. s. A. Peterson and daughters,
now of Bismarck, but for many years
residents of the Painted Woods.
Mrs. Peterson had drove up from the
capital city that morning IN a single rig,
and after the Entertainment was over left
pony and rig in general care of proprie-
tor Danielson at the store, accompanied
by her children wended their way across
the fields to neighbor Klintbergs where
they passed the night.
On her return to the store next morn
ing Mrs. Peterson was mortified to learn
that some scamp or scamps had taken her
harness from the stable and beautiful
and costly robe from the buggy seat. The
lady then made the best of bad situation
by borrowing another set of harness and
returned to Bismarck to report the loss to
her husband.
OF course, Merchant Peterson was in-
dignant. In all the long years that he
had jumped the counter at his old stand
at Painted Woods its precincts had been
singularly free from the pilferer or thief
The counter lounger; the dry goods box
warmer; the handy fingered bad boy
banes of country stores-had been no
source of trouble to the merchants at
Painted Woods.
81 will see about this thing" said the
excited merchant-and his eyes were not
blanks. He hied himself to the Woods
and commenced an investigation. In COM
pany with Merchant Danielson they COM
menced a search. Coolies we're looked
into, trees were looked up at and every
out-of-tbe-way place for mile around
was given the benefit of thorough search
but vain one-no harness; no robe;
no robbers.
At half past six O'Clock Monday evening
Merchant Peterson sat down by the store
stove. He was bothered and tired. Mr..
Danielson was ia an adjoining room
cooking supper. The outside door quietly
opened at this juncture and man with
gun softly entered. That kind, of ap-
paration was common there in the hunt
ing season, even though the face was muf-
fled from seemingly inclement weather.
"Hold up your hands ~ shouted the
apparation, with gun pointing towards
the merchants breast.
Mr.. Peterson laughed.
"Hold up your hands-d-n you"
gun in hand, came in the door and Mr.. Pc
terson became prisoner. Mr.. Danielson
coming to the partition door, was secured
in like manner. The first thing the bandits
did then was to rifle the merchants Stpock
cts, taking two hundred dollars and gold
watch from Mr.. Peterson and some things
of lesser value frora his companion
The next move the robbers did was to SO
cure two unloaded guns, ono of these a
borrowed one, the property of Mr.. Klint-
berg. The Williams final break was to
hustle their prisoners down the cellar
and place a barrell of salt and some heavy
boxes on the trap door, and then skipped
out. After much labor the merchants ex-
tricated themselves from their prison and
rushed over to neigbors and gave the al
arm.
Such, in substance is ths story told by
Charley Rosain as he rode wildly into
Washburn in the grey Of Tuesday morning
and later fully confirmed BY Anton Carl
son, and other arrivals from the Woods.
1t was bold piece of robbery and
every citizen should lend their aid to hunt